Barron's IELTS 1 Listening Test 5
4 parts · 40 questions · 30 minutes
Booking a bicycle tour
Questions 1–4
Complete the form below. Write NO MORE THAN ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Tour name: River Valley tour
Tour month: (1) …………………………
Customer Name: (2) ………………………… Schmidt
Address: P.O. Box (3) ………………………… Manchester
Bicycle rental required? Yes [ ] No [X]
Dietary restrictions: (4) …………………………
Questions 5–7
Choose the correct letters, A, B, or C.
5. What size deposit does the caller have to pay?
A 5 percent
B 30 percent
C 50 percent
6. When does the deposit have to be paid?
A Two weeks from now
B Four weeks from now
C Six weeks from now
7. How will the luggage be carried?
A By bus
B By bicycle
C By van
Questions 8–10
Choose THREE letters, A–F.
8. Which THREE things should the caller take on the tour?
A raincoat
B spare tire
C maps
D water bottle
E camera
F guide book
9. Which THREE things should the caller take on the tour?
A raincoat
B spare tire
C maps
D water bottle
E camera
F guide book
10. Which THREE things should the caller take on the tour?
A raincoat
B spare tire
C maps
D water bottle
E camera
F guide book
Health club renovations
Questions 11–15
What change has been made to each part of the health club? Write the correct letter, A–F next to questions 11–15.
Changes
A installed a new floor
B repainted
C moved to a new location
D rebuilt
E enlarged
F replaced the equipment
11. swimming pools
12. locker rooms
13. exercise room
14. tennis court
15. club store
Questions 16–18
Complete the sentences below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
16. Tomorrow, ………………………… for adults and children will start.
17. On Wednesday, there will be a ………………………… .
18. A ………………………… is planned for next weekend.
Questions 19–20
Answer the questions below. Choose the correct letter, A, B, or C.
19. How many months did it take to complete the renovation work?
A three
B nine
C twelve
20. What project is planned for next year?
A An indoor pool
B An outdoor tennis court
C An outdoor pool
Museum internship orientation
Questions 21–25
Choose FIVE letters, A–I.
21. What FIVE things will the students do during their museum internship?
A art conservation
B administrative duties
C guide tours
D attend board meetings
E give classes
F research
G write brochures
H plan a reception
I meet artists
22. What FIVE things will the students do during their museum internship?
A art conservation
B administrative duties
C guide tours
D attend board meetings
E give classes
F research
G write brochures
H plan a reception
I meet artists
23. What FIVE things will the students do during their museum internship?
A art conservation
B administrative duties
C guide tours
D attend board meetings
E give classes
F research
G write brochures
H plan a reception
I meet artists
24. What FIVE things will the students do during their museum internship?
A art conservation
B administrative duties
C guide tours
D attend board meetings
E give classes
F research
G write brochures
H plan a reception
I meet artists
25. What FIVE things will the students do during their museum internship?
A art conservation
B administrative duties
C guide tours
D attend board meetings
E give classes
F research
G write brochures
H plan a reception
I meet artists
Questions 26–30
Complete the notes below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
City Art Museum
The main part of museum was built in (26) …………………………
The (27) ………………………… was built sixty years later.
Collections: modern art, works by (28) …………………………, sculpture, European art.
Classes: (29) ………………………… classes for adults
Arts and crafts workshops for children
Weekly (30) ………………………… in the fall and winter
The history of the tomato
Questions 31–35
Choose the correct letter, A, B, or C.
31. The tomato originally came from
A Mexico.
B Spain.
C Peru.
32. The original color of the tomato was
A red.
B green.
C yellow.
33. The Aztec word for tomato means
A golden apple.
B plump thing.
C small fruit.
34. In the 1500s, people in Spain and Italy
A enjoyed eating tomatoes.
B used tomatoes as ornamental plants.
C made medicine from tomatoes.
35. In the 1600s, the British
A saw tomatoes as poisonous.
