Maria's Water Pollution Invention: How a Teen Scientist Removes Medicine from Water

Reading Comprehension

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Why did Maria start to investigate water pollution?

Maria started to investigate water pollution because she noticed that the well water at her family home in Florida wasn't clear, but light brown.

What was causing this pollution?

The pollution was caused by medicines used on farm animals that were finding their way into the water.

Why is this type of pollution common in the countryside?

This type of pollution is common in the countryside because there are a lot of farms where these medicines are used.

How old was Maria when she invented a way of removing medicine from water?

Maria was 17 years old when she finished her research, but she started investigating when she was 11. She spent six years researching, so we can assume she was around 17 when she completed her invention.

What did her invention consist of?

Her invention consisted of using a material called MN250, which is like tiny plastic balls with chemicals that make them sticky, to attract and remove the medicine from the water.

How is Maria planning to spend the money?

Maria is planning to use the $100,000 award to do further research in college.

Vocabulary Exercises

Match the Definitions

1. The opposite of cheap is expensive.
2. Something that is worn is wearable.
3. A new and original design is innovative.
4. The opposite of useless is useful.
5. Something that always works without a problem is reliable.
6. Something that is convenient to use is handy.

Word Formation

Complete the words by filling in the missing letters:

1. Biologist
2. Researcher
3. Entrepreneur
4. Inventor
5. Engineer
6. Scientist

Past Perfect Practice

Sentences with the Past Perfect

1. She had eaten breakfast before I arrived.
2. After having seen the movie, I read the book.
3. Had you met any of your classmates before today?
4. Dad had looked for hours before he found his keys.
5. My teacher had not tried Chinese food before today.
6. Had learned English before visiting England.

Additional Practice

1. I had written a letter before I showed him.
2. We had studied a lot before we had a test.
3. We had learned French before we visited France.
4. I was born before my sister was born.
5. The movie had been famous before they went to the cinema.
6. She had written a book before she won an award.

Reflection Text

"I wish I had spent more time learning to bake when I was younger. I always wanted to make a cake, but I kept putting it off because it seemed too hard. Now that I'm older, I see what I missed out on, and how fun it would have been to learn new recipes. It would have been a delicious way to spend my free time, instead of just delaying it. I could have made amazing desserts, and maybe even surprised my family with a cake for their birthdays!"