Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. a florist
    • ex. We visited a florist to buy fresh flowers for my mother’s birthday.
  2. harvest
    • ex. The farmers harvested the rice fields last September.
  3. a bouquet
    • ex. Amy received a bouquet of sunflowers on her graduation day.
  4. imported
    • ex. The store sells imported chocolates from Switzerland.
  5. sustainable
    • ex. Riding a bike is a sustainable alternative to driving a car.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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Emily Day from Calgary, Canada, chose to grow her own wedding flowers instead of hiring a florist. Day and her fiancé built garden boxes from wooden shipping containers and planted different flowers. They harvested and dried the flowers in summer. On her wedding day, Day’s bouquets showed warm autumn colors. They also included blue flowers from a local farmer and wild flowers found along the roads.

In total, Day spent about 1,300 Canadian dollars (about ¥147,000), far less than typical florist prices. She said the experience made her think about the environmental impact of imported flowers. Her story reflects a wider trend among younger people who want sustainable weddings. Some couples now grow their own bouquets, use plants grown in pots, or choose wildflowers. Many businesses are also trying to get flowers locally and reuse them after events.

Experts warn that imported flowers create high carbon emissions because they must be refrigerated and flown long distances. Large flower farms often replace natural forests, harming soil and wildlife. Meanwhile, some florists and small farms in North America now promote local, seasonal, and reusable flowers to reduce waste and support more sustainable events.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Gardening and Growing Plants and Flowers

  • Have you ever grown flowers or plants at home? Discuss.
  • Why do you think some people enjoy gardening (ex. helps connect with nature, helps reduce stress)? Discuss.
  • In your opinion, how can communities encourage people to grow their own plants and flowers (ex. build a community garden, offer gardening workshops)? Discuss.

Imported vs Local Products

  • Do you usually prefer buying local products or imported products? Why? Discuss.
  • What problems do you think imported products can cause for the environment? Discuss.
  • How can businesses encourage people to buy local products (ex. open a farmers’ market, do tasting events)? Discuss.