What is the main point of the passage?

Beans and rice make a cheap, healthy, and filling meal (The passage gives reason after reason that beans and rice are cheap and good for you.)

According to the text, what do you do to dried beans before cooking?

Soak them in water overnight (The text says: "you soak the beans in water overnight.")

Why does the passage mention Mexico, India, and West Africa?

To show that people in many places rely on this cheap, healthy pair (Naming many far-apart places supports the idea that this meal works well for people everywhere.)

In this passage, "protein" is best understood as

a part of food your body needs, also found in meat (The text explains protein as "the same thing that meat gives" to your body.)

A Cheap, Good Meal: Level 1 Reading Comprehension Questions

Dried beans cost little and keep for a long time. A bag of them can sit in your cupboard for months without going bad. When you are ready, you soak the beans in water overnight. The next day they are soft enough to cook.

Beans and rice together make a full meal. Beans give your body protein, the same thing that meat gives. Rice fills you up and costs very little. People all over the world eat this pair, from Mexico to India to West Africa. You can change the taste each time with different spices, so you never grow tired of it.

A large pot feeds a whole family and costs less than a single fast-food lunch. Simple food, made at home, can be both cheap and good for you.

Comprehension questions