Read the three texts
Text 1: Where Salt Comes From
1Salt is a mineral, and people get it from two main places. The first is the ocean. Seawater is salty, so in some sunny, windy places, people let seawater flow into wide, shallow ponds. The sun and wind slowly evaporate the water. When the water is gone, a crust of salt crystals is left behind, and workers rake it into piles.
2The second source is under the ground. Long ago, some seas dried up, and their salt was buried under layers of rock and soil. Today, miners dig into these thick salt beds. In some mines, the tunnels are so wide that big trucks can drive through them. Salt can also be taken from the ground by pumping in water to dissolve it, then drying out the salty water.
Text 2: Salt Long Ago
1For thousands of years, salt helped people keep food from spoiling. Before there were refrigerators, families packed meat and fish in salt or soaked them in very salty water. Salt pulls water out of food, and the tiny living things that make food rot need water to grow. Salted fish could last for months, even on long trips at sea.
2Because salt was so useful, it was also valuable. Traders carried it across deserts and over mountains to trade for other goods. Towns often grew up near places where salt was found. In some places, people even used blocks of salt as money.
Text 3: Salt in Your Kitchen
1Today, salt is cheap and easy to find, and most kitchens have a shaker of it. Cooks add a pinch to soups, breads, and even cookies, because salt brings out the flavors of many foods. Without it, bread can taste flat.
2Our bodies need a small amount of salt to stay healthy. Salt helps muscles move and helps nerves send messages. But doctors say that eating too much salt is not good for us and can raise blood pressure. Many packaged foods, such as chips and canned soups, already contain lots of salt, so it is smart to read food labels.