Lesson 3 단원 평가

Popeye is a world-famous cartoon character. He gets his super power by eating spinach. When Popeye became popular in the 1930s in the United States, a lot of children began to eat spinach. Crystal City in Texas, which is called the spinach capital of the world, even built a statue of Popeye. Although eating spinach will not give us super powers, spinach does have a lot of nutrients. It is actually considered one of the ten healthiest foods on the planet.

a substance in food that helps the body grow and stay healthy

Although ①eat spinach will not give us super powers, spinach ②does have a lot of nutrients. It is actually ③considering one of the ten ④more healthier foods ⑤at the planet.

Spinach can be used in a surprising way. When it absorbs water, spinach also absorbs many other things from the soil. Some scientists have used this characteristic of spinach to find bombs hidden in the ground. They make special spinach plants with sensors on their leaves. When these plants soak up traces from bombs, the sensors light up.

① Spinach has a surprising use. ② While it absorbs water, spinach also takes in many other things from the soil. ③ Spinach is also delicious in salads and many other dishes. ④ Some researchers have made use of this characteristic of spinach to find bombs hidden in the soil. ⑤ They create special spinach plants that have sensors on their leaves.

In 1940, the Royal Air Force defeated German fighters during World War II by using a radar system. The British government wanted to keep this technology a secret, so it published an article in the newspaper. It said that British pilots improved their night vision because they ate a lot of carrots. Everybody believed the story and began to eat a lot more carrots than before. Can we really improve night vision by eating lots of carrots? Not really, but carrots contain a lot of vitamin A, which does keep our eyes healthy.

Not really, but carrots ①contains a lot ②on vitamin A, ③what ④does keep our eyes ⑤healthily.

We all know that tomatoes are good for our health. Up until the 1800s, however, most Americans thought that tomatoes were poisonous. In 1820, a man named Robert Johnson wanted to prove that tomatoes were safe to eat. So, he ate a basket of tomatoes in front of many people watching him. They all expected him to die, but nothing happened to him. Ever since then, Americans have enjoyed eating tomatoes.

So, he ①eat a basket ②with tomatoes in front of many people ③watching him. They all expected him ④die, but nothing ⑤happens to him.

While humans are no longer afraid of tomatoes, some insects continue to dislike them.

(A) You can take advantage of this in your own home.

(B) Place a bowl of crushed tomatoes in one of the corners of your room.

(C) The insects will avoid getting close to them.

Plants are not always what they seem. Spinach, made famous by the cartoon character Popeye, contains many real nutrients and is actually used by some scientists to find bombs hidden in the soil. Carrots, despite a wartime story spread by the British government to hide their radar technology, do contain vitamin A that helps keep our eyes healthy — and Scottish researchers have found a way to turn them into a strong material that may even be used to build battleships. Tomatoes, once thought to be poisonous by most Americans, were proven safe by Robert Johnson in 1820, and their crushed form can also keep insects out of a room. In short, each of these everyday plants hides a story of unexpected uses or surprising truths.

Three common plants — spinach, carrots, and tomatoes — share a hidden side that goes beyond their use as food. Spinach absorbs substances from the soil, a feature that scientists now use to detect buried bombs. Carrots, long associated with both war stories and night vision, are now being turned into a strong, light material with industrial and even military applications. Tomatoes, once feared as poisonous, are not only safe to eat but also serve as a natural way to keep insects away.