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ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES AND THE PRIMARY SECTOR

Q1-Read these words and write them in every box:

PART ONE . ECONOMIC

ACTIVITIES.

What´s the Economy?

The Economy deals with the use of the existing

resources in order to satisfy the needs of

human beings and groups of people.

Origin

The word Economy comes from the Greek

oikos (house) and nomeia(science). For the

Greeks, the oikos -nomeia was the domestic

science, that is to say, knowledge related to

the administration of the house. In the 19th

century, it happened to refer to the general

economy.

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Definition:

Factors of production Economic agents Economic systems and

the market economy

Q.2 Do this crossword

Economic activities produce

economic goods using

different resources called

factors of production

An economic system is a way

in which a society organizes

its economy The economic activity needs

economic agents to work

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You can do this puzzle in internet:

http://www.armoredpenguin.com/crossword/bin/crossword.cgi?cmd=solve&filefrag=20

13.02/1511/15115315.130.html

Q.3 Finally complete this diagram with these words

Across

3-The state control the majority of the

factors of production and decides how the

economy must work

5- Material objects such as food, books or

computers.

7. Raw material such as water, plants,

animals.

9. Economic agent who intervenes in the

economy in different ways, for example, it

offers services such as healthcare or

education and collects taxes.

10. People who work in a company and

their labour.

12. Resources used to produce goods or

other services.

13. They produce the goods and services

that are on offer in the market.

14. They are produced by companies and

factories.

Down

1The State takes actions that affect the

economy.

2. Economic agent which is a organization that

produce goods and services to obtain financial

profits.

4. Businesses and consumers control the

economy with limited involvement by the State.

6. Work that is done for someone, but which

doesn´t produce a material product, such as

transport, education or hairdressing.

8 .A company needs to work things such as

money, building , machinery, equipment.

11. Economic agent which consists of one or

several people.

Economic Agents

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Profit Difference between what costs to make something or provide a service and

what it is sold for (cost- price =profit)

Q.4 Work with a partner. Look at the products listed in the chart in activity 3. Then, tell

your partner how much of each product your family uses in a typical day or week.

Example: We eat a lot of bread everyday but have rice only once a week.

Q.5.Work with a partner.

a) Give three examples of products you have bought recently. Where did you buy them?

How much did they cost?

Example: I bought……..yesterday/last week/two months ago. I bought …..in a

shop/supermarket /market. I think it cost….

b) Give three examples of services that you use regularly.

Example: I use….everyday/very often/once a week.

c) Think of examples of products or services you can buy online with a computer.

Example: you can buy…..and…..online.

Q.6. In your exercise book , match the following words with the example sentences below:

income, salary, investment, profit, budget, expenses.

a) My father works in a bank. He earns €2000 a month.

b) This month I have to buy a lot of school books.

c) The factory bought a new machine to increase production .

d) This year we only have €1000 to spend on our holiday.

e) At the end of the year, the company´s sales were higher than its costs.

f) My uncle has two houses on the beach and He rents them out to tourists.

Q.7. Work with a partner. Answer the questions.

a) Do you like going to the sales? Why or why not?

Example:

A: Do you like going to the sales?

B:Yes, I do because things are…..so…. I can buy…..

Supply and demand

If the supply of a product is high, the Price goes down. For example, if a shop has

too many t-shirts of the same type for sale , it will lower the price to encourage

people to buy them

If the supply of a product is low , the price goes up because consumers are

prepared to pay more. For example , a popular band is having only one concert in

the next year. Since many people will want the few tickets that are available , the

band can charge higher prices.

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b) what are the advantages and disadvantages of sales?

c) what was the last thing you bought in the sales and how much cheaper was it ?

Q.8. Work with a partner . Ask your partner the following questions.

a) What is a budget? Do you have one?

b) How do you get money? Do your parents give it to you, or do you have to do some chores

like housework?

c) what are your daily and weekly expenses ?

d) what do you spend most of your money on?

e) Are you saving up for anything?

The Globalization of the economy (listening). Fill in the blanks

In today´s _______ , all countries are interconnected . They ________on each other t a

large _______ and their economies have become ________ , so they form part of an

enormous ________ _________system.

