Learn English with English, baby!

Join for FREE!

Social_nav_masthead_logged_in
 
Gardening

Gardening

Date: Sep 12 2008

Themes: Food, Hobbies

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

There’s something amazing about planting seeds and watching them grow. And something even more amazing about it if you can eat what’s growing!

For a lot of people in our modern world, it’s easy to forget that food comes from the ground. But it can very enjoyable to grow some of your own food in whatever little space you can find. Plus, Mason and Marni agree that it tastes better too!

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

Log in to Listen

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Marni

Marni

Mason

Mason

Marni:  So did you enjoy those zucchini that I brought?

Mason:  I totally did. Did you grow those yourself?

Marni:  I did, yes.

Mason:  It tastes so much better, right?

Marni:  It really does. I’m just all about…well, I’m a pretty low maintenance gardener. I plant it. I water it occasionally. I hope for the best.

Mason:  Yeah? Because I’ve been going green thumb crazy with stuff. It started out with some potted things on the balcony and we just recently built a whole square-foot garden in the back yard.

Marni:  Yes, very nice.

Mason:  Do you know the square-foot garden thing? The SFG?

Marni:  Do tell.

Mason:  It’s just kind of a layman’s thing, you know, and it’s creating grids, right, foot by foot, and they tell you how kinds of x plant you can put in each grid. It’s just, you know, an idiot’s guide to gardening, but it seems work pretty well.

Marni:  And just maximizing your space, it sounds like. You know, living in a city you just want to get the most bang for your buck.

Mason:  Right.

Marni:  And what about the community garden thing? That’s pretty cool if you don’t have your own space. Do you know anybody who participates in community gardening?

Mason:  I don’t know anyone who does gardening communally. I know a lot of people who subscribe to those services where they contact a farm and then once a week they get a basket of farm fresh groceries and it’s whatever they were able to grow.

Marni:  I’m just, yeah, wondering about actually participating in the growing process.

Mason:  That’s something worth looking into.

Marni:  It’s gardening. It’s good.

 

Quizzes

Go Super to take Quiz Go Super!

 

Lesson MP3

Go Super to download full lesson MP3 Go Super!

The iTEP® test

  • Schedule an iTEP® test and take the official English Practice Test.

    Take Now >

Discussion

Marni brought Mason some zucchini from her garden. He said it tasted really good and that he’s been into gardening lately too. He started with pots and has since moved on to a small garden divided into square feet to help him figure out how much to plant.

Some neighborhoods have community gardens where you can work with the people around you to grow some food. Mason also has friends who subscribe to a service that brings them freshly grown produce from nearby small farms. But he and Marni are interested in looking into community gardening to grow more of their own food.

Do you grow any of your own food? Are there community gardens where you live?

 

Comments

Log in to Comment

195854255

195854255

United States

We dont do gardening but some of our neighbors do.iT surely taste better than what you buy from market

11:39 AM Sep 12 2008 |

yanziyuxi

China

Great topic! My parents love gardening.They planted some vegetabales back of our house。we also could eat the frash vegetables .They said that it is feel great to plant.

I think i should try to join them and enjoy the happinese  !

07:53 AM Sep 12 2008 |

Paula Wutyee

Myanmar

To all my friends,

If U ve a dream, pls don't give up..

If there is a will, there will be a way to fullfill ur dreams…

Concentrate ur current situation & try hard to get enough money to settle down in our Older Life….

OK…

 

Good day, 

 

wuy 

 

 

07:40 AM Sep 12 2008 |

natashama07

China

I love gardening!I'm really regret that I have to live in city that there is no place to grow plants,so I brought many potted flowers in my house.I've dreamed for a long time that I can own a farm to plant fruit trees or vegetables what I want once I retired,but I'm not sure if the dream can come true someday?It's so sad…

07:06 AM Sep 12 2008 |

junlin

China

  • I can from a contryside ,and what it said in the topic that i familar with .In my hometown, most of vegetables that we eat in daily life are growned by my mother .Besides, i have  experience to  plant the vegetable in my childhood .Now ,beacause  i  study in another city  that is far from my home and there is hardly chance to go home .  Mid- autumn day that is a tradition festive in our country Smileis coming  ,i  hope everyone that have a good time

03:58 AM Sep 12 2008 |

gww1181

China

That is a great topic.When i was young,my parents were both famers.They grew many things.But now they grow nothing.I often remember the old times.It very good.Wink

02:38 AM Sep 12 2008 |

Paula Wutyee

Myanmar

Me too ! I really love gardeining.  My grand parents are more interested in growing all kinds plants, fruits & vegetables.  Their farmland is huge so that they can grow anything whatever they like.  After retirement, they can stand their own feet from earning of selling those vegetables, plants to others.  I really envy them.  Their life is so comfortable, enjoyable.  Besides, they are very healthy.  I decided to do the same thing and follow the same path as my grandparents when I am getting older.

 :D

wuy

 

02:26 AM Sep 12 2008 |

Likes (40):

See all >

Share this lesson:

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Bebo
  • Share on Myspace
  • Share on Twitter
  • Email this to a friend
  • Share on Sina

Post Ebaby! lessons on your blog:

Ebaby! Cast