Life on the Ranch
Life on the Ranch Life on the Ranch Maria and Angela Ramirez are sisters who live on a ranch out West with their mother and father. Their Uncle Leo also lives on the ranch and helps the family with all of the work. On the ranch they grow crops, such as wheat and corn. They also have many animals, such as chickens, horses, and dogs. The girls even have their very own pigs! Living on a ranch is hard work, and everyone has to help. Maria and Angela's grandmother helps feed the cows when she visit
登录后可以听外教原声朗读。
Life on the Ranch
Life on the Ranch
Maria and Angela Ramirez are sisters who live on a ranch out West with their mother and father.Their Uncle Leo also lives on the ranch and helps the family with all of the work.On the ranch they grow crops, such as wheat and corn.They also have many animals, such as chickens, horses, and dogs.The girls even have their very own pigs!
Living on a ranch is hard work, and everyone has to help.Maria and Angela's grandmother helps feed the cows when she visits.She also makes big lunches for the family to eat.Maria and Angela love to help their grandmother cook.They also like to help their parents with the work.There is so much to do on the ranch!
Maria and Angela have always lived on the ranch where their father grew up.Some nights before bed, he tells the girls stories about when he was a child.
"Did you have your own animals, Papi?" asks Angela curiously.
"I sure did," he answers. "We had cows and horses, and I had my very own dog."
"Did you drive a tractor when you were little?" questions Maria.
"Not until I grew up," laughs their father."And you are not old enough to drive yet either!" he winks.
Maria and Angela both can't wait to drive the tractor, but they know they are still too young.
Sometimes it rains at the ranch.Maria and Angela's parents are happy when it rains because rain helps the crops grow.If the crops don't get enough rain, they might die.The Ramirezes plant the crops in the spring and hope for good weather.
The climate is mostly warm where they live, but it can get cold in the winter.Once or twice, there was even a little snow!The crops do not grow in winter, which is why spring and summer are important.The Ramirez family grows as much food as possible while the weather is warm.Maria and Angela like the warm weather because they can play outside and ride the horses.
During the week, Maria and Angela get up very early to do their chores before school.Their job is to feed the animals.Maria likes to sleep late, however, and Angela often has to wake her up.
"Get up! We have to do our chores!" Angela commands, shaking her older sister.
"Can't you do them?" Maria yawns. "We both have to help!" says Angela.The girls go out to the barn, where they feed the dogs first.The dogs, hearing the girls' footsteps, rush to their bowls.Maria pours them water while Angela pets them.
Next, the girls feed the horses.They put oats in their stalls and give them carrots.Once in a while, they treat the horses to sugar cubes.Angela holds the sugar in her open hand so that the horse can eat it. "It tickles," she laughs.
Next to be fed are the chickens. Their food is scattered on the ground.
Last, the girls put food in big tubs for the pigs.Because the pigs are messy when they eat, the girls stand out of the way.
The biggest crop the Ramirez family grows is wheat.It grows best in a dry, hot climate.When the wheat ripens in the late summer, the Ramirezes harvest it.
The wheat grain is taken back to the barn in trucks so it can then be sold to a mill.Selling items grown on the ranch is an important part of Mr. Ramirez's occupation.
The Ramirezes' wheat is used in many foods.Bread, cereal, and cookies all can be made with wheat!Other crops grow on the ranch too.Corn and soybean seeds are planted in early spring.If there is enough rain and sun, the crops will grow large.
Maria and Angela like to grow food.They also like to eat the food their family grows.When they get home from school, they always make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
"Maria, did Papi make this bread?" asks Angela.
"Not quite, but he grew the wheat that was used to make it.Our wheat grain went to the mill, and the mill made the flour for the bread," says Maria.
"Did Papi make this peanut butter?"
"We don't grow peanuts!" laughs Maria.
"What about the jelly? Did we grow it?" presses Angela.
"No, but somebody grew the strawberries to make it, and then somebody turned the strawberries into jelly."
"It tastes good, no matter who made it!" smiles Angela.