This process of global __________ is called globalization:

ICT ________ companies all over the world to be ________ with each other. As a result we

have a _________ market

__________ and free trade zones are ________ in this big market.

The common __________ also remove _________ and allow the free movement of people

and capital between member countries. In practice, these __________ adopt a common

economic ___________ towards other states.

Q.9. Choose a multinational company that established in Spain .Look for information on the

internet and write a short report in your exercise book about the company.

Include the following:

a) Company name , year and place in which it was founded.

b) Products it makes or services it offers.

c) Number of employees in the world and in Spain

d) Number of countries in which it is present and some examples

e) Number of shops, factories or offices in Spain

f) Website address

Q.10. Find out how to say the names of some websites or email addresses in English.

Example

www.google.com

mycompany@yahoo.co.uk

Q.11. work with a partner. Ask and answer questions about the companies you wrote

about in activity 8.

Example a) Which product is the company best known for?

b) It is best known for producing sweets and chewing gum?

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PART TWO -THE PRIMARY SECTOR

Definition

Physical factors

Here, there are some words and some definitions Q.11.First match them and have to

fill in blanks and write down the definitions:

The primary sector consists of

economic activities (crop agriculture ,

livestock farming, forestry, fishing and

mining) that obtain resources from

nature

Temperature

Frost, hail and hailstorms damage crops

Rainfall

Soil

Vegetation

Incline of slopes

Shady

Sunny

Altitude

Thickness; deep it is more appropriate for the

cultivation of most crops because roots have more

space to expand .Nutrients the more appropriate

nutrients it has, the better it is for agriculture.

South-facing sides are more appropriate for crops .

Plants need minimum rainfall ( 900-1200)to grow

North-facing sides aren´t appropriate for crops

Flat surfaces facilitate agricultural work and very steep

slopes make it more difficult

Plant need minimum temperatures (10 ºC) to grow

It provides the soil with humus, so the more

vegetation an area has, the more fertile the soil will

be.

Adverse

phenomena

For every 1000 m of altitude, temperatures fall by 6º C .

For this reason, after a certain altitude, cultivation is

no longer possible.

Strong winds can damage crops.

wind

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Physical factors of the agrarian space.

Complete them

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Human factors:

Q12. Match them

Population growth

Economic and technological

conditions

Land ownership

Population growth leads to the extension of agricultural

space because of the need to produce more food. A

decrease in population means that cultivated land is

abandoned because there are not enough people to work

the land or because it is not necessary to produce so

much.

They can be small (smallholdings)(minifundios) or large

(large estates)(latifundios)

Cultivated land can be owned by one person or several

people(cooperative or company…). The owner can work the

land directly or transfer it to other farmers who lease it or

work it as sharecroppers. The owner can also employ day

labourers

These also affect the composition of agricultural space. For

example, in some regions the land children inherit from their

parents is not divided up, while in other regions it is. That is

why some areas have many large estates and others many

smallholdings.

Agricultural policy

Agricultural space is a result of the measures and actions

taken by national government and international institutions

that affect crop agriculture and livestock farming.

A country´s economy and the demand for certain products

influence the choice of crops , the technology used

(machinery, fertilizers, pesticides, ) and therefore the

composition of agricultural space

Fram size

Customs

Structure of agricul

Q.13. Match the pictures w

- the Size :

Small (less than 1 ha) Me

- the shape:

Regular or geometrical; fiel

Irregular; plots (Parcelas) or

- plot boundaries(above):

Bocage; small fields are sep

Openfield; fields are open

they are used.

Q.14.Are the following sente

a)Mining does not belong to

b) Snowfall can destroy crop

c)The shade side of a mounta

gricultural space

res with:

a) Medium (between 1 ha and 10 ha) Large (mor

l; fields can be square , rectangular…

las) or fields don´t have a clear geometrical shap

ve):

re separated by hedges, trees, stone or wooden

open and can only be differentiated by the typ

g sentences true or false? Correct the false ones in y

ng to the primary sector.

y crops.

ountain is better for crops than the sunny side.

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e (more than 1 ha)

l shape

oden fences.

he type or the way

n your notebook.

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d)Human increases the fertility of the soil.

e) Fertilisers kill pests.

f)Strong winds can damage crops.

