Test for reading comprehension "Extraordinary plants" 9th grade

Touch leaves.

Touch trunk.

Touch branches.

Touch roots.

These strange-looking trees are found in Africa and Australia and most live for thousands of years. The baobab has an enormous trunk which is swollen and full of water. It can be 7-11 metres wide and some can hold up to 120,000 litres. The tree stores the water so it can survive during the difficult dry season. In Western Australia during the 1890s, the police used a hollow baobab tree as a prison when taking prisoners to the town of Derby.

Baobabs grow in dry countries.

These strange-looking trees are found in Africa and Australia and most live for thousands of years. The baobab has an enormous trunk which is swollen and full of water. It can be 7-11 metres wide and some can hold up to 120,000 litres. The tree stores the water so it can survive during the difficult dry season. In Western Australia during the 1890s, the police used a hollow baobab tree as a prison when taking prisoners to the town of Derby.

In Australia, they made a prison using wood from baobab tree.

Pitcher plants are very colourful, meat-eating plants with a 'pitcher' full of liquid. They are also called monkey cups because sometimes monkeys use them to drink water. Insects are attracted to the plant's nectar and they slip down the sides of the pitcher into the sticky liquid. There is no way to escape, so they drown and are 'eaten'. A species in Borneo has a large pitcher that can hold 3.5 litres of liquid, and sometimes even rats or lizards get trapped in there.

Sometimes monkeys use pitcher plants as cups.

Pitcher plants are very colourful, meat-eating plants with a 'pitcher' full of liquid. They are also called monkey cups because sometimes monkeys use them to drink water. Insects are attracted to the plant's nectar and they slip down the sides of the pitcher into the sticky liquid. There is no way to escape, so they drown and are 'eaten'. A species in Borneo has a large pitcher that can hold 3.5 litres of liquid, and sometimes even rats or lizards get trapped in there.

Insects can't get out of a pitcher plant.

Pitcher plants are very colourful, meat-eating plants with a 'pitcher' full of liquid. They are also called monkey cups because sometimes monkeys use them to drink water. Insects are attracted to the plant's nectar and they slip down the sides of the pitcher into the sticky liquid. There is no way to escape, so they drown and are 'eaten'. A species in Borneo has a large pitcher that can hold 3.5 litres of liquid, and sometimes even rats or lizards get trapped in there.

Rats and lizards are the only animals that eat pitcher plants.

Bamboo grows in many different climates, from cold mountains to hot tropical forests. It can grow up to 30m tall. But bamboo isn't a tree, it's actually the largest member of the grass family. Bamboo is very useful because it's used as building material and food as well as for making furniture. paper, medicine or even musical instruments. Bamboo also holds the record for being the fastest growing plant. It can grow 90cm in one day, so if you're walking through bamboo forest, stop for a while and watch. You’ll be surprised!

Bamboo can't grow without heat.

Bamboo grows in many different climates, from cold mountains to hot tropical forests. It can grow up to 30m tall. But bamboo isn't a tree, it's actually the largest member of the grass family. Bamboo is very useful because it's used as building material and food as well as for making furniture. paper, medicine or even musical instruments. Bamboo also holds the record for being the fastest growing plant. It can grow 90cm in one day, so if you're walking through bamboo forest, stop for a while and watch. You’ll be surprised!

Many things are made of bamboo.