Describe a Poisonous Plant- IELTS Cue Card

Describe a poisonous plant.

Sample Answer

The domain of plants in the plant kingdom is stupefying, and they would surprise anyone with little interest in this subject. Among them, many are carnivorous. Some cure diseases, while others can be deadly if consumed inappropriately. From their ability to grow in extreme places to their ability to adapt to a new environment, they often shock even veteran botanists. Recently, I was appalled when I found out that tomato plants are poisonous.

They are commonly found in most regions of Asia and the rest of the world. I accidentally learned about the toxic tomato plant when I read a journal called “Journal of Plant Physiology”. Usually, a tomato is a fruit, but it is a vegetable for culinary purposes. It is an indispensable ingredient in preparing a salad, and every household knows this fruit.

However, if ingested, tomato leaves and stems contain toxic solanine, causing digestive upset and nervous excitement. If someone rubs the tomato leaf in their fingers, it gives a bitter odour due to the poisonous substance. Even the raw or green tomato has a little toxicity, which is not deadly. Ripe tomatoes do not comprise any detectable tomatine.

Vocabulary

• Stupefying

Meaning – astonishing and shocking.
Example – My elder brother has stupefying financial incompetence and needs to save money.

• Culinary

Meaning – of or for cooking.
Example – Almost everyone in my family praises my mother for her exceptional culinary skills.

• Indispensable

Meaning – absolutely necessary.
Example – The intern made himself indispensable to his boss.

• Appalled

Meaning – greatly dismayed or horrified.
Example – I was appalled by the effort of last year’s winning team in the marathon.

• Veteran

Meaning – a person who has had long experience in a particular field.
Example – Adam had immense knowledge of the wars as he was a veteran of the two world wars.