Prose Level 2    Score range 226 to 275

Tasks at this level tend to require the reader to locate one or more pieces of information in the text, but several distractors may be present, or low-level inferences may be required. Tasks at this level also begin to ask readers to integrate two or more pieces of information, or to compare and contrast information.

Like the tasks at Level 1, most of the tasks at Level 2 ask the reader to locate information. However, more varied demands are placed on the reader in terms of the number of responses the question requires, or in terms of distracting information that may be present.

A mid-range task based on an article about the impatiens plant asks the reader to identify “what the smooth leaf and stem suggest about the plant.” The second paragraph of the article is labelled “Appearance” and contains a sentence that states, “…stems are branched and very juicy, which means, because of the tropical origin, that the plant is sensitive to cold.”

In Canada, 25.6% of adults are performing at Level 2.

IMPATIENS
Like many other cultured plants, impatiens plants have a long history behind them. One of the older varieties was sure to be found on grandmother’s windowsill. Nowadays, the hybrids are used in many ways in the house and garden.

Origin: the ancestors of the impatiens, Impatiens sultani and Impatiens holstii, are probably still to be found in the mountain forests of tropical East Africa and on the islands off the coast, mainly Zanzibar. The cultivated European plant received the name Impatiens walleriana.
Appearance: It is a herbaceous bushy plant with a height of 30 to 40 cm. The thick, fleshy stems are branched and very juicy, which means, because of the topical origin, that the plant is sensitive to cold. The light green or white speckled leaves are pointed, elliptical, and slightly indented on the edges. The smooth leaf surfaces and the stems indicate a great need of water.
Bloom: The flowers, which come in all shades of red,

appear plentifully all year long, except for the darkest months. They grow from “suckers” (in the stem’s “armpit”.)
Assortment: Some are compact and low-growing types, about 20 to 25 cm. high, suitable for growing in pots. A variety of hybrids can be grown in pots, window boxes, or flower beds, Older varieties with taller stems add dramatic colour to flower beds.
General care: In summer, a place in the shade without direct sunlight is best; in fall and spring, half-shade is best. When placed in a bright spot during winter, the plant requires temperatures of at least 20°C; in a darker spot, a temperature of 15°C will do. When the plant is exposed to temperatures of 12 - 14°it loses its leaves and won’t bloom anymore. In wet ground, the stems will rot.

Watering: The warmer and lighter the plant’s location, the more water it needs. Always use water without a lot of minerals. It is not known for sure whether or not the plant needs humid air. In any case, do not spray water directly onto the leaves, which causes stains.
Feeding: Feed weekly during the growing period from March to September.
Repotting: If necessary, repot in the spring or in the summer in light soil with humus (prepacked potting soil.) It is better to throw the old plants away and start cultivating new ones.
Propagating: Slip or use seeds. Seeds will germinate in ten days.
Diseases: In summer, too much sun makes the plant woody. If the air is too dry, small white flies or aphids may appear.