B published tomato recipes.
C ate tomato sauce daily.
Questions 36–40
Complete the timeline with information about the history of the tomato in the United States. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
1806, Tomatoes were mentioned as food in a (36) …………………………
1809, Thomas Jefferson (37) ………………………… at his home in Virginia.
1820, A man proved that tomatoes were not poisonous by eating them (38) …………………………
1830s, (39) ………………………… appeared in newspapers and magazines.
1930s, People began to eat (40) …………………………
Answers
1. June
2. Karla
3. 257
4. vegetarian
5. 30 percent
6. Two weeks from now
7. By van
8. raincoat
9. water bottle
10. camera
11. B
12. E
13. A
14. F
15. C
16. swimming lessons
17. tennis competition
18. party
19. nine
20. An outdoor pool
21. administrative duties
22. guide tours
23. research
24. write brochures
25. meet artists
26. 1895
27. new wing
28. local artists
29. art history
30. concerts
31. Peru.
32. yellow.
33. plump thing.
34. enjoyed eating tomatoes.
35. saw tomatoes as poisonous.
36. gardener's calendar
37. served tomatoes
38. in public
39. tomato recipe
40. raw tomatoes
Explanations
- 1. June
- The man lists the two upcoming tours: 'We have the River Valley tour coming up in June and the Mountain tour in July.' The caller wants the River Valley tour, so her tour month is June.Common trap: Distractor-months trap – three months are said aloud (June, July, May). July belongs to the Mountain tour and May is the month the caller wrongly assumed; only June is confirmed for the River Valley tour.
- 2. Karla
- The caller gives her full name and spells the first name out: 'Karla Schmidt. That's Karla with a K, not a C. K-A-R-L-A.' The surname is already printed on the form, so the answer is the first name, spelled with a K.Common trap: Spelling trap – the speaker deliberately contrasts 'Karla with a K, not a C', so the common spelling 'Carla' is wrong.
- 3. 257
- The caller gives a post office box rather than a street address: 'It's P. O. Box 257, Manchester.'Common trap: Listen-for-the-number trap – the exchange about street address versus post office box comes first, and only the number itself belongs in the gap ('P.O. Box' and 'Manchester' are already printed).
- 4. vegetarian
- Asked whether there is any food she can't eat, the caller answers: 'Well, yes, I'm a vegetarian. I never eat meat.'Common trap: Pre-echo trap – the man first lists possible restrictions ('food allergies or are vegetarian or have to avoid dairy products'); the caller's own restriction is only confirmed afterwards.
- 5. 30 percent
- The man states the deposit directly: 'In order to reserve your space on the tour I'll need a 30 percent deposit.'Common trap: Two-percentages trap – five percent is said first, but it refers to the guide's tip; the deposit percentage comes later.
- 6. Two weeks from now
- The man works the date out aloud: the deposit is due 'at least four weeks before the tour begins', the tour begins 'six weeks from now', 'So you'll need to pay the deposit in two weeks.'Common trap: Calculation trap – all three numbers are spoken in one breath; only the final figure answers the question actually asked ('from now').
- 7. By van
- 'We have a van that carries your luggage from hotel to hotel each day, so you don't have to worry about it.'Common trap: Question-as-distractor trap – the caller's own suggestion ('Do we carry it on our bicycles?') is answered with 'No, you leave that to us.'
- 8. raincoat
- The three items recommended are a raincoat, a water bottle and a camera; the spare tire, the maps and the guide book are each raised and then explicitly ruled out.Common trap: Mentioned-but-rejected trap – all six items are named, three of them by the caller herself; hearing an item is not enough, the guide's response ('you don't need that', 'we don't recommend') decides.
- 9. water bottle
- The three items recommended are a raincoat, a water bottle and a camera; the spare tire, the maps and the guide book are each raised and then explicitly ruled out.Common trap: Mentioned-but-rejected trap – all six items are named, three of them by the caller herself; hearing an item is not enough, the guide's response ('you don't need that', 'we don't recommend') decides.
