Spice

High school (ages 12+)
Food & Cooking

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/spice

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary chemical components?Volatile oils containing terpenes, esters, aldehydes, and other aromatic compounds
2. What is the historical economic impact?Fueled exploration, trade routes, and geopolitical competition for centuries
3. What are spices and how do they make food taste and smell good?Spices come from dried parts of plants and contain special oils that give food its yummy taste and nice smell.
4. Why were spices so valuable in the past?Spices were more precious than gold, so people traded them over long routes like the Silk Road, which helped build economies and led to new discoveries.

Gustation: The sense of taste, mediated by taste buds on the tongue.
Geopolitical: Relating to politics, especially international relations, as influenced by geographical factors.
Neurobiological: Relating to the study of the nervous system and its biological basis.