Đọc hiểu lớp 6 · Tổng hợp Đọc hiểu 2

And now Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English. Springtime is a time of renewal and growth. Many plants end their long winter sleep and form new buds and shoots. Beautiful flowers will soon be showing their bright colors. And the grass will grow thicker and greener again. Some flowers bloom in a very noticeable way but that is not the case with grass. Imagine you are sitting in a grassy field. And you have only one job – to watch the grass grow. That does not sound very interesting. In fact, it sounds really boring. That idea is what gives us the expression “like watching grass grow.” We use this expression to describe an experience that is uninteresting. Another good word to describe it is tedious. We use this expression in many situations. Let’s hear a few examples: After the politician won his campaign, he gave a two-hour long acceptance speech. Two hours! It was as much fun as watching grass grow. I really don’t like watching long sports games. It’s like watching grass grow. Now, grass grows on the ground all the time. And usually, we don’t give it much thought. If you stand in one place for a long time, the grass will continue to grow under your feet. For people who are always active, always moving, always on-the-go, we can say they don't let grass grow under their feet. We can also say beneath their feet. And sometimes we use this expression as a command. Let’s hear some examples: Don’t let the grass grow beneath your feet. Get back to work. She certainly doesn’t let the grass grow under her feet. She’s been traveling non-stop for over a year. And that’s all the time we have for this Words and Their Stories. Until next time, I’m Anna Matteo.

Philadelphia, also sometimes called Philly, is a big city on the Delaware River in the northeastern state of Pennsylvania. It has about 1.5 million people, estimates from the United States Census Bureau show. William Penn, an Englishman and member of the Christian group known as Quakers, founded Pennsylvania in the sixteen eighties. He also designed the city. Penn chose the name Philadelphia - a term he interpreted to mean "city of brotherly love" in Greek. Philadelphia is famous for holding an important place in American history. It served as the nation's capital from 1785 to 1790. Earlier, it was the capital of the American colonies during most of the Revolutionary War against Britain. Philadelphia became the central meeting place for the "Founding Fathers" who created the United States government. The buildings where they worked can be seen today in an area called the Old City, or Independence National Historical Park. The main building is Independence Hall. That was where colonial leaders declared independence and later debated the creation of a government. The National Park Service says more than 2.6 million people visited Independence National Historical Park last year. Close to the park is the National Liberty Museum. It holds a collection of more than ninety paintings and sculptures. They represent the idea that liberty is a freedom that is easily violated. Several blocks away lies the National Constitution Center. This privately operated nonprofit museum opened its doors in Philadelphia on July 4, 2003. It was created to increase public recognition of the Constitution, its history, and its importance today. Visitors are presented with the idea that the most important part of American constitutional democracy is the individual citizen. Rich with tradition, Philadelphia offers plenty for visitors who are less concerned about history and more concerned about their stomachs. There are many food choices for hungry visitors. Reading Terminal Market, for example, is one of the nation’s largest public markets. At Reading Terminal Market, visitors can find all kinds of foods -- including, of course, Philly cheesesteak. The city is known for these sandwiches. They are made of thin pieces of meat covered with cheese. A cheesesteak is offered with onions and other toppings and served on a long roll. And where might a visitor find the best Philly cheesesteak? That question is the subject of much debate.