Joy English · Livello A2 · Comunitàjoy-english.com

Un articolo di cronaca: un giardino in città

Nome:Data:

Leggi un articolo di cronaca locale su un insolito giardino cittadino e sui volontari che se ne prendono cura.

A green surprise above the library

Most people visit Northgate Library to borrow books. But two years ago, the library started something new: a vegetable garden on its flat roof.

The idea came from Lena Novak, one of the librarians. "We had a large, empty roof and lots of visitors who wanted to learn about gardening," she explained. "So we asked for help, and the community answered."

Today, about forty volunteers look after the garden. They are students, retired people and families with small children. They grow tomatoes, beans, salad leaves, herbs and strawberries in large wooden boxes. Last summer, they also put two beehives on the roof, and the bees now help the plants to grow.

Every Saturday morning, the garden is open to the public. Visitors can join a free gardening class or simply sit and enjoy the view. Much of the food goes to a community kitchen nearby, which makes hot meals for people in the area.

The project is not always easy. The roof gets very hot in summer, so volunteers have to water the plants twice a day. "It's hard work," said Kofi Mensah, 68, "but I've made so many new friends here."

Next year, the library plans to build a small greenhouse so the garden can produce food in winter too.

Capire l'articolo

Leggi l'articolo. Scegli la risposta corretta.

Where is the garden?
- a) Next to the library
- b) On the roof of the library
- c) In a park near the library
Whose idea was the garden?
- a) A librarian's
- b) A student's
- c) Kofi Mensah's
About how many volunteers look after the garden?
- a) Fourteen
- b) Four hundred
- c) Forty
There are bees in the garden.
- a) True
- b) False
When can the public visit the garden?
- a) Every day
- b) On Saturday mornings
- c) Only in summer
What happens to much of the food?
- a) The volunteers sell it.
- b) The library sells it in its café.
- c) It goes to a community kitchen.
Why do volunteers water the plants twice a day in summer?
- a) The roof gets very hot.
- b) The plants are very small.
- c) The bees need water.
What does the library plan to do next year?
- a) Open a café
- b) Close the garden in winter
- c) Build a greenhouse

Parole e dettagli

Scegli la risposta migliore, oppure scrivi una parola o un numero dall'articolo.

Most people visit the library to borrow books. Borrow means ...
- a) take something and give it back later
- b) buy something
- c) write something
The volunteers grow plants in large wooden ___.
When the garden is open to the ___, visitors can join a free gardening class.
Visitors can simply sit and enjoy the view. Simply means ...
- a) quickly
- b) just
- c) never
Kofi Mensah is ___ years old.
Kofi says the project is hard work. What is good about it for him?
- a) The free food
- b) The money
- c) His new friends

Soluzioni

Capire l'articolo

b) On the roof of the libraryLa biblioteca ha creato un orto sul suo tetto piano.
a) A librarian'sL'idea è venuta a Lena Novak, una delle bibliotecarie.
c) FortyL'articolo dice che circa quaranta volontari si occupano del giardino.
a) TrueL'estate scorsa i volontari hanno messo due arnie sul tetto.
b) On Saturday morningsOgni sabato mattina il giardino è aperto al pubblico.
c) It goes to a community kitchen.Gran parte del cibo va a una mensa comunitaria lì vicino, che prepara pasti caldi.
a) The roof gets very hot.In estate il tetto diventa molto caldo, quindi le piante hanno bisogno di molta acqua.
c) Build a greenhouseLa biblioteca prevede di costruire una piccola serra in modo che il giardino possa produrre cibo in inverno.

Parole e dettagli

a) take something and give it back laterQuando prendi in prestito un libro della biblioteca, lo porti a casa e lo riporti più tardi.
boxesColtivano pomodori, fagioli e altre piante in grandi cassette di legno.
publicOpen to the public significa che chiunque può visitarlo. In quei giorni i visitatori possono partecipare a una lezione di giardinaggio gratuita.
b) justQui simply significa just (soltanto): i visitatori non devono fare nient'altro.
68 / sixty-eight / sixty eightL'articolo indica la sua età dopo il nome: Kofi Mensah, 68.
c) His new friendsKofi dice: I've made so many new friends here.