The Water Hyacinth

10/10/2020 5:39:00 PM
Central Vietnam presents uncommon beauty of common water hyacinth. Image: VnExpress International

Do you know?

  • Cutting a water hyacinth plant into pieces will not kill it. The plants can reproduce using a process called fragmentation. 
  • The Water Hyacinth is commonly called the fastest growing plant in the world.

Let's explore more about The Water Hyacinth in the following passage!

Central Vietnam presents uncommon beauty of common water hyacinth. Image: VnExpress International

Listen and check whether the statements are True or False or No information.

  • Water in rivers and lakes may carry diseases because of plants.
  • Water hyacinths can be used to make petroleum.

Water in rivers and lakes may carry diseases because of plants.

  • True
  • False
  • No information
Water hyacinths can be used to make petroleum.
  • True
  • False
  • No information

Complete the text you are listening to by dragging the correct word to each blank.

The Water Hyacinth

The water hyacinth grows in countries. It has beautiful purple-blue flowers, but everybody hates it. Why?

Millions and millions of these plants grow in rivers and lakes. Sometimes the plants become so thick that people can walk on them. People cannot travel in boats on the water, and they cannot fish in it. The plants stop the water from moving. Then the water carries . Farmers cannot use the water on their land. 

Now scientists think that water hyacinths can be useful. The plants are really a free . No one has to take care of them. They just grow and grow and grow. What can farmers use them for? 

Some fish like to eat them. Farmers can grow these fish in the lakes and rivers. 

Workers can collect and cut the plants with machines. Then they can make to make their crops grow better. They can also make for their farm animals. 

Maybe it will be possible to make methane gas (CH4) for . (We burn gas from petroleum for energy. Methane gas can be made from plants.) Then poor tropical countries will not have to buy so much expensive petroleum. Maybe in the future people will love the water hyacinth instead of hating it. 

Read the passage and answer the questions.

The Water Hyacinth

Image: news.cgtn.com

The water hyacinth grows in tropical countries. It has beautiful purple-blue flowers, but everybody hates it. Why?

Millions and millions of these plants grow in rivers and lakes. Sometimes the plants become so thick that people can walk on them. People cannot travel in boats on the water, and they cannot fish in it. The plants stop the water from moving. Then the water carries diseases. Farmers cannot use the water on their land. 

Now scientists think that water hyacinths can be useful. The plants are really a free crop. No one has to take care of them. They just grow and grow and grow. What can farmers use them for? 

Some fish like to eat them. Farmers can grow these fish in the lakes and rivers. 

Workers can collect and cut the plants with machines. Then they can make fertilizer to make their crops grow better. They can also make feed for their farm animals. 

Maybe it will be possible to make methane gas (CH4) for energy. (We burn gas from petroleum for energy. Methane gas can be made from plants.) Then poor tropical countries will not have to buy so much expensive petroleum. Maybe in the future people will love the water hyacinth instead of hating it. 

Where does NOT the water hyacinth grow?

  • In river
  • In tropical countries
  • In the ocean
  • In lakes

Why do people hate this plant?

  • People can catch fish in rivers full of water hyacinth.
  • The plants help the water to move.
  • Farmers can use the water to use on land.
  • Boats cannot travel because the plants are so thick.

How can water hyacinths be useful?

  • They can stop the water from moving.
  • They can be a source of food for birds.
  • They can be used as a natural fertilizer.
  • They can be replaced for gas.

Put the right word in each blank. The sentences are from the text.

1. The water hyacinth grows in countries. 

2. Then they can make to make their crops grow better.

3. Maybe it will be possible to make methane gas (CH4) for . 

4. They can also make for their farm animals. 

5. The plants are really a free . 

6. Then the water carries .

Put the right word in each blank. These are new sentences for words in the text.

1. Rice is an important in Asia. 

2. Tom became very sick with a strange . He fainted.

3. We use gas and oil for .

4. Vietnam is a country.

5. My mom uses leaves to make for my garden.

6. The baby had a an hour ago, so she can't be hungry.