VOA慢速英语2020--胜利花园百年之后再次连接美国

After 100 Years, Victory Gardens Connect Americans Again

During World War I, posters saying "Food will win the war" urged Americans to grow their own food in what became known as victory gardens. More than 100 years later, home gardeners are returning to that idea in the fight against a pandemic.

The spread of the new coronavirus raises fears about problems with food supplies and the cost of food in a weak economy. So, many gardeners are coming together to learn and share stories on how to grow vegetables, fruits and flowers.

Creating a victory garden now can be a shared experience during hardship and uncertainty¹.

Rose Hayden-Smith is a historian² and author of the book, "Sowing the Seeds of Victory: American Gardening Programs of World War I." She told the Associated Press that the current time is a lot like it was during World War I. "Not only was there a war, but there was an influenza³ pandemic," she said.

Now, gardeners new and old are getting online and on social media to post pictures of their backyards, gardens, or seeds growing under electric lights. Facebook groups like Victory Garden 2020 or Victory Garden Over COVID-19 are filling up.

Some of these gardeners are newly unemployed⁴. Others are working parents at home with their children. Some are gardening fans who never had the time to explore their interest. Urban community gardeners are increasing production to feed families who have lost income or children who no longer get meals at school.

In New York City, Jennifer McShane had to close her drinking establishment because of the COVID-19 spread there. She has been eating mostly frozen⁵ vegetables. She is concerned about buying fresh produce from a grocery store. But she knew how to plant herbs in containers in her home. So she bought some tomato seeds, planted them and called them "Seeds of Hope."

"I can't wait for the plants to come in because I am desperate. The things I am missing are the fresh things," she said.

A common reason to grow vegetables during WWI was a limited food supply. Hayden-Smith explained that America was sending food to European allies⁶ and American troops. Victory gardens also were a way to assimilate⁷ America's many new immigrants through a patriotic⁸ and community-building effort.

Hayden-Smith considers social media posts about gardening during the pandemic as modern versions of the victory garden poster.

"We don't have poster art, but we have Instagram," she said.

In Chicago, a nonprofit group called Urban Growers Collective teaches children and others to grow vegetables at eight urban farms around the city. Their spring educational programs are on hold because of rules about social distancing. But Laurell Sims, who helped start the group, said they are still putting effort into food production and getting produce to families who need it. The group is selling bags of homegrown vegetables like kale, spinach⁹ and scallions.

Sims said prices for some kinds of produce are beginning to increase in Chicago.

She said most community gardens right now are closed. But her group is hoping to get them reopened with limits on the number of people permitted to work in them at one time.

Sims added, "The whole heart of a community garden is a community. When we know that our neighbors are sick, when we know our neighbors are compromised, we're able to help them out."

I'm Jonathan Evans.

Words in This Story

poster –n. a usually large sheet with writing or pictures on it that is displayed as a notice, advertisement, or for decoration

garden –n. an area of ground where plants such as flowers or vegetables are grown

author –n. a person who has written a book or who writes many books

produce –n. fresh fruits and vegetables

desperate –adj. very sad and upset because of having little or no hope

patriotic –adj. having or showing great love and support for your country; having or showing patriotism

1 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

2 historian   

n.历史学家，编史家

参考例句：

• As a historian,he was most typical of the times in which he lived.作为历史学家，他是他所处时代最有代表性的人物。
• He calls himself a historian,but his books are a mere journalism.他自称为历史学家，但是他的书都是些肤浅的通俗作品。

3 influenza   

n.流行性感冒，流感

参考例句：

• They took steps to prevent the spread of influenza.他们采取措施
• Influenza is an infectious disease.流感是一种传染病。

4 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。

5 frozen   

adj.冻结的，冰冻的

参考例句：

• He was frozen to death on a snowing night.在一个风雪的晚上，他被冻死了。
• The weather is cold and the ground is frozen.天寒地冻。

6 allies   

联盟国，同盟者； 同盟国，同盟者( ally的名词复数 )； 支持者； 盟军

参考例句：

• The allies would fear that they were pawns in a superpower condominium. 这个联盟担心他们会成为超级大国共管的牺牲品。
• A number of the United States' allies had urged him not to take a hasty decision. 美国的一些盟友已力劝他不要急于作决定。

7 assimilate   

v.（被）吸收，（被）消化，（使或被）同化

参考例句：

• Some foreigners assimilate easily into our way of life.有些外国人很容易被我们的生活方式同化。
• It is difficult to assimilate a lot of information.难于在较短时间内摄取许多信息。

8 patriotic   

adj.爱国的，有爱国心的

参考例句：

• His speech was full of patriotic sentiments.他的演说充满了爱国之情。
• The old man is a patriotic overseas Chinese.这位老人是一位爱国华侨。

9 spinach   

n.菠菜

参考例句：

• Eating spinach is supposed to make you strong.据说吃菠菜能使人强壮。
• You should eat such vegetables as carrot,celery and spinach.你应该吃胡萝卜、芹菜和菠菜这类的蔬菜。