Q.15. Are these places appropriate for crop agriculture?

Explain why/ why not in your exercise book.

a) Mountainside with a very steep slope.

b) Flat area with annual temperatures around 15ºC and more than 1000 mm of

rainfall.

c) Flat area with annual temperatures around 6ºC and less than 400 mm of rainfall.

Q.16. In your exercise book, complete the sentences with these words: slope, inhabited,

humus, frost.

a) ---------is an atmospheric phenomenon that happens when temperatures are below

0ºC.

b) A ……….. is a piece of land that goes up or down.

c)…………………is organic matter that makes soil more fertile.

d)Villages are situated in …………space.

Crop agriculture practices

Q.17 Describe these pictures with the help of these linkers and words:

-Depending on the use of water:

Irrigated agriculture consists of…

……………… Irrigation systems …….

Therefore, Fruit trees are……..

…………..

Rainwater is the only……….so

Rain-fed agriculture means …..

As a result ,Olive trees, sunflowers……

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-Depending on the variety of species:

-Depending on the utilization of the soil:

Monoculture is…………

That means ……….

You often grow…………….like this.

The cultivation of ……………………..is a

mixed cropping.

Although they use irrigated agriculture….

…………..(as shown in the picture) are

grown this way.

This is Intensive agriculture: high capital

investment and labour …………….

…………..

To obtain …………yield , crops are ………

……..commercial …..such as ……..gardens

In Valencia.

However, Extensive agriculture does not

use……………….……nor human………..

On the other hand, Production can be for

………………… in the United States or for

personal ……………

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Agricultural landscapes

Subsistence agriculture ;

this method uses ancient

techniques and has low

productivity. Most crops

are for the farmer´s own

consumption

Commercial agricultura; this

characterised by high

investment, the use of advanced

techniques such as drip

irrigation, and high

productivity.Crops are produced

for commercial purpuses.

Slash and burn agriculture ; to

prepare the land , the

vegetation is cut down and

burnt, and the ashes are used

as fertilizer. Used to grow

millet, sorghum and tapioca is

located in tropical areas

Intensive agriculture of

Monsoon area; rice is

grown on small plots

Advanced agriculture of

Europe ; flowers , market

garden products and

cereals are among the

most, important crops

Mediterranean

agriculture; this is rain-

fed (wheat, vines and

olives) and irrigated

(fruit and vegetables)

Extensive New world

agriculture; large farms

employ few workers and

use a lot of machinery.

They mostly grow cereals.

It is located in new

countries.

Plantations; large estates

with monoxultures of

cocoa, tea, coffe , bananas

and pineapples for

example, the farms are

owned by big

multinational companies.

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Q.18 .You are travelling around the world and write a postcard to your best

friend . Describe two agricultural landscapes in this postcard

Q.19 Complete the diagram below with the features of the following agricultural

landscapes: Look up on page 131

THE AGRICULTURE

Agricultural

landscapes

Localization Variety Features

Subsistence

Agriculture

Commercial

Agriculture

Q.20Act out a dialogue:

Dear

I have been in and I

Now I am visiting a

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-Student A: Farmer A, the dark-skinned farmer wearing a hat

-Student B: Farmer B, the other farmer.

You can use these words and sentences for the dialogue:

Hi, mate Shall We ?

Here we go Hi, my friend

First, let`s start Okey, then we .

Finally, I will Well done

With the book” The Agriculture in the world” color the zones of different

agricultural landscapes. Look it in page 131

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Livestock farming

Q.21 Listening. fill in blanks and answer the questions:

1- What´s the difference between Extensive and intensive farming?

2-where are animals kept in the confined livestock method?

3-How can you define semi-confined livestock?

4- What´s the name of the herding which is constantly moving?

5-How do sedentary livestock farming get their food?

Q.22. In your exercise book, match the following words with the examples below:

monoculture, irrigated crops, intensive agriculture, rain-fed crops.

a) Farmers use technology to water these crops.

b) A coffee plantation is an example of this type of crop.

c) If the summer is very dry, these crops suffer because they receive no water.

d)These crops need a lot of workers, machines and money.

