| Keyword |
Description |
| Candy |
A sweet food, usually made with sugar, that people eat as a treat |
| Cactus |
A plant that usually lives in dry places and can store water in its thick stem |
| Seed |
A small part of a plant that can grow into a new plant |
In Mexico, many people love eating Rosca de Reyes, a special sweet bread for Three Kings Day. Before, bakers used a yellow candy called acitrón on top of the Rosca. This candy comes from a round cactus called biznaga barril, which grows very slowly in dry places. People cut so many of these cacti that now there are very few left, and the plant is close to disappearing. Because of this, since 2005 the government has protected this cactus and it is illegal to use it to make acitrón.
A scientist named María del Rocío Azcárraga is helping to save this cactus. She found a way to make the seeds grow faster, and now a botanical garden has more than 1,500 small biznagas that will one day return to nature. This takes a long time, because the cactus must grow big enough to protect itself with its spines. While this happens, people are asked not to buy Roscas with acitrón and to choose other toppings like ate, pineapple, or cherries that do not hurt plants. By changing this part of the tradition, families help protect nature and give the biznaga a chance to live.
Bridging words
These words sound similar in English and Spanish: Why not practice them now?
| English |
Spanish |
| Scientist |
Científica |
| Botanical garden |
Jardín botánico |
| Tradition |
Tradición |
Time to discuss
- Should we stop eating something if it hurts a plant or animal?
- Is it important to protect plants that grow very slowly?
- Would you like a Rosca de Reyes without acitrón?
Let's write
Answer the following questions in one paragraph:
- Write about a time when you changed something to help nature.
- Describe how you would make a Rosca de Reyes that is friendly to the environment.
