Turning soil, pulling weeds, and harvesting cabbage sound like tough work for middle and high school kids. And at first it is, says Abby Jaramillo, who with another teacher started Urban Sprouts, a school garden program at four low-income schools. The program aims to help students develop science skills, environmental awareness, and healthy lifestyles.

Jaramillo’s students live in neighborhoods where fresh food and green space are not easy to find and fast food restaurants outnumber grocery stores. “The kids literally come to school with bags of snacks and large bottles of soft drinks,” she says. “They come to us thinking vegetables are awful, dirt is awful, insects are awful.” Though some are initially scared of the insects and turned off by the dirt, most are eager to try something new.

Urban Sprouts’ classes, at two middle schools and two high schools, include hands-on experiments such as soil testing, flower-and-seed dissection, tastings of fresh or dried produce, and work in the garden. Several times a year, students cook the vegetables they grow, and they occasionally make salads for their entire schools.

Program evaluations show that kids eat more vegetables as a result of the classes. “We have students who say they went home and talked to their parents and now they’re eating differently,” Jaramillo says.

She adds that the program’s benefits go beyond nutrition. Some students get so interested in gardening that they bring home seeds to start their own vegetable gardens. Besides, working in the garden seems to have a calming effect on Jaramillo’s special education students, many of whom have emotional control issues. “They get outside,” she says, “and they feel successful.”

1.1. What do we know about Abby Jaramillo?

A She used to be a health worker.

B She grew up in a low-income family.

C She owns a fast food restaurant.

D She is an initiator of Urban Sprouts.

解析：选D。D细节理解题。根据第一段的“And at first it is, says Abby Jaramillo, who with another teacher started Urban Sprouts, a school garden program at four low-income schools.(艾比·哈拉米洛说，她和另一位老师在四所低收入学校启动了“Urban Sprouts”学校园艺项目。)”可知，艾比·哈拉米洛是Urban Sprouts的发起者之一。故选D。

2.2. What was a problem facing Jaramillo at the start of the program?

A The kids’ parents distrusted her.

B Students had little time for her classes.

C Some kids disliked garden work.

D There was no space for school gardens.

解析：选C。C推理判断题。根据第二段的“she says. ‘They come to us thinking vegetables are awful, dirt is awful, insects are awful.’ Though some are initially scared of the insects and turned off by the dirt, most are eager to try something new.(她说。“他们来的时候，认为蔬菜很可怕，泥土很可怕，昆虫也很可怕。”虽然有些人一开始害怕昆虫，对泥土感到厌烦，但大多数人都渴望尝试新的东西。)”可知，项目开启之初，一些学生不喜欢园艺工作。故选C。

3.3. Which of the following best describes the impact of the program?

A Far-reaching.

B Predictable.

C Short-lived.

D Unidentifiable.

解析：选A。A 推理判断题。根据最后一段的“She adds that the program’s benefits go beyond nutrition. Some students get so interested in gardening that they bring home seeds to start their own vegetable gardens. Besides, working in the garden seems to have a calming effect on Jaramillo’s special education students, many of whom have emotional control issues. ‘They get outside,’ she says, ‘and they feel successful.’”可知，这个项目不仅给学生提供了有营养的食物，而且许多学生回家开创了自己的菜园，对有情绪控制问题的学生也起到了镇静作用，从而推知，该项目的影响是深远的。故选A。

4.4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A Rescuing School Gardens

B Experiencing Country Life

C Growing Vegetable Lovers

D Changing Local Landscape

解析：选C。C主旨大意题。文章开头介绍了Jaramillo和另外一位老师发起的学校园艺项目Urban Sprouts及其创办目的，然后介绍了起初一些学生不喜欢蔬菜种植，到开始喜欢园艺，并在各方面有了积极的影响。C项Growing Vegetable Lovers 蔬菜种植爱好者符合本文大意。故选C。