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External processes include (1) …—the disintegration and decomposition of rock
at or near Earth’s surface; (2) … —the transfer of rock material downslope under the
influence of gravity; and (3) … —the removal of material by a mobile agent, usually
water, wind, or ice. They are called … … because they occur at or near Earth’s surface
and are powered by energy from the Sun. By contrast, … …, such as volcanism and
mountain building, derive their energy from Earth’s interior.

UNIT 10
EARTH’S EXTERNAL PROCESSES
PART 2
SOIL. CONTROLS OF SOIL FORMATION

Task 1. Read and memorize the following words:
interact - взаємодія designation – позначення, визначення
vary - змінюватися humus – гумус, перегній
assimilating - уподібнення interface – сполучна ланка, інтерфейс
existence – існування, життя intermediary - посередницький
indispensable – необхідний, take for granted – сприймати або вірити
обов’язковий у щось безсумнівно
decayed – прогнилий; який розклався nutrient – поживна речовина
enhance – підвищувати або soluble - розчинний
збільшувати цінність
appropriate - доречний surroundings – середовище, оточення

Task 2. Read the following text, translate it into Ukrainian.

Soil
Soil covers most land surfaces. Along with air and water, it is one of our most
indispensable resources. Also, like air and water, soil is taken for granted by many of
us. Soil has accurately been called “the bridge between life and the inanimate world.”
All life—the entire biosphere— owes its existence to a dozen or so elements that must
ultimately come from Earth’s crust. Once weathering and other processes create soil,
plants carry out the intermediary role of assimilating the necessary elements and making
them available to animals, including humans.
When Earth is viewed as a system, soil is referred to as an interface—a common
boundary where different parts of a system interact. This is an appropriate designation
because soil forms where the geosphere, the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, and the
biosphere meet. Soil is a material that develops in response to complex environmental
interactions among different parts of the Earth system. Soil is dynamic and sensitive to
almost every aspect of its surroundings. Thus, when environmental changes occur, in
climate, vegetative cover, or animal (including human) activity, the soil responds. Any
such change produces a gradual alteration of soil characteristics until a new balance is
reached. Although thinly distributed over the land surface, soil functions as a
fundamental interface, providing an excellent example of the integration among many
parts of the Earth system.
With few exceptions, Earth’s land surface is covered by regolith, the layer of
rock and mineral fragments produced by weathering. Some would call this material soil,
but soil is more than an accumulation of weathered debris. Soil is a combination of
mineral and organic matter, water, and air—that portion of the regolith that supports
the growth of plants. Although the proportions of the major components in soil vary, the
same four components always are present to some extent. About one-half of the total

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