Question

In the heart of Riverside, a bustling neighborhood where apartment buildings stretched toward the sky and traffic hummed continuously, sat an empty lot that had been forgotten by time. For years, this neglected patch of earth had collected litter and weeds, becoming an eyesore that residents hurried past without a second glance. The lot seemed destined to remain a symbol of urban decay until an unexpected champion emerged from the community.

Maria Santos was a retired teacher who had spent thirty years nurturing young minds in Riverside's elementary schools. After retirement, she found herself yearning for a new way to contribute to her beloved neighborhood. Every morning during her walk, Maria passed the abandoned lot and envisioned something beautiful rising from the barren ground. She imagined families gathering, children learning, and neighbors connecting over a shared purpose.

One crisp autumn morning, Maria approached the city council with a proposal that would transform the forgotten lot into a thriving community garden. Her vision was ambitious: individual plots for families, a children's learning area, and gathering spaces for community events. However, city officials were skeptical about the project's feasibility and questioned whether residents would actually participate in the demanding work required to maintain such a garden.

Maria was undaunted by their doubts. She organized a neighborhood meeting and was amazed when over sixty residents attended, representing diverse backgrounds, ages, and cultures. The enthusiasm in the room was palpable as neighbors shared their own gardening experiences and expressed excitement about the possibilities. Mrs. Chen offered to teach traditional Chinese vegetable cultivation techniques, while teenager Jake Martinez volunteered to design and build raised garden beds for elderly participants.

The community rallied with remarkable unity. Local businesses donated tools, seeds, and building materials. The hardware store owner provided lumber at cost, and the nursery contributed soil amendments and starter plants. Children organized bake sales to raise funds for a tool shed, while teenagers used social media to spread awareness and recruit additional volunteers.

Construction began in early spring, and the transformation was nothing short of miraculous. Where weeds once flourished, neat rows of vegetables began to emerge. Tomatoes climbed wooden trellises, herbs perfumed the air, and colorful flowers attracted butterflies and bees. The children's area featured sunflowers that grew taller than their young gardeners, and a weather-resistant bulletin board displayed gardening tips in multiple languages.

As the growing season progressed, the garden became much more than a place to cultivate plants—it evolved into the neighborhood's heart. Families shared harvests with elderly neighbors who couldn't maintain their own plots. Cultural exchanges flourished as residents taught each other traditional recipes using garden-fresh ingredients. The Saturday morning "Garden Circle" became a cherished tradition where neighbors gathered to share coffee, solve problems, and plan community celebrations.

The success of the garden attracted attention from neighboring communities and city planners. What had begun as one woman's vision had become a model for urban renewal and community engagement. Local newspapers featured stories about the garden's impact, and delegations from other cities visited to learn about the project's innovative approach to community building.

As autumn arrived and the first harvest festival approached, Maria reflected on the garden's profound transformation of her neighborhood. The once-forgotten lot had blossomed into a symbol of hope, cooperation, and the power of collective action. Children who had never seen vegetables grow now understood where their food originated, and families who had barely spoken before had formed lasting friendships.

Maria realized that the garden's greatest harvest wasn't measured in pounds of tomatoes or bunches of herbs, but in the relationships that had taken root and flourished. The community had planted seeds of connection that would continue growing long after the last vegetables were harvested, creating a legacy of unity that would benefit future generations of Riverside residents.

Question 1
15. "One crisp autumn morning, Maria approached the city council with a proposal that would transform the forgotten lot into a thriving community garden."

As it is used in the sentence, what is the best definition for the word "thriving"?

(1 point)
Responses

profitable
profitable

flourishing
flourishing

competitive
competitive

expanding

Answer 1

The best definition for the word "thriving" as it is used in the sentence is **flourishing**.