Reading

A2 French reading: the first vegetables from an allotment

Sami rents a small allotment and grows his first vegetables. Follow the stages from digging to harvest in this A2 French text, with glosses and questions.

In short

An A2 text about a first season in a shared garden (un jardin partagé). Order the stages of the work and spot the problem Sami had with his lettuces.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

Gardeners with a basket of vegetables beside a small allotment.
The first récolte rewards months of work in the shared garden. Illustration: Atelier

Mes premiers légumes

En mars, j'ai loué une petite parcelle1 dans le jardin partagé de mon quartier. C'était dix mètres carrés de terre dure et de mauvaises herbes.

D'abord, j'ai bêché2 la terre pendant tout un week-end. Ensuite, en avril, j'ai semé3 des radis et des carottes, et j'ai planté des salades et des tomates. Une jardinière plus âgée, Josette, m'a donné des conseils.

En mai, j'allais arroser4 tous les soirs. Mais un matin, catastrophe : les limaces5 avaient dévoré6 la moitié de mes salades ! Josette a ri et m'a montré comment les protéger avec des coquilles d'œufs écrasées.

En juillet, enfin, la récolte7 : des radis, des carottes et beaucoup de tomates. Je les ai partagés avec mes voisins. J'étais tellement fier8.

Read it in English

In March, I rented a small plot in the shared garden of my neighbourhood. It was ten square metres of hard earth and weeds.

First, I dug the soil for a whole weekend. Then, in April, I sowed radishes and carrots and planted lettuces and tomatoes. An older gardener, Josette, gave me advice.

In May, I went every evening to water. But one morning, disaster: slugs had devoured half of my lettuces! Josette laughed and showed me how to protect them with crushed eggshells.

In July, the harvest finally came: radishes, carrots and lots of tomatoes. I shared them with my neighbours. I was so proud.

The stages in order
MonthWork
Marchrented the plot
March–Aprildug, sowed and planted
Maywatered every evening; slugs ate the lettuces
Julyharvested and shared

Gardening verbs worth knowing: bêcher (dig), semer (sow seeds), planter (plant), arroser (water), désherber (weed), récolter (harvest). Un jardin partagé is a community garden; un jardin ouvrier or familial is a traditional allotment.

Question 1No account needed
What did slugs eat?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

half of the lettuces. Les limaces avaient dévoré la moitié de mes salades.

Question 2No account needed
How did Josette help?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

She showed him how to protect the lettuces.. She showed him how to use crushed eggshells.

Question 3No account needed
Semer means…

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

to sow. Semer des graines: to sow seeds.