Bob 的房间窗台上有个空的盆栽，他决定今天前往花市买种子和需要的工具，回来自己当个绿手指，给房间增添一分绿意。跟着他一起去逛花市吧！
(At the flower market)
(在花市)
Bob: (Talking to the florist) Hi, I’d like to plant some flowers on my windowsill; could you give me some suggestions?
Bob：(和花店店员说话) 嗨，我想在我的窗台外种一些花，但我不知道该怎么挑适合的花。你可以给我一些建议吗？
Florist: Sure. Do you want to buy a potted plant or grow one yourself from some seeds?
花店店员：当然。你想买一盆花还是一些花的种子？
Bob: I want to buy seeds.
Bob：我想买种子。
Florist: I see. Are you planning to plant the seeds now?
花店店员：了解。你预计现在就播种吗？
Bob: Yes.
Bob：对。
Florist: In that case, since it’s now winter I’d suggest you choose seeds that sprout during this season. Is this your first time growing?
花店店员：既然如此，由于现在是冬天，我建议你选择在冬天会发芽的种子。这是你第一次种植物吗？
Bob: Well, I’ve planted mung beans before, but all I did was scatter them onto a piece of wet toilet paper and left them be. They grew like crazy.
Bob：我从前是种过绿豆，但我不过就只是把它们撒到湿的卫生纸上，然后就不管了。他们长得超快。
plant (v.) 种植
plant 除了可以当「植物」的总称，还能够当动词表示「种植」。
My sister has a potted succulent plant on her desk.
我姐姐的电脑旁有一盆多肉植物。
Succulents can be planted indoor.
多肉植物可被种植于室内。
plant the seed 播种
seed 是「种子」，因此「播种」可以用 plant the seed 表示。而 sow 这个字则通常用在大规模的农业播种。
Tommy planted the seeds and then watered them.
Tommy 播好种子然后撒了一些水。
The farmer sowed his wheat fields in early spring.
农夫在初春时播种稻草。
By not studying for the test, Tommy sowed the seeds of his own demise.
Tommy 没准备考试，自食恶果。
Tommy spent his 20s sowing his wild oats before finally settling down and getting married.
Tommy 二十几岁的时候都在玩感情，最后终于定下来结了婚。
sprout (v.) 发芽
sprout 意指「发芽；抽芽」，亦可当名词，指「芽」。
It takes at least 10 days for pansy seeds to sprout.
三色堇种子要至少 10 天才会发芽。
Tommy transplanted the sprouts to a bigger planter.
Tommy 将新芽移植到较大的盆里。
scatter (v.) 播撒
scatter 意指「撒；播撒」，scatter the seed 指的即是「撒种子」。
Tommy scattered the seeds along the fence.
Tommy 沿着篱笆撒下种子。
除此之外，scatter 亦可指「(人群) 分散；驱散」。
The crowd was scattered by the police.
群众被警察驱散。
Bob 最后选了哪种种子呢？继续看下去！
Florist: Haha, you remind me of my first time growing. Pansies are a good choice. They sprout in winter and are easy to grow.
花店店员：哈哈，你让我想起了我第一次种东西时。我建议你选三色堇。它们在冬天会发芽而且很能生长。
Bob: Great! What type of soil should I use?
Bob：太好了！那我该用哪种土壤呢？
Florist: Pansies can grow in nearly all types of soil. However, I recommend using this one. (Showing Bob a heavy bag of soil) It’s full of all the different nutrients a plant needs.
花店店员：三色堇几乎在各种土壤中都能生长。不过呢，我推荐使用这一款。 (给 Bob 看一大袋土壤) 它富含各种植物所需的营养。
Bob: Then I’ll take a bag of it. And how often should I water them?
Bob：那么我要一袋。还有种子一天要浇水几次呢？
Florist: They don’t need that much water actually. once you scatter them onto the soil, cover them with a thin layer of soil and spray a little bit of water on them. They should sprout in 10 to 15 days. After that you only really need to water them once a week.
花店店员：它们其实不需要很多水。你把它们撒到土壤上后，在上头盖上薄薄一层土然后喷一些水上去。它们应该十到十五天内会发芽，之后一个礼拜浇一次水就够了。
Bob: Sounds ideal for my laid-back lifestyle! Is there anything else I should know? What about pruning and weeding?
Bob：听起来很适合我这个懒人。还有其他我应该知道的吗？像是修剪或是除草？
Florist: It’s best to pull out any weeds, but the flowers themselves won’t be needing any pruning.
花店店员：最好要拔杂草，不过花本身不需要修剪。
这么听起来，三色堇也很适合小 V 哦，因为本小 V 也是个懒人。
懒归懒，一起来复习单字吧！
soil (n.) 土壤
soil 在此为名词，指的是「土壤」。
Nutritious soil is good for plant growth.
富含养分的土壤适合植物生长。
soil 亦可指「国土」，如：Japanese soil (日本国土)、German soil (德国国土)。
Because of his prior convictions, the man was forbidden from stepping onto American soil.
这名男子由于前科被禁止踏足美国国土。
water (v.) 浇水
water 除了当名词表示「水」，还可以当做动词「浇水；灌溉」。补充「流口水」的英文为 mouthwater。
Henry asked the waiter for a glass of water.
Henry 向服务生要了一杯水。
My sister is in charge of watering my plants while I’m away from home.
我不在家时，我姐负责给我的植物浇花。
spray (v.) 喷洒
spray 当动词时，意思是「喷洒」，和 scatter 不同的是，spray 的受词通常是液体。
Tommy sprayed the bride with champagne.
Tommy 在新娘身上喷洒香槟。
spray 同时也可以当做名词，意思有「喷雾；水花」。
Hair spray is not allowed on plane.
喷雾定型液不可带上飞机。
The spray from the waterfall has made my clothes wet.
我的衣服被瀑布的水花沾湿了。
prune (v.) 修剪
prune 为动词，意思是「修剪 (花草、树枝)」。相似单字为 trim。
My father used to prune the bushes in front of our house every morning.
我爸爸从前每天早上都会修剪家门前的树丛。
pull out the weeds 拔杂草
weed 指的即是「杂草」，pull out 则是「将…拔出」。不过 weed 其实也可以当动词，指的就是「除杂草」。
The farmers are pulling out the weeds in the field.
= The farmers are out weeding in the field.
农夫在田地里拔杂草。
