UNIT 70: RAISING HOUSEPLANTS

Raising houseplants involves nearly as much care and knowledge as raising children.
First, both plants and children are sensitive to their environments. For example,a plant will
grow faster and 'be much healthier if it is raised in an environment of tender, loving care. The
same is true for a child, who will be happier and healthier if his parents love and nurture him.
Similarly, proper care of houseplants requires a basic knowledge of plants on the part of the
owner. He must know, for example, which of his plants need direct sunlight and which need
to be kept in shady places, and how much water each plant requires for the best growth and
appearance. Parents, too, must have a basic knowledge of their children's needs in order to
provide what is necessary for the best physical and mental development.

I. VOCABULARY
To involve: to require, to necessitate, to mean.
To raise: to grow
To require: To necessitate, to call for
Tender: loving, caring, affectionate
To nurture: to care for, to look after
Proper: suitable, appropriate
Shady: protected or free from sun
Appearance: look
II. EXERCISE: Complete the sentences with a suitable form of the words defined
above.
1. The Group will be .... in the development of human rights awareness.
2. A small per cent of children .... in rural areas used to experience schooling.
3. For years, she had .... an ambition to set up her own business.
4. The global dimension of AIDS .... individual organizations and communities to
rapidly develop their own local approaches and responses to the problem.
5. Sun-loving plants must not be planted in .... parts of the garden.
III. READING COMPREHENSION
1. The writer argues that environment..........
a. plays an important role in the development of both children and plants.
b. has no effect on plants.
c. has nothing to do with child raising.
d. is important if the plants are sensitive.
e. children are in does not concern parents.
2. If a person doesn't have enough knowledge of plants,..........
a. he can't raise a child.
b. plants should be kept in shady places.
 c. their growth will be affected negatively.
d. they grow faster.
e. his plants need direct sunlight.
3. Love and care
a. should only be given to children.
b. are not so essential for children as for plants.
c. requires basic knowledge of plants. of plants.
d. will only help raise happier and healthier children.
e. are necessary not only for children but also plants.