1- Depending of Capital _____________ and labour it can be Extensive

livestock ________; capital investment (in feed, farms, etc.) is ________ and

productivity low. The _________ is mostly cattle and sheep, and grazes on

large _________ in the open air or __________ livestock farming ; capital

investment ( in feed, farms, etc…)__________and productivity are high.

Mostly cattle, pigs and ________ are farmed.

2- Depending of food and __________ methods it can be grazing livestock;

animals _______ on grass. This is an example of extensive _________ or

Confined livestock animals are kept in _______ and covered pens, and eat

feed. It is an example of ________ farming . finally semi-confined

livestock is when cattle in _______ eats grass and when there isn´t enough

________, they eat feed.

3-Depending ________ of livestock it can be Nomadic herding; herders and

their families are _________ moving with their animals in search of good

________ or Transhumance when herders move their animals several times

a year _________ winter and summer pastures. Finally sedentary livestock

farming when animals don´t have to move around to ________ food because

farmers give them _______.

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Q.23. What type of livestock farming do these people practise?

a) Kumar is an Indian herder. He is constantly moving around with his family and his

float of goats , looking for pastures.

b) Harry is an Australian farmer. His sheep graze on the fields on his farm.

c) Pedro lives in Spain. Every summer , He moves his sheep from the valley to the

mountain pastures.

Q.24. John is a welsh farmer. Look at his timetable. In pairs, complete the questions

with the following words: why, after, often, time, who,many, when. Then answer the

questions in your exercise book.

5:25 am John gets up and begins milking between six o´clock and quarter past

six.

6:15 am John feeds the cows.

8:00 am John begins to do other jobs such as taking the cows out to pasture.

10.00 am In summer, John harvests grass, which He stores in order to feed the

animals in winter.

12:00 pm John continues with his other jobs.

2:00 pm A milk tanker comes to collect the milk.

4:30 pm The cows are milked again.

Source: www.oxfam.org.uk/education/resources/milking-

it/milkingit/information/realives/welsh/johns-day.htm#430

a) What……………does John start work?

b) How ……..does He milk the cows? At what time?

c) ……….does John feed the cows?

d) What other jobs ……John do?

e) ………does John harvest the grass?

f) What time do they collect the milk?...........collects it?

g) How ………hours a day does John work?

Q.25. Forest exploitation.

To make sure that forest exploitation does not lead to the disappearance of forests,

forestry (silviculture )has to be managed so that, although forests are cultivated to

obtain products from them, the trees are allowed to regenerate and the forest survives.

For forests to regenerate, only the amount of timber and other products that can be

replaced by natural growth is extracted in any one year. When natural growth proves

difficult, reforestation is undertaken.

Forestry uses agricultural practices such as special machinery and selection of seeds

and fertilizers.

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25.1. Read the text above and answer the following questions:

A) How would you define Forestry or Silviculture?

B) Can natural growth regenerate forests? If not, What can be used to help?

C) How can agriculture be useful for forestry?

25.2. Pairs work: Imagine yourselves as some Greenpeace activists who are against

tree cutting. Think for a while what you could do to make people take notice of the

problem and help save the forests. ( Remember Lisa Simpson living on the top of a tree

which was to be cut down.)

-Advertising and TV ads. –Radio campaigns…..

- E-mails and text messages. –Brochures and leaflets

-Meetings, Demos, Lectures….. –Songs and videos in You tube.

-Live concerts in the forests….. – Excursions and Camping.

-Planting new trees everywhere…………. – Handing seeds door by door .

Fishing and the use of the sea

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Q.26 Read and do this crossword.

19

Q.27 –Fill in the blanks with the crossword´s words.

Changes in rural areas.

There have been important changes in rural areas:

1-Demographic changes, because of ageing of the rural population

2-Changes in agricultural landscapes , techniques are changed such as greenhouses, cash

crops(propósitos solo comerciales).

3-Development of new activities; many rural areas have developed other activities besides

agriculture and livestock farming.

Industry: industries dedicated to the transformation of agricultural products.

Tourism uses beautiful landscapes or with unique vegetation or fauna.

4-Changes in construction there are a lot of rural areas close to big cities, new housing has

been built.