- 10. camera
- The three items recommended are a raincoat, a water bottle and a camera; the spare tire, the maps and the guide book are each raised and then explicitly ruled out.Common trap: Mentioned-but-rejected trap – all six items are named, three of them by the caller herself; hearing an item is not enough, the guide's response ('you don't need that', 'we don't recommend') decides.
- 11. B
- Both pools have been given a new colour: 'Both of the pools needed painting, not only for maintenance, but I think the new color greatly improves the atmosphere of this part of the club.'Common trap: Detail trap – the painted sea creatures in the children's pool make the change sound decorative or structural; the single change to both pools is simply repainting.
- 12. E
- 'We've expanded both the men's and women's locker rooms, so now they'll be much more comfortable to use.' Expanded = enlarged.Common trap: Nearby-detail trap – the polished floor in the locker rooms tempts A (installed a new floor); polishing is not installing, and the change described is the extra space.
- 13. A
- 'Let's go up to the exercise room next. Here you'll notice the new floor.' The new, softer surface is the change.Common trap: Follow-on trap – the equipment being moved out and brought back tempts C (moved to a new location) or F (replaced the equipment); it was moved only so the floor could be laid.
- 14. F
- 'We haven't done a great deal here except to the equipment. We replaced all the nets and the ball-throwing machine.'Common trap: Understatement trap – 'we haven't done a great deal here' suggests no change at all; the nets and the ball-throwing machine were nevertheless replaced.
- 15. C
- 'Let's walk down this hallway, and here we are at the club store in its new location.' It has been moved to the entrance from its old spot by the swimming pool.Common trap: Same-stock trap – 'it still has all the same items for sale' tempts F (replaced the equipment); nothing in the shop changed except where it stands.
- 16. swimming lessons
- 'Now that the pools are ready for use again, swimming lessons will begin tomorrow, for both adults and children.'Common trap: Word-order trap – the talk puts 'tomorrow' after the activity, while the sentence puts it first; the gap needs the activity, not the day.
- 17. tennis competition
- 'If you're a tennis player, you'll be interested to hear about the tennis competition coming up on Wednesday.'Common trap: Extra-detail trap – the players from other clubs and the tickets in the office are additional information; the event itself is the tennis competition.
- 18. party
- 'Also, I want to be sure you all know you're invited to our club party, coming up next weekend.'Common trap: Purpose-versus-event trap – what is being celebrated (the completion of the renovation work) follows immediately; the event planned for next weekend is the party itself.
- 19. nine
- 'The entire renovation project was finished in just nine months.'Common trap: Three-numbers trap – nine, three and twelve are said in consecutive sentences; only the first is the time the work actually took.
- 20. An outdoor pool
- 'We already have two indoor pools, and next year we plan to install an outdoor pool right next to the tennis courts.'Common trap: Combination trap – 'indoor', 'outdoor' and 'tennis courts' all appear in one sentence; the plan is an outdoor pool, sited beside the courts.
- 21. administrative duties
- The five duties confirmed for the interns are administrative duties, guiding tours, research, writing brochures and meeting artists; art conservation, board meetings, teaching classes and planning the reception are each raised and ruled out.Common trap: Raised-then-excluded trap – every one of the nine options is spoken aloud, four of them by the students asking hopefully; only Dr. Johnson's answer decides whether the duty is actually theirs.
- 22. guide tours
- The five duties confirmed for the interns are administrative duties, guiding tours, research, writing brochures and meeting artists; art conservation, board meetings, teaching classes and planning the reception are each raised and ruled out.Common trap: Raised-then-excluded trap – every one of the nine options is spoken aloud, four of them by the students asking hopefully; only Dr. Johnson's answer decides whether the duty is actually theirs.
