General Listening Quiz

What types of gardens do people grow in your area? Do people raise flowers and/or vegetables?

1. Gardening is a relaxing hobby for people of all ages.
2. Growing your own vegetables is better than buying them at the store.
3. Some vegetables grow better in certain countries because of the climate.
4. Using natural fertilizers is always better than using chemicals.
5. Gardens should be designed differently depending on cultural traditions.
6. Sharing gardening tips with neighbors helps the whole community.
7. Gardening is easier in the city than in the countryside.
8. Everyone should learn how to grow at least a few vegetables.
9. Traditional gardening methods are better than modern technology.
10. Gardens can teach children about healthy eating and nature.

“let the grass grow around your feet” = wait, waste time, or delay in doing something
“Don’t let the grass grow around your feet. Stop sitting at home and get out and apply for a job.”

“turn a new leaf” = change one’s behavior
“I don’t think he’ll turn over a new leaf just because he is getting married.”

Listen to the recording and answer the questions. (See transcript)

Here are some words and expressions that appear in the recording:

• be into something (idiom): be interested in something
  – I was really into running for a while until I injured my knee.
• climbing rose bush (noun): a rose plant with long stems that grows up along a wall, fence, or other support
  – The climbing rose bush covered the whole side of the garden wall.
• be on one’s last leg (idiom): be ready to die or give out because of lack of energy
  – My truck is on its last leg, so I need to start looking for a new one.
• hardy (adjective): strong or sturdy
  – You need to plant hardy varieties of bushes in this area because of the harsh winter weather.
• disease-resistant (adjective): able to fight off illness or infection without being easily damaged
  – The gardener chose a disease-resistant tomato plant so he wouldn’t lose the whole crop.
• get rid of (idiom): throw away or discard
  – You should get rid of these plants; they are growing out of control.
• trim (verb): to cut away small amounts from something to keep it neat or in good shape
  – She trimmed the rose bush so new flowers would have room to grow.
• soaked (adjective): completely wet from absorbing a large amount of liquid
  – After the heavy rain, the soil was completely soaked.
• be/looks dead as a doornail (idiom): undoubtedly dead
  – Unfortunately, our pet chicken in the garden looks as dead as a doornail. It must have died during the snowstorm last night.
• be bound to (verb): be likely to happen
  – Seeing that you have taken so good care of your garden, you are bound to have a great harvest this summer and fall.
• revive (verb): bring back to life or make something more alive
  – I think it is too late. No matter how much you water that plant, you won’t be able to revive it.
• variety (noun): a type or kind within a larger group, often with its own specific qualities
  – This variety of apple tree does well in cooler climates.
• variety (noun): a range or mix of different things
  – A variety of flowers was planted so that something would always be in bloom.
• blunder (noun; also a verb): a careless or embarrassing mistake
  – It was a real blunder not to have watered the garden more frequently. Now, none of the plants will survive.
• let the grass grow around your feet (idiom): wait, waste time, or delay doing something
  – When it comes to doing well in school, you should never let the grass grow around your feet. Get busy and study every day.
• shears (noun): a gardening tool that looks like a large pair of scissors for cutting and trimming bushes and plants
  – Does anyone know where the shears are? I need them to trim the bushes in the front yard.
• prized (adjective): highly valued or admired, often because something is rare or very good
  – That prized rose bush took three years to grow into its full shape.

What are the benefits or challenges of trying to raise your own fruits, vegetables, and even herbs?

Imagine that are moving to Denver, Colorado, in the United States for a couple of years, and you are into gardening. Because you are concerned about maintaining a healthy diet, you want to look into what edible plants you can grow in the area. Use the internet to identify two vegetables and two fruits/berries that can be raised in that area. Then, answer the following questions:

• What are the names of the plants you found?
• When is the best time to plant them?
• What is the growing season for each?
• When are the vegetables ready for harvest?
• In what kinds of recipes can the food items be used?