LET'S READ ABOUT GARDENING

Homework: Should I keep or compost this plant?

If you have a garden, then you know this question well: Should I keep this plant? Or is it a weed that I should throw in the compost bin?

Well, what is a weed, really? A weed is a small plant. People think it is bad because it is growing in the wrong place. A person may grow a plant because it has beautiful flowers, but other people may think that this plant is a weed for some reason.

For example, some people love the butterfly bush. In Oregon, however, it is a weed. In fact, it is illegal. Why? Because it is invasive. That means that it grows out of control and causes harm.

Other plants are called weeds for different reasons:

Some plants have pollen. That makes people sneeze. Many people are allergic to ragweed, for instance. Their eyes itch. The pollen makes their throat scratchy. They have to blow their nose. They might cough a lot, too. Like the butterfly bush, sometimes a plant spreads seeds that will grow quickly. You probably have seen dandelions. The wind carries their seeds easily. Although the plants are edible, many people think they are weeds because they can cover a lawn very quickly.

The roots of some plants can go too far underground. The roots can cause damage to houses or pipes. If you plant bamboo, be careful of this problem. Some plants (such as lily of the valley) have poisonous berries or a liquid (sap) in them that can hurt skin. Sometimes people say these plants are weeds because they are dangerous or have no use. If someone is farming a plant and it moves outside the farm, the plant may then be called a weed. Sunflowers are sometimes weeds when they grow in the wrong place.

Instructions: Read the article above, then answer the questions below.

Hướng dẫn: Đọc bài viết trên, sau đó trả lời các câu hỏi bên dưới.

1. What is the topic of the article?
Chủ đề của bài viết là gì?
(A) butterfly bushes
(B) composting
(C) invasive plants
(D) weeds

2. According to the article, what is a weed?
Theo bài viết, cỏ dại là gì?
(A) a plant in the wrong place
(B) a plant that is used as food or medicine
(C) a plant that everyone loves
(D) a plant in Oregon

3. What causes problems for people with allergies?
Điều gì gây ra vấn đề cho người bị dị ứng?
(A) roots
(B) compost
(C) butterflies
(D) pollen

4. The roots of the ____ plant often cause problems.
Rễ của cây ____ thường gây ra vấn đề.
(A) dandelion
(B) bamboo
(C) sunflower
(D) ragweed

5. Liquid inside a plant is called ____.
Chất lỏng bên trong cây được gọi là ____.
(A) sap
(B) root
(C) flower
(D) pollen

6. In the sentence below, what does the pronoun "it" mean?
Trong câu dưới đây, đại từ "it" có nghĩa là gì?
"A person may grow a plant because it has beautiful flowers, but other people may think that this plant is a weed for some reason."
(A) person
(B) plant
(C) flowers
(D) weed

7. Which word is repeated most often in the article?
Từ nào được lặp lại nhiều nhất trong bài viết?
(A) berries
(B) garden
(C) weed
(D) pollen

8. Topic is another word for subject.
Topic là một từ khác của subject.
(A) True
(B) False

9. The topic is always a complete sentence.
Topic luôn là một câu hoàn chỉnh.
(A) True
(B) False

10. The topic is more general than a detail.
Topic tổng quát hơn chi tiết.
(A) True
(B) False

Transform: Weeds List

Chuyển đổi: Danh sách cỏ dại

Work with a partner. Use the article above to complete the list below. Then give the list a title.

Làm việc với bạn cùng lớp. Sử dụng bài viết ở trên để hoàn thành danh sách bên dưới. Sau đó đặt tiêu đề cho danh sách.

Plant	Problem
Butterfly bush	Invasive - harms local plants
Ragweed	Pollen causes allergies
Dandelion	Spreads in lawns
Bamboo	Roots can hurt buildings
Lily of the valley	Poisonous
Sunflower	Grows in unwanted places

What is the general topic of this list? Write the topic on the line above.

Chủ đề tổng quát của danh sách này là gì? Viết chủ đề trên dòng phía trên.

Sample Topic: Weeds and Their Problems

Discuss / Thảo luận

Work with a partner or in small groups. Think of your favorite plant from your country. Find a picture on the internet. Show the picture to your classmates and describe the plant.

Làm việc với bạn cùng lớp hoặc nhóm nhỏ. Nghĩ về loài cây yêu thích của bạn từ đất nước của bạn. Tìm một bức ảnh trên internet. Cho bạn cùng lớp xem ảnh và mô tả loài cây đó.

• What is the plant's name in your first language?
• Do you know its name in English?
• Where does it grow?
• Have you seen it in Oregon?
• Does it have a use, such as food or medicine?
• Do people like it? Or do people think it is a weed? Explain.

Sample Answers / Câu trả lời gợi ý

✔ Plant name (Vietnamese): Cây sen (Lotus). English name: Lotus flower.
✔ It grows in ponds and lakes with muddy water. It is very common in Vietnam.
✔ I have not seen it in Oregon because the climate is different.
✔ The lotus has many uses: the flowers are used for decoration, the seeds are eaten as snacks, and the roots are used in cooking.
✔ Most people love the lotus because it is the national flower of Vietnam. It symbolizes purity and beauty. Nobody thinks it is a weed because it is very useful and beautiful.