06 Fungi

Most living things are classified as either plants or animals. However, there are some mysterious, little organisms that are neither, yet they are still alive. Many of them are invisible, hiding deep in the ground or floating silently in the air. They do not need heat or light from the Sun for survival. They also have no chlorophyll and don't make food through photosynthesis.

These amazing little creatures are called fungi. They are very adaptable to all weather conditions and simply go into a deep sleep if the temperature drops too low. We use some of their abilities to produce some of our favourite foods. For example, if you like bread, you can thank the yeast that helped the bread rise. Yeast is a fungus. Mushrooms are also a fungus.

Recently, we have been finding more and more uses for fungi. We can make pesticides to control insects and make detergents that are more Earth-friendly. Fungi have been turning dead plant material into rich soil for thousands of years. They eat the nutrients that would otherwise be wasted and without them we would be walking around on thick layers of dead leaves and other plant materials.

Although there are many good things about fungi, some fungi are harmful. Certain varieties make us sick and give us skin reactions. It is important to be aware of the different types of fungi, so we can benefi t from the good ones, and protect ourselves from the bad ones

Word List

mysterious : not completely understood

rich : having a lot of nutrients

You Practice

I. Answer the following questions.

1) What are some examples of different types of fungi?

2) What are some good things that fungi does?

3) What are some bad things that fungi does?

4) What would happen if there were no fungi?

5) Why is it important to make products that are Earth-friendly?

II. Word power—Use these words from the reading in sentences of your own.

1) invisible______________________________________________

2) wasted_______________________________________________

3) layers________________________________________________

4) benefi t_______________________________________________

5) protect_______________________________________________

III. Read these sentences carefully. Write Yes or No for each one.

____ 1) We can eat some kinds of fungi.

____ 2) Fungi is a type of plant.

____ 3) All fungi is good for us.

____ 4) Fungi have many different uses.

____ 5) Most types of fungi produce chlorophyll.