READING COMPREHENSION EXERCISES

TOPIC : INTRODUCTION TO AGRICULTURE

Instruction:

1. Work in group of two

2. Submit your work in week 3
3. Write your complete identity
4. Write you answer in kertas folio bergaris
5. This is an example of Reading Comprehension Exercises and all students have do them and
work in group of two

No Name NIM Signature

1
2
Class
Day/Date

I. Match the each word in Column A with its meaning in B

A B
1. dominate a. introduces something in contrast or unexpected
2. farms b. around the middle of a scale of evaluation
3. decline c. the amount per hundred
4. agriculture d. be greater in significance than
5. but e. cultivated land as a unit
6. percent f. became invisible or unnoticeable
7. average g. a large-scale farming enterprise
8. disappeared h. grow smaller

II. Read the text carefully, then fill in the blanks with the correct word in coulmn A of
part I.

American agriculture is marked by several trends. The first is the continuing ... ( 1) of small
family farms. Since 1979, 300,000 small farms have ... (2 ) in the United States, and since
1946 the number of people employed in ... ( 3) has been cut in half. Increasingly, large
companies such as Archer-Daniels Midland (ADM) have come to ... (4 ) American
agriculture. In 2000, ADM had worldwide sales of $12.9 billion. In the beef industry, 4 firms
control 80 ... (5 ) of the U.S. market. Almost 91 percent of U.S. ... (6 ) are considered to be
small (less than 1,000 acres). Large farms (more than 1,000 acres) made up just 9 percent of
farms ... (7 ) received 51 percent of total agricultural revenues in 2000. The second trend is
the increasing productivity of the sector. Agricultural production in the United States has
increased by an ... (8 ) of 5 percent each year since 1990. In addition, the output of each
agricultural worker has grown by an average of 0.84 percent each year. On average, one
American farmer produces enough food for 96 people.

III. Read the text carefully then state whether the sentence in each number is TRUE (T)
or FALSE (F)

Agriculture in Indonesia is one of the key sectors of Indonesian economy. Although the
share of agriculture sector contribution to the national gross domestic product has declined
significantly in the last half century, today it still provides income for the majority of
Indonesian households. In 2013, the agricultural sector contributed to 14.43 percent of
national GDP, a slight decline compared to a decade earlier (2003) which reached 15.19
percent. In 2012, this sector provides jobs for around 49 million Indonesians, which
represents 41 percent of the total labour force in the country.
Currently around 30 percent of Indonesian land area is used for agriculture purposes.
Indonesian agriculture sector is overviewed and regulated by Indonesian Ministry of
Agriculture. Generally, the agricultural sector of Indonesia comprises two types which
corresponds scale:
Large plantations either owned by state or private companies
Smallholder production modes, mostly traditional agricultural households.
The large plantations tend to focus on export commodities; such as palm oil and rubber, while
the small scale farmers focus on horticultural commodities to supply the food consumption of
local and regional population, such as rice, soybeans, corn, fruits and vegetables.
Located in the tropical region, Indonesia enjoys abundant rain and sunshine most of the
time, which are important elements for agriculture. Most of global agricultural commodities
thrive in Indonesia. The country possesses vast and abundant arable fertile soils. Indonesia is
a world's major key producer of a wide variety of agricultural tropical products. Indonesia's
important agricultural commodities include palm oil, natural rubber, cocoa, coffee, tea,
cassava, rice and tropical spices.
1. The contribution of Agriculture sector in Indonesia increased significantly in the last half
century. (...)
2. Agriculture sector has given good contribution to Indonesian economy. (...)
3. Income from the agriculture sector disappears in the majority of Indonesian households. (...)
4. The main idea of the text is that the households in Indonesia live from agriculture. (...)
5. Less than 35 percent of Indonesian land is used for agriculture purposes. (...)
6. The largeplantation tend to focus on import commodities. (...)
7. The small scale farmers focus on export commodities. (...)
8. Indonesia has abundant rain and sunshine most of the time. (...)

IV. Read the text carefully to answer the questions

Australian Agriculture
Australia is a country which depends largely on agriculture. Agriculture has been one
of the primary sources of income in Australia for the past many centuries. Earlier
agricultural products accounted for about 80% of the total exports but now it has gone
down to 3% of the total exports. Till date, many Australian inhabitants are directly or
indirectly related to agricultural work or farming.

The Indigenous Aboriginal tribes of Australia were mainly hunters and gatherers and did
 not practice farming. After European settlement began in Australia, the farms usually
developed around the settlements in the early periods. The land grants were first started in
the year 1787 following the instructions from the Queen of England to prisoners who
were freed. Thereafter grants were also made to free migrants and mariners. The total
grant was not supposed to exceed 100 acres but this rule was not always strictly followed.

The setting up of the railway line in the 1850s was a major booster to the agricultural
produce as more and more farmers could now sell their produce in the urban markets.
With the help of railways, the farm products could be transported at a much higher speed
than in previous days. More and more areas came under agricultural production with
the passage of time. The first significant agricultural industry in the region was the
wool industry. The greatest hindrance to the Australian farmers was and has been water
scarcity and droughts.

During the 1900s wool along with wheat dominated the agricultural scenario as
productions rose. In the initial days, most of the crops were produced in the eastern states
but then Western Australia became the leader in grain production by the year 1905. By
the beginning of the 20th century, agricultural production in Australia had grown by
leaps and bounds and was exceeding the local demands. As a result of this, Australia
became a major producer of agricultural products. Despite the two World Wars and the
Great Economic Depression, Australian agriculture had managed to flourish during the
first half of the 20th century.

1. What is the perccentage of Australaian agricultura product now?

2. Who are directly or indirectly related to agricultural work or farming?
3. That is the main idea of the second paragraph?
4. What is the difference between Indigenous Aboriginal tribes of Australia and the
Euaopean people in Australia?
5. When were the prisoners freed by the Queen and sent to Australia?
6. Why did the farmers get a lot of benefit from the setting up of the railway line in the
1850s?
7. Where was grain produced by the year 1905?
8. Why did Australia became became a major producer of agricultural products.?

V. Construct a good sentence from the given words in each number

1. with-the production-deals of crops-it-various

2. to have- production-better-is- the aim-food
3. from-Agriculture- Ager-words-Latin-is-derived-and-Cultura
4. is- the most- in the world-important-agriculture-enterprice
5. to take-based-the farmer-able to is on experience- a decision
6. sciemtific utilizes- it- all technologies- modern -all- developed on pinciples
7. was- with intimately- associated -landholding-farming
8. for sale grow- the farmers-do- in village -your - crops?

The End