- 23. research
- The five duties confirmed for the interns are administrative duties, guiding tours, research, writing brochures and meeting artists; art conservation, board meetings, teaching classes and planning the reception are each raised and ruled out.Common trap: Raised-then-excluded trap – every one of the nine options is spoken aloud, four of them by the students asking hopefully; only Dr. Johnson's answer decides whether the duty is actually theirs.
- 24. write brochures
- The five duties confirmed for the interns are administrative duties, guiding tours, research, writing brochures and meeting artists; art conservation, board meetings, teaching classes and planning the reception are each raised and ruled out.Common trap: Raised-then-excluded trap – every one of the nine options is spoken aloud, four of them by the students asking hopefully; only Dr. Johnson's answer decides whether the duty is actually theirs.
- 25. meet artists
- The five duties confirmed for the interns are administrative duties, guiding tours, research, writing brochures and meeting artists; art conservation, board meetings, teaching classes and planning the reception are each raised and ruled out.Common trap: Raised-then-excluded trap – every one of the nine options is spoken aloud, four of them by the students asking hopefully; only Dr. Johnson's answer decides whether the duty is actually theirs.
- 26. 1895
- 'The main part of the museum was built in 1895, with a combination of public and private funds.'Common trap: Two-dates trap – 1895 and the '60 years later' of the new wing sit in consecutive sentences; the main building is the earlier date.
- 27. new wing
- 'The new wing was built 60 years later, with a donation from the Rhinebeck family.'Common trap: Follow-up trap – the student's next question calls it 'that part of the museum ... built for the modern art collection', tempting 'modern art collection' into the gap; the part built sixty years later is the new wing.
- 28. local artists
- 'In the main part of the museum, we have a gallery devoted to works by local artists, our sculpture collection, and a small collection of classical European art.'Common trap: List-order trap – the three collections are listed in the same order as on the notes, so the missing item is the one between modern art and sculpture.
- 29. art history
- 'In our Adult Education program, we offer a series of art history classes, and for children we have a program of arts and crafts workshops.'Common trap: Audience trap – two programmes are described in one sentence; arts and crafts workshops are for children, so only the art history classes fill the adults' gap.
- 30. concerts
- 'We offer a weekly concert series during the fall and winter, and, of course, all of you are welcome to attend.'Common trap: One-off-versus-regular trap – tonight's musical performance is a single event; the weekly item is the concert series.
- 31. Peru.
- 'The tomato originated in the highlands of Peru. From there, it eventually found its way to Mexico, where it was cultivated by the Aztecs.'Common trap: Journey trap – three places are named in two sentences; only Peru is the origin, Mexico and Spain are later stages of the tomato's journey.
- 32. yellow.
- 'The Aztec tomato wasn't the large red vegetable we know today. Rather, it was small and yellow.'Common trap: Negative-statement trap – 'red' is heard first but inside a negative ('wasn't the large red vegetable we know today').
- 33. plump thing.
- 'The actual word tomato comes from the Aztec name for the vegetable, meaning "plump thing."'Common trap: Two-names trap – the Italian name 'golden apple' is explained a few lines earlier; the question asks specifically about the Aztec word.
- 34. enjoyed eating tomatoes.
- 'The tomato arrived in Europe in the 1500s and quickly became a popular food in Spain and Italy.'Common trap: Country-swap trap – the ornamental use belongs to Britain in the very next sentences; the question is about Spain and Italy.
- 35. saw tomatoes as poisonous.
- 'It was grown as an ornamental plant in Britain in the 1600s, but it wasn't eaten because it was thought to be poisonous.'Common trap: Same-century trap – the late 1600s recipes and the 1700s daily diet are both said within a few seconds; only the poisonous belief belongs to the British in the 1600s.
- 36. gardener's calendar
- 'In 1806, a gardener's calendar mentioned that tomatoes could be used to improve the flavor of soups and other foods.'Common trap: Detail trap – soups and 'other foods' are what the calendar says tomatoes improve; the gap needs the publication that mentioned them.
