Chapter 4: Agriculture and main crops

1. Complete the given statements.

a) Arable farming is about producing food by growing crops.

b) Rice is the biggest single crop and is the staple diet of half of the world’s population.

c) Rice fields are called paddy. They are small and are flooded with water.

d) Rice grows with its feet in water and its head in the sun.

e) The most back-breaking part of rice farming is planting the seedlings.

2. Choose the correct answer.

a) Animal farming makes up about 25% of all agriculture.

i) 15% ii) 25%

iii) 60% iv) 10%

b) The wheel was invented in the Fertile Crescent about 5000 years ago.

i) China ii) Egypt

iii) the Fertile Crescent iv) North America

c) Sheep were domesticated in West Asia about 15,000 years ago.

i) 10,000 ii) 11,000

iii) 12,500 iv) 15,000

d) The Rann of Kutch (India) is home to wild donkeys.

i) Ilamas ii) horses

iii) wild donkeys iv) camels

e) Horticulture is a form of garden farming.

i) garden farming ii) silkworm cultivation

iii) cultural activity iv) honey production

3. Match the contents of column A with column B.

A B

a) Farming Revolution in the UK. (v) 1700

b) One of the world’s biggest cattle farming countries (iv) Argentina

c) Merino wool (vi) Spain

d) Karakul wool (i) Afghanistan

e) Hortus (iii) Latin for a garden

f) Angora (ii) Ankara, Turkey

4. Answer the following questions.

a) Archaeologists say that the wheel is the second most important invention in history. What do
you think they consider the most important?

b) How do you think the invention of the wheel came about?

c) Can you think of a city in Turkey, with a name similar to angora? This region was region was
with angora product. What is the angora product about?

d) Why are there no large paddy (rice) fields as there are for other grains?
e) Find out what you can about Basmati rice, which is one of Pakistan’s important exports.
What shape is the grain? Why it is so much sought after all over the world?

f) Do you know what animals are preferred for livestock farming in Pakistan?

g) Although fish is not as easily available as staple crops, it is a valued product. Can you say
why?