Q.28-Look at one photo of a greenhouse and complete this description with these words:

plastic, metal, constant, productivity, temperature, vegetables.

“A green house is a constyruction made with _________posts and _________panels. Inside

the______________and humidity remain___________to obtain high__________. ______and

flowers are some of the products cultivated in greenhouses”

Fishing is the practice of catching fish and other marine species for food or as raw

materials for industry .Different techniques are used for fishing,

including__________, __________ and ______________.

From the sea we can obtain ____________ and__________, minerals, salt and

____________ ________(salt is extracted from seawater in desalination plants) We

can also use the sea as a _______ __ _______.

The sea is also the transportation route used by boats. In coastal areas industries ,

ports and __________ _____________(apartments, hotels, restaurants…)

To avoid the _________ of ___________ ___________ aquaculture has been develop;

the reproduction of salt and fresh water plants and animals in ______ ________.

Gilthead , turbot and trout are some of the fish bred in this way.

There are different types of fishing such as ____________ __________ is near the

coast with small boats and ________ ____________ is in the deep sea with large

boats, freezer factory ships.

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Q.29.

21

Q.30.

22

Environmental solutions Q.31 Match the causes with their solution, writing the correct number in the solution

columns.

Causes Solutions

1 use of pesticides and fertilizers,

harmful techniques which

contaminate soil and water.

Improve irrigation systems

2 The overexploitation of forests

and forest fires cause

deforestation.

Reforestation with native

species

3Irrigated agriculture deplete water

resources

Increase efficiency in the

prevention and extinction of

forest fires.

4Reforestation with introduced

species, not native to the area,

impoverishes the soil.

Prohibition of some fishing

methods , and development

of aquaculture.

5 Fish catches are often excessive in

relation to marine resources

(overfishing)

Use of natural fertilizers and

seeds. Also natural ways to

combat pests.

6 some fishing methods, like

trawling, damage marine

environments.

Regulation of fishing: control

of the size of species caught,

reduction of catches.

Q.32 Talking points

Look back at section 7 and think about what you have learnt. As a class, discuss: Which

are the most serious environmental problems caused by the activities of the primary

sector? What can we do to solve them?

Example: I think………………is more serious than………………because……………….is not as

harmful as……………because…………….We should use more/less……………….. .

The term “belt” in agricultur

grown. Belts also have simila

description with the correct m

iculture describes an area or region where one parti

similar climactic and soil conditions. Can you mat

rrect map?

B. The Corn

Midwester

Illinois, an

crop. Appr

grown in th

states. The

a good clim

C. The Cotton B

Southern USA

primary cash c

into the 20th ce

production occ

and Georgia. L

extended from

A. The Whea

American G

the domina

from Cana

divided int

wheat area

the souther

23

e particular crop is

u match the belt

Corn Belt: Is found in the

western states of Ohio, Indiana,

ois, and Iowa. Corn is the primary

. Approximately 50% of all corn

n in the USA is from these four

s. These regions have rich soil and

od climate for this type of farming.

tton Belt: Was a region of the

USA where cotton was the

cash crop from the late 18th century

century. Before the cotton gin,

on occurred only in South Carolina

rgia. Later, the Cotton Belt

from Virginia to Texas.

Wheat Belt: Is the part of the

rican Great Plains where wheat is

ominant crop. The belt extends

Canadian border to Texas and is

ed into winter wheat and spring

at areas. Winter wheat is grown in

outhern areas.

United States Departme

REGIONS

10 major farm production regio

land, climate, distance to marke

they comprise the agricultural f

1. & 2. The Northeaster

milk producing areas.

3. The Appalachian regi

Peanuts, cattle, and dai

4. In the Southeast regio

peanuts are grown in th

5. In the Delta States, the

sugarcane are also grow

6. The Corn Belt has rich

cattle, hogs, and dairy p

7. & 8. Agriculture in the

western portion and by

About three-fifths of th

9. The Mountain States

are suited to raising cattle a

hay, sugar beets, potatoes,

10. The Pacific region incl

Hawaii. Farmers specia

raised throughout the region. In

Greenhouse/nursery and dairy p

Q.33 Answer the questions

1) What is grown in Hawai?