- 37. served tomatoes
- 'He first served tomatoes to visitors at his home in Virginia in 1809.'Common trap: Paraphrase trap – the talk's general claim that Jefferson 'did much to enhance the tomato's reputation' comes first; the specific 1809 action is that he served tomatoes.
- 38. in public
- 'To prove his point, he ate one kilo of ripe red tomatoes in public.'Common trap: Quantity-versus-manner trap – 'one kilo' and 'ripe red' are heard first and the court house steps in Salem follow, but the sentence gap asks how he ate them, which was in public.
- 39. tomato recipe
- 'By the 1830s, American newspapers and magazines were publishing thousands of tomato recipes.'Common trap: Number trap – 'thousands' is the quantity published, not what appeared; with a two-word limit the answer is tomato recipes.
- 40. raw tomatoes
- 'It wasn't until a century later, in the 1930s, that it became popular for people to eat raw tomatoes.'Common trap: Earlier-mention trap – tomato salads and sandwiches are named in the previous sentence as still unknown; what became popular in the 1930s was eating tomatoes raw.
Audio transcripts
Part 1 — Booking a bicycle tour
Man: Global Bicycle Tours. May I help you?
Woman: Yes, thank you. I'd like to sign up for a bicycle tour.
Man: Which tour were you interested in? We have the River Valley tour coming up in June and the Mountain tour in July.
Woman: The River Valley tour is in June? I thought it was in May.
Man: It actually takes place the first week of June.
Woman: Oh, I see. Well, I can still do that. The River Valley tour is the one I want.
Man: Splendid. Just let me take your information. May I have your name please?
Woman: Karla Schmidt. That's Karla with a K, not a C. K-A-R-L-A.
Man: Thank you, Ms. Schmidt. Address?
Woman: Do you need a street address, or can I give you my post office box?
Man: A post office box is fine.
Woman: It's P. O. Box 257, Manchester.
Man: Thank you. OK, next. Will you be bringing your own bicycle, or do you want to rent one from us?
Woman: I'll bring my own.
Man: Excellent. Now, we provide all the meals, so we need to know if you have any dietary restrictions.
Woman: I don't think so. What do you mean?
Man: I mean if there's any food you can't eat. Some people have food allergies or are vegetarian or have to avoid dairy products, things like that.
Woman: Oh, I see. Well, yes, I'm a vegetarian. I never eat meat.
Man: All right. I'll make a note of that. Now, the total cost of the tour is $750.
Woman: That much!
Man: The price includes everything—food, hotel, transportation, everything.
Woman: Everything?
Man: Yes, everything. The only other thing is you'll want to tip the tour guide. We usually recommend five percent of the total tour cost.
Woman: A five-percent tip. I guess that's reasonable.
Man: In order to reserve your space on the tour I'll need a 30 percent deposit.
Woman: Do you need that right away?
Man: We generally ask for the deposit at least four weeks before the tour begins. The River Valley tour begins, let me see, six weeks from now. So you'll need to pay the deposit in two weeks.
Woman: I think I can do that. I wonder if you could tell me something. How will our luggage be transported? Do we carry it on our bicycles?
Man: No, you leave that to us. We have a van that carries your luggage from hotel to hotel each day, so you don't have to worry about it.
Woman: Great! I have a luggage rack for my bike, but I guess I won't have to bring that.
Man: No, you won't. But there are a few items we recommend that you bring. We can't control the weather, so you should bring a raincoat or raingear.
Woman: Yes, that's a good idea. And I should have my own spare tire, too, shouldn't I?
Man: Actually, you don't need that, as our guide always carries some. And, of course, you won't need maps either, since our guide has the route all planned.
Woman: What about a water bottle? I'll need that, won't I?
Man: Yes, you should definitely have a water bottle. A camera would be a good idea, too, since that tour goes through some very scenic areas.
Woman: I have a guide book of that area. I wonder if I should bring it along.
