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3. WHAT IS SOIL?
Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.
Soil is made up of organic matter and mineral dust. It is
a key feature of the Earth and plays a crucial role in life
processes. It recycles nutrients from dead plants, animals
and animal waste back into a source of food for plants,
the producers in our food chain. It also recycles gases
like nitrogen and carbon dioxide by releasing them back
into the atmosphere. Finally, plants, as well as many
insects and animals live inside the soil.
Soil forms over very long periods of time, and the type of soil that forms depends on many factors.
The three main types of soil are sandy soil, clayey soil and loamy soil. The proportions of dead plants,
animals and animal wastes and minerals from rocks, differ according to the topography of the land.
Climatic factors like temperature and moisture also play an important role in the formation of soil.
1. What is soil made up of?
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2. What are the organisms that live inside the soil?
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3. What does soil recycle?
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4. What are the three main types of soil?
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5. What are the factors that play a role in the formation of soil?
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