Read the passage and circle the correct choice (A, B, C or D)
Passage 1
In 1881, a new type of weed began spreading across the northern Great Plains. Unlike other weeds, the tumbleweed did not spend its life rooted to the soil; instead, it tumbled and rolled across fields in the wind. The weed had sharp, spiny leaves that could lacerate the flesh of ranchers and horses alike. It exploited the vast area of the plains, thriving in regions too barren to support other plants. With its ability to generate and disseminate numerous seeds quickly, it soon became the scourge of the prairies.
To present-day Americans, the tumbleweed symbolizes the Old West. They read the Zane Grey novels in which tumbleweeds drift across stark western landscapes and see classic western movies in which tumbleweeds share scenes with cowboys and covered wagons. Yet just over a century ago, the tumbleweed was a newcomer. The first sign of the invasion occurred in North and South Dakota in the late 1870s.
Farmers had noticed the sudden appearance of the new, unusual weed. One group of immigrants, however, did not find the weed at all unfamiliar. The tumbleweed, it turns out, was a native of southern Russia, where it was known as Tartar thistle. It was imported to the United States by unknown means.
Frontier settlers gave the plants various names: saltwort, Russian cactus, and wind witch. But botanists at the Department of Agriculture preferred the designation Russian thistle as the plant’s common name. However, these botanists had a much harder time agreeing on the plant’s scientific name. In general, botanists compare a plant to published accounts of similar plants, or to samples kept as specimens. Unfortunately, no book described the weed and no samples existed in herbaria in the United States.
It is probable that the “group of immigrants” mentioned in paragraph 3
Read the following passage and do the exercises that follow.
Grandmas know best!
When you have a minor health problem, do you usually go to the doctor, get something from the drugstore, or use a home remedy?
When people have a cold, a fever, or the flu, they usually go to the doctor for help, or they get some medicine from the drugstore. But many people also use home remedies for common illnesses. Here are some simple home remedies:
Bee stings and insect bites: Wash the sting or bite. Put some meat tenderizer on a handkerchief and then put the handkerchief on the bite for half an hour. To avoid insect bites, it's helpful to eat garlic or take garlic pills.
Burns: Put the burn under cold water or put a cold handkerchief on it. Then apply aloe vera gel to the burn. It's important not to put ice on the burn.
Colds: Lots of people eat hot chicken soup when they have a cold. They find it clears the head and the nose. Some people rub oil on their chest for a cold. Other people drink a mixture of red pepper, hot water, sugar, lemon juice, and milk or vinegar.
Cough: Drink warm liquids or take some honey.
Headaches: Apply an ice pack or cold cloth to your head, or splash your face with cold water. It's also a good idea to put your hands into hot water and leave them there for several minutes. Also, you shouldn't read or watch TV.
Insomnia: Drink a large glass of warm milk. It's also a good idea to soak in a warm bath.
Then cover the article and complete the chart. What problems are these things good for?