Man: We don't recommend guide books. It would just be extra weight, and the tour guide knows a great deal about the area.
Woman: Yes, I see. Is there anything else I need to know?
Man: I think we've covered the important points. I'll send you a tour brochure, and you can call again if you have any questions.
Woman: Thank you very much.
Part 2 — Health club renovations
Guide: Thank you all for coming to see the new renovations to the Hartford Health Club. I know you'll be as pleased as I am to see the wonderful results of our months of hard work to improve the club and bring you the best facilities ever. We'll begin in here with the swimming pool. You'll notice the new color of the adult pool, a lovely, cool green. Now walk over here and look at the children's pool. It's the same green but, as you see, with brightly colored sea creatures painted everywhere. Both of the pools needed painting, not only for maintenance, but I think the new color greatly improves the atmosphere of this part of the club. Next, let's take a look at the locker rooms. Don't worry, there's no one using them just now. Doesn't it feel roomy in here? We've expanded both the men's and women's locker rooms, so now they'll be much more comfortable to use. There are bigger lockers, a good deal more room in the dressing area, and more places to store extra towels and equipment. Be careful as you walk through here. The floor has just been polished and may be a bit slippery.
Let's go up to the exercise room next. Here you'll notice the new floor. Walk on it. Doesn't that feel comfortable? It's a special material, softer than the old floor, an ideal surface for jogging and exercising. They had to move all the exercise equipment out while they were working on the floor, but don't worry, it will be brought back in before the end of today. Let's step outside now and look at the tennis courts. We haven't done a great deal here except to the equipment. We replaced all the nets and the ball-throwing machine. Otherwise, everything is the same as it was before. Let's walk down this hallway, and here we are at the club store in its new location. We thought here by the entrance was a better place for it than where it used to be by the swimming pool. But it still has all the same items for sale: sports equipment and clothes in the club colors.
Guide: We're excited about the upcoming activities and events to take place in our newly renovated club. Now that the pools are ready for use again, swimming lessons will begin tomorrow, for both adults and children. If you haven't signed up yet, you can stop by the office before you leave today and put your name on the list. If you're a tennis player, you'll be interested to hear about the tennis competition coming up on Wednesday. Players from different clubs all over the region will be participating. If you'd like to watch the event, tickets are available in the office.
Also, I want to be sure you all know you're invited to our club party, coming up next weekend. We're celebrating the completion of the renovation work, and we have a lot to celebrate. The entire renovation project was finished in just nine months. That's three months less than the twelve months we had originally planned on. We're proud of that and proud that we came in under budget, too. Because we've had such good results with this project, we're already planning the next one. We already have two indoor pools, and next year we plan to install an outdoor pool right next to the tennis courts. Details of these plans will be made available to all club members soon.
All right, I think we've covered just about everything. Are there any questions?
Part 3 — Museum internship orientation
Dr. Johnson: Welcome to the City Museum of Art. I'm Dr. Shirley Johnson, the director of the museum's internship program. Today I'll be giving you an orientation to the museum and our museum administrator's internship program.
Student 1: Will we get a chance to tour the museum today?
Dr. Johnson: Yes. We'll start right now with a tour of the building. We'll skip the basement. Most of that part of the building is devoted to art conservation, which won't be part of your internship. Let's begin here on the ground floor with the museum offices.
Student 2: I guess this is where we'll be spending most of our time, helping with the office work.
Dr. Johnson: You'll spend some time working in here so you can learn what the administrative duties involve, but you'll also get a chance to experience all aspects of museum work. This room in here is the Museum Tours Office.
Student 3: I'm interested in that. I'd really like to help out with the tours.
Dr. Johnson: That's great because you'll all have a chance to lead some tours and maybe even to develop a tour of your own, too. Let's go up to the second floor now.
Student 1: This is the board room in here, isn't it? Will we get to go to board meetings?
Dr. Johnson: Only members of the Board of Directors attend those. Now, back here behind the galleries are the classrooms. You're all welcome to attend any class you want at no charge.
