Vegetables

Vocabulary Building

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Vegetables in Our Daily Life

Vegetables are an important part of our daily meals. They give us vitamins and help us stay healthy. Let's learn about some common vegetables.

Asparagus has long stems and small shoots. People often grill or steam it. Beans are not the same as French beans. They have brown seeds and contain a lot of protein. Peas are small, round, and green. They taste sweet and are good in rice or salads.

Cabbage is a vegetable with big leaves. It is like a sister to cauliflower. Carrots are yellow root vegetables that grow under the ground. Rabbits love to eat them! Cauliflower looks like white broccoli and is from the same family as cabbage.

Celery has white roots and green parts that we eat. It's often eaten with parsley, which has green leaves. Cucumber is long, green, and cool. It's very refreshing in salads. Sweet corn is yellow and sweet. You can buy it frozen or in tins. Another name for it is maize.

Kohlrabi has a thick round stem that grows on the ground. It's white inside. Green pepper can be red or green and sometimes spicy. Onion is not garlic and can make you cry when you cut it. Tomato is round and red. We use it to make ketchup.

Potato is very popular. We use it to make chips and French fries. Radish grows under the ground and is red. It has a strong taste. Aubergine, also called eggplant, is purple with soft white flesh inside.

Broccoli looks like green cauliflower. Many people say it's very healthy. Garlic is not an onion. People say it keeps vampires away! Pumpkin is big and orange. People use it to make jack-o'-lanterns at Halloween and also pumpkin pie.


Questions:

1. What color are carrots?
2. What do people make from potatoes?
3. What is another name for aubergine?
4. What vegetable keeps vampires away according to stories?
5. What is maize also called?
6. What vegetable do people carve at Halloween?
7. What vegetable might make you cry when cutting it?

True/False Statements:

1. Asparagus has short stems.
2. Beans contain a lot of protein.
3. Broccoli looks like yellow cauliflower.
4. Tomatoes are used to make ketchup.
5. Celery has blue roots.
6. Pumpkins are used at Halloween.
7. Cucumber is hot and spicy.

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Personal Questions

1: Do you like eating [carrots | potatoes | tomatoes | peas | onions]?

Example answer for carrots: Yes, I like eating carrots very much. They are sweet and crunchy. I eat them raw as a snack. Sometimes I add them to my salad. Carrots are good for your eyes too.

2: How often do you eat [beans | broccoli | cucumber | garlic | cabbage]?

Example answer for beans: I eat beans about twice a week. My mother makes bean soup on Mondays. I sometimes eat beans in my salad for lunch. They are full of protein. I think they are very healthy.

3: How do you usually prepare [potatoes | aubergine | cauliflower | pumpkin | celery]?

Example answer for potatoes: I usually boil potatoes or make French fries. Sometimes I bake them in the oven. My family likes mashed potatoes with butter. I can also make potato soup in winter.

4: Is [asparagus | sweet corn | kohlrabi | radish | green pepper] easy to find in your country?

Example answer for sweet corn: Yes, sweet corn is easy to find in my country. We can buy it fresh in summer. In winter, we buy it frozen or in tins. Many farmers grow sweet corn in their fields. It's popular in my country.

5: When did you last eat [tomatoes | parsley | pumpkin | garlic | carrots]?

Example answer for tomatoes: I last ate tomatoes yesterday at dinner. My mother made a fresh salad. The tomatoes were red and juicy. I also had tomato sauce on my pasta. I eat tomatoes almost every day.

6: Which do you prefer - [beans or peas | carrots or potatoes | broccoli or cauliflower | onions or garlic | cucumber or radish]?

Example answer for beans or peas: I prefer peas to beans. Peas are sweeter and softer. I like them in my rice and soups. Beans are good too, but sometimes they are too hard. Peas are my favorite green vegetable.

7: Can you cook with [onions | garlic | cabbage | potatoes | tomatoes]?

