Why onions make you cry

10/10/2020 2:49:00 PM

Image: mentalfloss.com

Do you know?

  • Onions are good for your heart and bone.
  • They also have valuable antibacterial properties.

Let's learn more about this vegetable in the following passage!

FACT: If you eat onions, you can get rid of onion breath by eating parsley.

Image: mentalfloss.com

Listen and choose the correct answer to each of the following questions.

  • Where does gas come out of when an onion is cut?
  • Where should you put the onions before cutting them to avoid stinging?

A gas comes out of _____.

  • onion cells
  • onion skins
  • onion roots

Where should you put the onions before cutting them to avoid stinging?

  • in a box
  • on the table
  • in the refrigerator

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

[dragAndDrop]

Why onions make you cry?

Your mother is crying in the kitchen. Is she sad? No. She is cutting an onion! The onion is making her cry. Why?

An onion is made up of many . When you cut an onion, the cells break open, then a comes out of the cells. You cannot see the gas, but it your eyes. Your eyes do not like the gas. They are trying to it with tears. So you cry!

What can you do? Put the onion in the , or cook the onion first. Now cut it. See? You do not cry. If you are in a , here is another idea. Wear !

Read and answer the following questions.

Why onions make you cry

Onion cells under a microscope. Image: microscopemaster.com

Your mother is crying in the kitchen. Is she sad? No. She is cutting an onion! The onion is making her cry. Why?

An onion is made up of many cells. When you cut an onion, the cells break open, then a gas comes out of the cells. You cannot see the gas, but it stings your eyes. Your eyes do not like the gas. They are trying to wash it away with tears. So you cry!

What can you do? Put the onion in the refrigerator, or cook the onion first. Now cut it. See? You do not cry. If you are in a hurry, here is another idea. Wear goggles!

Source: Reading juice for kids 2

The passage is mainly about _____.

  • how to not cry when cutting onions
  • why you cry while cutting onions
  • what makes up onions
  • where an onion gas comes from

Which sentence is true according to the text?

  • The color of the onion gas is yellow.
  • Cutting onions makes you feel sad so you cry.
  • Your tears wash away the onion gas.
  • The roots of onions sting your eyes.

According to the passage, which is a way that helps you not cry while cutting onions?

  • Put the onions in a dark box
  • Wear goggles
  • Remove the skins of onions
  • Put onions in water

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

  1. An onion is made up of many .
  2. Your eyes do not like the gas. They are trying to it with tears.
  3. If you are in a , here is another idea. Wear !
  4. When you cut an onion, the cells break open, then a comes out of the cells.
  5. Put the onion in the , or cook the onion first.
  6. You cannot see the gas, but it your eyes.

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

  1. The rain had the footprints.
  2. I opened the to take out some orange juice.
  3. Air is a mixture of .
  4. Put on your when you ski. 
  5. If soap gets into the eyes, it them.
  6. The doctors discovered virus .
  7. We left in such a that we forgot our tickets.