Student 2: But we won't be teaching any, will we?
Dr. Johnson: No, the staff of the Education Department is responsible for that. Let's move up to the third floor now and the Research Department. Each of you will spend some time working in here.
Student 3: Great. I'd like to help with the research.
Dr. Johnson: We're working on some very interesting research projects right now. Also, as an extension of your research work, you'll probably contribute to some of the museum's brochures.
Student 1: I'm looking forward to that. I like writing about art. Another thing I've been hoping to be able to do is meet some artists.
Dr. Johnson: You're in luck, then. We've planned a reception for the first day of your internship, and you'll have the chance to meet several local artists then.
Student 2: Could you give us a little background of the museum? I mean, when it was built and some information about the collections and things like that?
Dr. Johnson: Of course. The main part of the museum was built in 1895, with a combination of public and private funds. The new wing was built 60 years later, with a donation from the Rhinebeck family.
Student 3: That part of the museum was built for the modern art collection, wasn't it?
Dr. Johnson: Yes, it was. In the main part of the museum, we have a gallery devoted to works by local artists, our sculpture collection, and a small collection of classical European art.
Student 1: You mentioned classes earlier. What kinds of classes does the museum offer?
Dr. Johnson: In our Adult Education program, we offer a series of art history classes, and for children we have a program of arts and crafts workshops. You can get a brochure from the office that will give you more information.
Student 2: I saw a lot of chairs set up in the main hall. What are those for?
Dr. Johnson: Those are there for tonight's musical performance. We offer a weekly concert series during the fall and winter, and, of course, all of you are welcome to attend. Now, if there are no more questions, let's step into my office and I'll show you your schedules.
Part 4 — The history of the tomato
Lecturer: The tomato is a popular vegetable, which figures in the cuisine of many countries around the world. It is particularly prominent in Italian cooking, but it was unknown in Europe until Spanish explorers brought it back from the Americas. The tomato originated in the highlands of Peru. From there, it eventually found its way to Mexico, where it was cultivated by the Aztecs. The Aztec tomato wasn't the large red vegetable we know today. Rather, it was small and yellow. When this small, round fruit arrived in Italy, it was named "golden apple" for its bright yellow color. You'll notice I just called it a fruit. That's because a tomato is botanically a fruit, even though most everyone calls it a vegetable. The actual word tomato comes from the Aztec name for the vegetable, meaning "plump thing."
The tomato arrived in Europe in the 1500s and quickly became a popular food in Spain and Italy. In the late 1600s, the Italians began publishing recipes that used tomatoes. The British, however, had a different attitude toward the vegetable. It was grown as an ornamental plant in Britain in the 1600s, but it wasn't eaten because it was thought to be poisonous. It wasn't until the 1700s that tomatoes became part of the daily diet in Britain.
Lecturer: In the United States, tomatoes were also used as ornamental plants rather than as food for a long time. This attitude began to change in the 1800s. In 1806, a gardener's calendar mentioned that tomatoes could be used to improve the flavor of soups and other foods. Thomas Jefferson did much to enhance the tomato's reputation as a food. He first served tomatoes to visitors at his home in Virginia in 1809. Then, in 1820, a man named Robert Gibbon Johnson decided it was time to discard, once and for all, the idea that tomatoes were poisonous. To prove his point, he ate one kilo of ripe red tomatoes in public. Two thousand people gathered to watch this feat, which took place on the steps of the court house in Salem, Massachusetts. Amazingly enough, Johnson survived this stunt! The popularity of the tomato as a food began growing rapidly. Soon, people all around the country were eating tomatoes. By the 1830s, American newspapers and magazines were publishing thousands of tomato recipes. However, all those recipes involved using tomatoes in some cooked form. Tomato salads and sandwiches were still unknown. It wasn't until a century later, in the 1930s, that it became popular for people to eat raw tomatoes.
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