By Ajarn Helen Jandamit
Photos courtesy of Bangkok Post
University Tips is here to help you prepare for the English exams and tests that are coming your way. It gives you practise answering questions similar to those you may have at school and also on the University Entrance Examination.
Read the following story by Kritini Upayokin from the Bangkok Post. Then, answer the questions that follow.
Lavender is a relaxing and romantic fragrance, making it one of the most-loved scents around the world. In ancient times, the Egyptians used it as perfume, while the Greeks and Romans bathed in water scented with the plant.
England’s Queen Elizabeth I was also a lavender lover. She used it as perfume and drank lavender tea to calm her headaches. More than 230 years later, Queen Victoria asked her servants to put lavender in every room to freshen the air. Ancient Iranians also used it as a traditional treatment for burns.
The lavender essential oil has been found to relieve depression, anxiety and stress by slowing down brainwaves, while also acting as an antioxidant and collagen booster. This is why lavender is popular in skincare products.
Lavender got its name from the Latin word lavare, which means “to wash,” partly because lavender was often used in baths and has antibacterial properties. This natural antiseptic has also been used as an air freshener and insect repellent.
Its calming properties mean that lavender is great for those who suffer from insomnia. While it’s a time-tested ancient remedy, lavender’s benefits have also been scientifically studied.
Researchers at Oldham Cottage Hospital in England did a study on elderly patients by putting one drop of the scent on each patient’s pillow at night, and the participants were found to experience increased daytime alertness and improved sleep patterns. In another study, people who received a massage with lavender felt less anxious and more positive than those who received a massage without it.
Exercises
Section 1
Read the story. Then, answer the following multiple choice questions.
1. What does “lavare” mean?
a. To watch.
b. To wrap.
c. To wash.
2. Which of the following is lavender NOT used for, according to the story?
a. Perfume.
b. Treatment for hair loss.
c. An air-freshener.
3. According to the story, who drank lavender tea to calm her headaches?
a. Queen Victoria.
b. Queen Elizabeth I.
c. Queen Elizabeth II.
4. Which of the following is a benefit of lavender oil?
a. It can be used to wash contact lenses.
b. It contains a lot of vitamin C.
c. It can be used as an antioxidant and collagen booster.
5. How can lavender essential oil relieve depression, anxiety and stress?
a. It slows down brainwaves.
b. It increases the heart rate.
c. It reduces cholesterol.
6. Where is Oldham Cottage Hospital located?
a. In the US.
b. In England.
c. In Canada.
7. Why can people suffering from insomnia find lavender helpful?
a. Because it has calming properties.
b. Because it is a natural antiseptic.
c. Because it has antioxidant properties.
Section 2
In each of the following sentences, underline the grammatically correct word from the three choices given.
8. The water was scented with/for/on lavender.
9. Romans used lavender as a traditionally/traditional/tradition treatment for burns.
10. Lavender is one of a/an/the favourite scents among air freshener users.
11. Famous public/publicise/publication figures, including Queen Elizabeth I, were lavender lovers.
12. This is why/what/who lavender is popular in skincare shops and clinics.
Section 3
Read the following passage. Then, fill in the blanks with the correct words from the choices given.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women are …..13….. to avoid using lavender orally, because there might be an …..14….. reaction when they consume or come into contact with …..15….. . However, its scent does not seem to do any …..16….. to babies. If unsure, you may find that a scented candle is a good …..17…..
13.
a. advice
b. advise
c. advised
14.
a. allergic
b. allergy
c. alleviate
15.
a. them
b. her
c. it
16.
a. harming
b. harm
c. harmful
17.
a. option
b. options
c. optional
Section 4
Specify whether each of the following words is used in the story as a noun, adjective or adverb.
18. antioxidant ……………
19. scientifically ……………
20. positive ……………
Section 5
Read through the story again. Then, answer the following reading comprehension questions.
21. According to the story, who used lavender as a traditional treatment for burns?
………………………………….
22. The word “lavender” is derived from a Latin word. True or false?
………………………………….
23. Oldham Cottage Hospital researchers found that elderly patients generally slept better when they had one drop on lavender scent on their pillows. True or false?
………………………………….
24. According to the story, lavender is useless when it comes to calming headaches. True or false?
………………………………….
Vocabulary
- brainwave (n): an electrical signal in the brain
antioxidant (n): a substance such as vitamin C or E that removes dangerous molecules, etc., such as free radicals from the body
antiseptic (n): a substance that helps to prevent infection in wounds by killing bacteria
repellent (n): a substance that is used for keeping insects away from you
remedy (n): a treatment or medicine to cure a disease or reduce pain that is not very serious
