Home-grown food 自种食物

林仁敏

1 We all need to eat， and when we go to buy food at the supermarket， we're offered many choices. But we often buy food that's been produced in huge amounts and that's traveled many miles before it ends up on our plate. So for some， growing their own food is a better choice—and it tastes good too！

2 From growing vegetables in little pots on your balcony to taking care of a small plot of land， there are many ways to produce home-grown food. It can be backbreaking work digging， weeding and watering the soil， but the result is fresh， home-grown fruits and vegetables， helping us keep a five-a-day diet.

3 The recent COVID-19 pandemic lockdown means demand for home-grown food has seen a comeback in the UK. Miriam Dobson from the University of Sheffield， told the BBC that some people have been spending a lot of their time on their plots， growing plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables—which， at times， have been challenging to buy in supermarkets. She says， “The coronavirus has reminded people of the weakness within our global food system. In such a difficult time， interest in self-support rises.”

4 But for those with limited space， a solution to grow their own vegetables lies closer to home—using pots. Sheila Brand lives in a third-floor flat in Rotterdam. She has managed to grow tomatoes and eggplants and is already harvesting raspberries（木莓）. She said that watching the plants grow “is very exciting： ‘Oh， it's got a new leaf！”

5 As well as the benefits of saving money and enjoying tasty food， growing your own from a balcony or window ledge not only improves your well-being and immediate environment， but you can also actually grow a lot of vegetables. So， maybe it's time for us all to get planting and develop our green fingers！

Reading  Check

Choose the best answers according to the text.

Vocabulary 1. What does “a five-a-day diet” in Para. 2 probably mean？

A. A diet that includes five meals.

B. A diet that includes plenty of water.

C. A diet that includes five kinds of rice.

D. A diet that includes enough fruits and vegetables.

Detail 2. Why is home-grown food getting popular again in the UK？

A. It's more interesting， cheap and delicious.

B. The global food system is doing harm to the British.

C. It saves the time and money on transportation.

D. It can be hard to buy fresh food during the pandemic.

Detail 3. Where can you grow your own food if you live in a small flat？

A. In a pot. B. On a plate.

C. In a garden. D. On the roof.

Language  Study

Discover the useful structure in the text

動词see、witness、find、notice等用于拟人句中，使表达更加生动形象

The recent COVID-19 pandemic lockdown means demand for home-grown food has seen a comeback in the UK. 最近新型冠状肺炎疫情导致的封锁意味着英国对自种食物的需求再度流行。