2) How are crops watered in t

rtment of Agriculture (USDA): FARM PRO

regions in the United States differ in soils, slope of

market, and storage and marketing facilities. Together

ltural face of the Nation.

eastern States and the Lake States are the Nation’s pr

reas.

n region is the major tobacco-producing region in the N

nd dairy production are also important there.

region, beef is an important livestock product. Fruits, v

n in this region.

, the principal cash crops are soybeans and cotton. Ri

o grown.

as rich soil and good climate for excellent farming. Cor

airy products are the major outputs of farms in the regi

in the northern and southern Plains is restricted by r

nd by cold winters and short growing seasons in the no

s of the Nation’s winter and spring wheat is produced i

tates provide a still different terrain. Vast areas of this r

attle and sheep. Irrigation in valleys provides water for

atoes, fruits, and vegetables.

includes the three Pacific Coast States plus Alaska

specialize in raising wheat, fruit, and potatoes, vegetab

ion. In Hawaii, sugarcane and pineapples are the major

dairy products are Alaska’s top-ranking commodities

ns about the text:

in the mountain States?

24

PRODUCTION

gether

n’s principal

in the Nation.

ruits, vegetables, and

ton. Rice and

g. Corn, beef,

he region.

ed by rainfall in the

the northern part.

uced in this region.

f this region

ter for such crops as

and

egetables, Cattle are

major crops.

25

3) which are the main milk areas?

4)Where is the main production of wheat?

5) where could you get beef and peanuts?

Q.34: Are the following sentences true or false? Correct the false ones in your exercise

book.

a) The more humus the soil has, the more fertile it is.

b) If the population falls, the demand for agricultural products goes up.

c) Cows and bulls are cattle.

d) Ecological agriculture is harmful to the natural environment.

e) Aquaculture is the reproduction of salt- and freshwater plants and animals in fish farms.

Q.35. In your exercise book, complete these passive sentences with the correct verb, using

the past participle: catch, cut, grow, feed, burn.

a) In slash-and-burn agriculture the trees are …………..down and then………..because the

ashes are used as a fertilizer.

b) In confined livestock farming, animals are ………..by the farmer.

c) Rice is …….in many Asian countries.

d) Many fish are ………..in the Atlantic Ocean.

Q.36: Look at the map next page and answer the questions in your exercise book.

a) In which parts of the world can we find slash-and-burn agriculture.

b) In which parts can we find plantations?

c) Do plantations or slash-and-burn agriculture produce cash crops?

d)what type of country is the United States? What type of agriculture is typical there?

e) What type of agriculture is typical in Italy and Spain? And in the rest of Europe

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FINAL TASK :

1-Make a little report about agriculture in Baeza or your town.

KEYS:

Title:

Photo:

Explanation of

above features:

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The Globalisation of the economy (listening) Q.8 Fill in the blanks

In today´s world , all countries are interconenected. They depend on each other t a large

extent and their economies have become integrated , so they form part of an enormous free

market system.

This process of global integration is called globalization:

ICT allows companies all over the world to be contact with each other. As a result we have

a global market

Multinationals and free trade zones are included in this big market.

The common markets also remove tariffs and allow the free movement of people and

capital between member countries. In practice, these countries adopt a common economic

policy towards other states.

1- Depending of Capital investment and labour it can be Extensive

livestock farming; capital investment (in feed, farms, etc.) is limited and

productivity low. The livestock is mostly cattle and sheep, and grazes on large

pastures in the open air or Intensive livestock farming ; capital investment (

in feed, farms, etc…) labour and productivity are high. Mostly cattle, pigs and

poultry are farmed.

2- Depending of food and feeding methods it can be grazing livestock;

animals feed on grass. This is an example of extensive farming or Confined

livestock animals are kept in sheds and covered pens, and eat feed. It is an

example of intensive farming . finally semi-confined livestock is when

cattle in summer eats grass and when there isn´t enough grass, they eat feed.

3-Depending mobility of livestock it can be Nomadic herding; herders and

their families are constantly moving with their animals in search of good

pasture or Transhumance when herders move their animals several times a

year between winter and summer pastures. Finally sedentary livestock

farming when animals don´t have to move around to obtain food because

farmers give them feed

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