1 Find the words corresponding to these definitions.
1. Climbing plant whose fruit is the grape. .......................................................................................................................
2. Area of land planted with grapevines. .......................................................................................................................
3. Dried sweet grapes. .......................................................................................................................
4. The ability of the soil to remove excess water. .......................................................................................................................
5. Very small drops of water present in the air. .......................................................................................................................
6. Thin, white layer of ice which forms when temperature is below 0°C. .......................................................................................................................
7. The act of cutting and gathering crops. .......................................................................................................................
8. Cutting away a branch or stem from a plant. .......................................................................................................................
2 Answer the questions.
1. What are the main grape varieties?
2. What is meant by ‘terroir’?
3. What is the ideal site for a vineyard?
4. What does the site affect?
5. What determines the quality of wine?
6. Which grape varieties are resistant to pests?
3 Listen and decide if the sentences are true or false. Correct the false ones.
1. Vitis labrusca has vertical and horizontal branching habits.
☐ T ☐ F
2. It is cultivated only in the Southern States of the US.
☐ T ☐ F
3. Good drainage is essential for the best growing.
☐ T ☐ F
4. It is advisable to protect the vine from winter winds and frost.
☐ T ☐ F
5. It is self-seeding.
☐ T ☐ F
6. Vitis labrusca does not need regular maintenance.
☐ T ☐ F
7. Humid summer climates are suitable for this plant.
☐ T ☐ F
8. It can be grown on different structures to provide cover or shade.
☐ T ☐ F
FOCUS
THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE
This idiom is commonly used to mean unofficial rumours and gossip. Often, while the information may have started as true, it changes as each person recalls only bits of the original story or adds their own opinion to it. The term originated in the USA to refer to the wires of a telegraph that looked like the coiled tendrils of a grapevine.
GLOSSARY
breeze: brezza
bunch: grappolo di uva
coiled tendril: viticcio a spirale
frost: gelo
to fulfil: soddisfare
grapevine: vite
harvest: vendemmia
to harvest: vendemmiare
pruning: potatura
raisin: uva passa
site: posizione
slope: pendio
smooth-skinned: liscio
steep: ripido
vineyard: vigneto