Question

Passage A — One way to enjoy a healthier lifestyle is to grow your own vegetables. That way, you know they are free from harmful chemicals. Where do you start if you want to grow your own healthy food? Start with the soil.

If this is your first adventure in gardening, start small. Choose plants that are easy to tend and that will grow well in the soil you have. Deciding what to grow is the first step and it will help decide how big of a garden you want. Not all plants grow in the same way. You have to consider which plants prefer sunlight and which prefer shade. This will help with picking the best spot for your garden.

Once you have decided where you will plant your garden, you can move on to planning your garden's layout. You don't want your tall plants growing next to the shorter ones and blocking out the sun. You also want to make sure there is enough room between the rows to allow for weeding. Proper planning makes planting a breeze.

Passage B — Soil comes in many different forms which are made of layers, called horizons. When you look at the horizons together, you get a soil profile. Each horizon has its own set of characteristics. Some soil characteristics are the amount of sand, the type of minerals, and the amount of decomposing leaves found in the soil. All of these characteristics will help determine what kind of plant life the soil can support.

How do nutrients make it into the soil? The answer is actually quite complex. Nutrient-rich soil contains organic matter, which is broken-down plant and animal matter. As the plant and animal matter decays, or decomposes, it releases nutrients into the soil. Then, it is absorbed by living plants and turned into food. Therefore, the richer the nutrients in the soil, the healthier the plant.

Based on the information from Passages A and B, why is it important to plan a garden before you start planting?

a
Growing your own vegetables is a great way to begin enjoying a healthier lifestyle.

b
Nutrients enter the soil through a process that includes decomposing plants and animals.

c
You have to consider which plants will prefer sunlight and which will prefer shade.

d
You need to consider how much sun your garden space gets, and what nutrients it offers.

Answer 1

Answer:

The book contains helpful hints for starting your own vegetable ... Along with the how-to information about seed spacing, irrigation, soil ... “When you grow your own food, you savor it more because of the ... Use contaminant-free soil. ... If you don't have space for a garden at home, a community garden is ...