Reading Comprehension Test How the Kiwi Got Its Name

It is one of the ugliest little fruits in the world. Many people don’t know how to eat it and have never tried it. This fruit, however, is a multi-billion-dollar super food, a food that is very nutritious.
This fruit’s skin is brown and looks like the fur of a monkey. This explains one of the fruit’s original names, which means “monkey peach” in Chinese. The Chinese first grew it in the Chang Kiang Valley about 700 years ago. It became a favourite food of the rulers. They liked the bright green colour on the inside of the fruit and its sweet taste.

When people from other parts of the world began travelling in China, they discovered this unusual-looking fruit. In 1904, a woman from New Zealand, Isabel Fraser, travelled to China. There, she ate a monkey peach. She liked its taste, so she took some seeds back with her to New Zealand. She gave the seeds to Thomas Allison. Thomas and his brother, Alexander, owned an orchard. Alexander Allison planted Fraser’s seeds and harvested the first fruit in 1910.

The climate of New Zealand was perfect for the monkey peach, and soon the fruit became popular there. However, New Zealanders had trouble pronouncing the name in Chinese. They decided to call it a “Chinese gooseberry” because the fruit is green, like a gooseberry.

By the 1950s, New Zealand had more Chinese gooseberries than they could eat. Fruit growers wanted to expand their markets to other countries. However, they had a problem because some countries had an import tax on berries. To avoid the tax, the growers decided to change the mane. The fruit looked like a tiny melon, so they decided to call it mellonette (the French word for “little melon”). This name seemed like a good idea until they learned that there was a high tax on melons. What could they call it?
The fruit growers got together to discuss a new name. Someone suggested the name kiwi. The furry kiwi bird is a symbol of New Zealand, and New Zealanders are sometimes called Kiwis. The growers all agreed, and this small green Chinese fruit took the name of a symbol of New Zealand.
When the kiwi fruit first appeared in other countries, most people thought it was strange. They didn’t know how to eat it, and they didn’t like the rough skin. Eventually, people learned to remove the furry skin and eat the sweet inside part. They started to enjoy it.

Recently, food scientists have discovered some surprising information about the kiwi. One small kiwi fruit has more vitamin C than any other fruit. It is also a great source of fibre and provides the body with important minerals, such as calcium and potassium.

Today the kiwi is more popular than ever. It is a major crop in many countries, including Chile and Italy. In New Zealand, it is the number one export. Farmers there even export this healthy and delicious food to China, where it all began.

Are the sentences true or false?

1. The kiwi fruit was from New Zealand originally.

2. The skin of the kiwi isn’t like the skin of other fruit.

3. Isabel Fraser planted the first kiwi seeds in New Zealand.

4. Growers changed the name of the fruit to “Chinese gooseberry” because of import taxes in other countries.

5. A “kiwi” may be a person, a bird or a fruit.

6. The kiwi fruit was immediately successful in other countries.

7. The kiwi is nutritious because it has vitamins, minerals and fibre.

GRADE 10 – 11

Writing comprehension

1. You’ve received a letter from your English pen-friend in which he asks you what you would like to achieve after you leave school. Write him\her a reply letter (not less than 50 words) answering his\her questions:

- Is success important to you? Why? Why not?

- Does success mean the same as happiness? Why? Why not?

2. Your pen-friend’s family is coming to Ukraine. They ask for your advice on what places of interest to visit. Write a short letter (not less than 50 words) and recommend some places to go. In your letter:

- welcome their decision to visit Ukraine in summer;

- recommend some of the most interesting sights in Ukraine.

3. Your friend wants to lose weight. Give him \ her some advice (write not less than 50 words) how to do it. Include the following:

- to go on a diet;

- to take up exercising \ to join a sports club;

- To cut down on junk food.