Sixth Grade
Worksheets
Licorice
Licorice Day
Reading Comprehension for April 12
Have you ever noticed the different colors of some candy? Most are close to the thing they represent. Cherry is red, orange is, well, orange, but what about licorice? It's black. What's up with that?
To figure that out, let's do a little research. Most times when we think of licorice, we're thinking of candy, but did you know it comes from the licorice plant? The yellow roots are dug up in the fall, washed, and cut into short lengths. Those pieces of root are then processed. First they are boiled. Then, the pieces of root are beaten into a pulp to get every last bit of the licorice sap out. By the time they are done, it has become a dark syrup, a powder, or a solid block of licorice.
Only a small part of the licorice that is made will become the familiar black candy. A lot of it goes into medicines to help cover up a bitter taste. It's also used in cough syrups, gum, and drinks, but more than half goes to flavor tobacco.
