Why Don’t Americans Love to Grow Vegetables in Their Gardens?

广东深圳市龙华区碧澜外国语小学 张 妍 编译

Most of the Chinese people love to grow vegetables in their gardens, while Americans do not. Why?

大多数中国人喜欢在自家花园里种菜，而美国人不喜欢。这是为什么呢？

If you have been tothe United Statesand have stayed there for months, you’ll surely find that there are manyraccoons,haresand deers in thecountrysideof this country. Andsquirrels, wild birds, black bears, etc. Don’t think these animals are so cute. After growing vegetables in the United States, you will find out half a year of hard work can beransackedby animals in one night. And they willtotally ruinthe vegetablefields.

如果你去过美国并在那里待了几个月，你一定会发现这个国家的农村有许多浣熊、野兔和鹿，还有松鼠、野鸟、黑熊等。千万别以为这些动物有多么可爱。在美国种菜之后，你会发现半年的辛勤劳动可以在一夜之间被动物洗劫一空。他们会把菜地毁得一干二净。

Of course, themain reasonis that Americans arelazy. Vegetables grow very fast. You mustprunedaily. It’s veryenergyconsumingandtime-consuming.

当然，主要原因还是美国人太懒了。蔬菜长得很快。你必须每天修剪。这是非常消耗体力和耗费时间的。

Chinese people love to grow vegetables and growing vegetables in their gardens is atraditionin China. Chinese people arehard-working. They willopen upa small piece of land to grow vegetables. Onegoalis to eatfresh,pollution-freevegetables, and to know what you eat. Second goal is a hobby, something topass the time.

中国人喜欢种菜，在花园里种菜是中国人的传统。中国人很勤劳。他们会开辟一小块地种植蔬菜。第一个目的是吃新鲜、无污染的蔬菜，并知道吃的是什么。第二个目的是种植蔬菜就是一种爱好，有时就是为了消磨时间。

In China, if people watch a piece of land left alone without growing vegetables, they will be very sad. Chinese people will put a lot ofemotionorpersonalityonto the land. When they see the land, they want to plant something. Otherwise, it feels like a waste of that land. It’s like you want to raise some fish,shrimpsandcrabswhen you see water.

在中国，如果人们看到一片孤零零的土地上没有种菜，他们会非常难过。中国人会在这片土地上注入很多情感或个人色彩。当他们看到土地，就想种些东西。否则，感觉就像是在浪费那片土地。就像你看到水，就想养一些鱼、虾和螃蟹一样。

Notes:

the United States 美国

raccoonn. 浣熊

haren. 野兔

countrysiden. 农村

squirreln. 麻雀

ransackv. 洗劫

totallyadv. 全部

ruinv. 毁坏

fieldn. 田；地

mainadj. 主要的

reasonn. 原因

lazyadj. 懒惰的

prunev. 修剪

energy-consuming消耗体力的

time-consuming耗费时间的

traditionn. 传统

hard-working 勤劳的

open up 开辟

goaln. 目标；目的

freshadj. 新鲜的

pollution-free 无污染的

pass the time 消磨时间

emotionn. 情感

personalityn. 个性

shrimpn. 虾

crabn. 螃蟹

I. Answer the following questions.

1. What do most of the Chinese people love to do in their gardens?

2. What animals will ruin the vegetable fields in the countryside of the USA?

3. Why don’t Americans love to grow vegetables in their gardens?

4. What kind of vegetables do people like to eat?

5. Some people grow vegetables in their gardens just because they want to pass the time. Is it true?

II. Fill in the blanks to complete the following sentences.

1. Most of the Chinese people love to growv_________ in their gardens.

2. You can find that there are many raccoons, hares,d_________ , squirrels, wild birds, and black bears in the countryside of this country.

3. Americans arel________ , while Chinese people are hard-working.

4. Growing vegetables in their gardens is at_________ in China.

5. When you seew__________ , you’ll want to raise some fish, shrimps and crabs.

（答案见本期第41页）