英語播客 A Cup of English Poinsettia glow.

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Do you know what a Pointsettia is? It is something that grows in the ground and is sold here in the United States at Christmas time. It originates from Mexico and Central America. Often when you go into a supermarket, they are the first things that you see, along with the fruit. The plants look like they have huge flowers, but actually, the colors come from leaves, not petals. You can find Pointsettias that are pink, red, white, and mottled. Not many flowers grow in these areas at Christmas time; gardens and farms are dormant because of the cold. So, truck loads of these flowers are transported from Mexico and Central America to our supermarkets, by the thousands. Christmas trees are a very special part of Winter, but Poinsettias are a pretty, traditional touch to the season's decorations.

Grammar notes.

Verbs: to grow (grow, grew, grown).

Ex: Carrots grow well here. They grew well last year. They are grown nearly everywhere.

To come (come, came, come).

Ex: He comes from China. They came to our house yesterday. Has Santa come down the chimney yet?

Related vocabulary: along with, actually, often.

Advanced.

You have probably noticed by now that I am a Christmas fanatic. The snow, the decorations, the traditions, and the actual meaning of Christmas, are all cherished by my family. Well, there is a little part of this season which definitely puts an annual smile on many faces. The Poinsettia. You can pick them up just about anywhere this time of year. Even the craft stores sell fake ones. They come in quite a variety of colors: red, pink, white, and mottled. A recent fashion has been sprayed Poinsettias; so now, they even come in sparkling blue and purple. That's not exactly my cup of tea; I prefer the natural colors. The flower was introduced to the United States by the first ambassador to Mexico, Joel Robert Poinsett. Legend has it that two poor children, Maria and Pablo, wished to decorate a local nativity scene with presents. They brought only weeds, and were picked on and humiliated by the other children. Then, suddenly, miraculously, the weeds burst into color, forming the shapes of stars. Their humble gift had been accepted and blessed. Love and well meaning triumphed. Poinsettias as a result are also known as the 'Flower of the Holy night.'

Grammar notes.

Related vocabulary: to cherish (to be cherished).

Exs: I cherish our time together. She is cherished by the whole family.

Annual = yearly; to pick on = to bully; just about anywhere/ anybody; fake = artificial; it's not my cup of tea = I don't like it.

The flower was introduced = subject + to be + past participle.

Exs: The car was made in Japan. The jewel was stolen in the night.