Growing Carrots

By Bob Bowen
Broadcast: August 5, 2003
This is Bill White with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
1)Carrots are grown on farms and in small family gardens throughout¹ the world. They are easy to raise and easy to harvest. They have a pleasing taste. And, they contain a lot of 2)carotene which the body changes into Vitamin² A.
When people think about carrots, they usually create a mental picture of a long, thin, orange-colored vegetable. But, carrots come in many different sizes and shapes. And not all carrots are orange.
For example, Paris Market carrots are about five 3)centimeters around. 4)Imperator carrots are thin and about twenty-five centimeters long. And Belgian White carrots are white.
For the best results, carrots should be grown in sandy soil that does not hold water for a long time. The soil also should have no rocks.
To prepare your carrot garden, dig³ up the soil, loosen⁴ it, and turn it over. Then, mix some dead plant material or animal waste. Do not add any additional⁵ chemical fertilizers⁶.
Weather, soil condition, and age affect the way carrots taste. Experts say warm days, cool nights, and a medium soil temperature are the best conditions for growing great tasting carrots.
Carrots need time to develop their full sugar content. This gives them their taste. If they are harvested too early they will not have enough sugar. However, carrots become wood-like and loose their sweetness if you wait too long to remove them from the ground.
The best way to judge if a carrot is ready to be harvested is by its color. Usually, the brighter the color, the better the taste.
Most people do not know that carrots can be grown during the winter months. If the winter is not cold enough to freeze the ground, you can grow and harvest carrots the same way as you do during the summer months.
If the ground does freeze in your part of the world, simply cover your carrot garden with a thick 5)layer of leaves or 6)straw⁷. This will prevent the ground from freezing. You can remove the ground cover and harvest the carrots as they are needed.
Carrots are prepared and eaten many different ways. They are cut in thin pieces and added⁸ to other vegetables. They are cooked by themselves or added to meat in stews⁹. Or, they are washed, and eaten just as they come out of the ground.
This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by Bob Bowen. And this is Bill White.

注释：
1) carrot [5kArEt] n.胡萝卜
2) carotene [5kArEti:n] n.（生化）胡萝卜素
3) centimeter [5sentImi:tEr(r)] n.厘米
4) imperator [impE5rB:tC:] n. 大将军，元首
5) layer [5leiE] n.层
6) straw [strC:] n.稻草，麦杆

1 throughout   

adv.到处，自始至终；prep.遍及，贯穿

参考例句：

• These magazines are sold at bookstores throughout the country.这些杂志在全国各地书店均有发售。
• Guilin is known throughout the world for its scenery.桂林以山水著称于世。

2 vitamin   

n.维他命，维生素

参考例句：

• Oranges are rich in vitamin C.橙子富含维生素C。
• Vitamin pills make up what you lack in your diet.维生素丸可补充你食物中所缺乏的营养。

3 dig   

v.挖（洞，沟等）；掘

参考例句：

• It is difficult to dig the ground when it is frozen.地面冻住了就不易挖掘。
• In those days we often went to dig for wild vegetables.那时候我们常常出去挖野菜。

4 loosen   

vt.放松，松开，解除（便秘等），放宽；vi.变松，松弛

参考例句：

• I must take some exercise and loosen up my muscles.我必须活动活动使肌肉放松些。
• The medicine may loosen your cough.这种药能减轻你的咳嗽。

5 additional   

adj.添加的，额外的，另外的

参考例句：

• It is necessary to set down these additional rules.有必要制定这些补充规则。
• I think we can fit in an additional room.我想我们可以再加建一间房子。

6 fertilizers   

肥料，化肥( fertilizer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• the long-term effects of fertilizers 肥料的长远影响
• Crushed bones make one of the best fertilizers. 骨粉是最佳肥料之一。

7 straw   

n.稻草，麦杆，吸管；adj.用稻草做的，用来作稻草的，麦杆色的，无价值的，象稻草人的，非正式民意测验所发现的

参考例句：

• The old peasant is twisting pieces of straw into a rope.这位老农民正把稻草搓成绳子。
• May I have a straw for my drink?给我一根喝饮料的吸管好吗？

8 added   

adj.更多的，附加的，额外的

参考例句：

• They have added a new scene at the beginning.在开头他们又增加了一场戏。
• The pop music added to our enjoyment of the film.片中的流行音乐使我们对这部电影更加喜爱。

9 stews   

n.炖煮的菜肴( stew的名词复数 )；烦恼，焦虑v.炖( stew的第三人称单数 )；煨；思考；担忧

参考例句：

• Corn starch is used as a thickener in stews. 玉米淀粉在炖煮菜肴中被用作增稠剂。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Most stews contain meat and vegetables. 炖的食物大多是肉类和蔬菜。 来自辞典例句