Example answer for onions: Yes, I can cook with onions. I know how to cut them without crying too much. I add onions to many dishes like soups and stews. They give good flavor to food. My simple egg omelet always has onions.

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One-Minute Talking Points

Asparagus

• What is asparagus? (long stems, shoots)
• Types you know?
• How to cook it?
• When did you first try it?
• Do you like its taste?
• Is it common in your country?
• How often do you eat it?
• Healthy or not? Why?

Beans

• What are beans? (brown seeds, proteins)
• Types you know?
• Your favorite bean dish?
• How to cook them properly?
• Canned or fresh better?
• Do you eat them often?
• Are they popular in your country?
• Any bean recipes you can share?

Cabbage

• What is cabbage? (big leaves)
• Types you know?
• Raw or cooked better?
• Traditional dishes with cabbage?
• Do you like cabbage?
• How often do you eat it?
• Easy or difficult to cook?
• Healthy benefits of cabbage?

Potato

• What are potatoes? (chips, French fries)
• Ways to cook potatoes?
• Your favorite potato dish?
• How often do you eat them?
• Easy or difficult to prepare?
• Grow them in your country?
• Healthy or unhealthy? Why?
• Mashed, fried or baked better?

Tomato

• What are tomatoes? (red, round, ketchup)
• Ways to eat tomatoes?
• Raw or cooked better?
• Your favorite tomato dish?
• Grow them in your garden?
• Easy or difficult to grow?
• Fruit or vegetable debate?
• How often do you eat them?

Carrot

• What are carrots? (yellow roots)
• Raw or cooked better?
• Ways to prepare carrots?
• Do you like carrot juice?
• Good for your health? How?
• Eat them regularly? How often?
• Your favorite carrot dish?
• Easy or difficult to grow?

Garlic

• What is garlic? (not onion, vampires)
• Ways to use garlic?
• Like or dislike the taste?
• Traditional dishes with garlic?
• Health benefits of garlic?
• Raw or cooked better?
• Used in your culture's cooking?
• Garlic breath problems? Solutions?

Pumpkin

• What is pumpkin? (jack-o'-lantern, pie)
• Ways to cook pumpkin?
• Halloween traditions with pumpkins?
• Your favorite pumpkin dish?
• Seeds edible? How prepare them?
• Like pumpkin soup or pie?
• When is pumpkin season?
• Grow in your country? Where?

Cucumber

• What is cucumber? (long, green, cool)
• Ways to eat cucumber?
• Always eat the skin?
• Your favorite cucumber dish?
• Pickle cucumbers in your country?
• Do you like cucumber juice?
• Good for your health? How?
• Best in salads or sandwiches?

Broccoli

• What is broccoli? (green cauliflower)
• Ways to cook broccoli?
• Raw or cooked better?
• Children like or dislike it?
• Your favorite broccoli dish?
• Health benefits of broccoli?
• Easy or difficult to cook?
• How often do you eat it?

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People should eat vegetables every day

Linkers: It's true, but..., I agree because..., I don't agree..., On the other hand..., For example...

For

• Vegetables give important vitamins and minerals — keywords: vitamins, minerals, healthy
• Vegetables help digestion and keep you regular — keywords: fibre, digestion, stomach
• Vegetables are low in calories and help keep weight healthy — keywords: low fat, light, diet
• Vegetables can prevent sickness like colds and some diseases — keywords: prevent, strong immune, healthy
• Vegetables are cheap and can be local or seasonal — keywords: cheap, market, season

Against

• Some people do not like the taste of many vegetables — keywords: taste, dislike, bitter
• Vegetables can be hard to prepare and cook — keywords: wash, chop, cook time
• Fresh vegetables spoil quickly and can waste money — keywords: spoil, throw away, short life
• Some people have allergies or stomach problems with vegetables — keywords: allergy, tummy, doctor
• Non-organic vegetables can have pesticides and be unhealthy — keywords: pesticides, wash, worry

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