Question
The early morning silence is broken by a puzzling sound. It echoes through the forest. Is it an otherworldly creature—or a worm grunter?
Worm grunting is a practice used to bring earthworms up to the surface of the ground. It's also known as worm charming. Some worm grunters pound a wooden rod into the ground. Then they rub a metal strip across the rod. This makes a strange noise. People say it sounds like a door creaking…or a bullfrog with a sore throat. Some grunters put a running chainsaw into the ground. Others use knitting needles or pitchforks. Still other grunters tap dance to call worms to the surface.
But it's not the sound that brings earthworms out of the soil. It's the vibrations created by the instruments the worm grunters use. The vibrations are like those made by moles moving underground. And moles eat earthworms. So, to avoid becoming a meal, the worms flee to the surface. There, the earthworms are scooped up by humans.
On any given morning, grunters may collect about 4,000 earthworms. Then, they sort them into buckets of 50 and sell them for freshwater fishing bait. But worm grunting doesn't just pay the bills. It's also an excuse to have fun. In the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, there are worm grunting festivals. They celebrate this unusual but dependable way to get earthworms to rise from the ground. These events also get competitive: Grunters face off to see who's got the best worm-charming skills. There's a Guinness World Record for worm charming, too. It was set by a 10-year-old girl in the UK in 2009. The young girl collected 567 worms in 30 minutes. What method did she use? She wiggled a fork in the ground while hitting it with a stick.
QUESTION 1
1 / 4
Which passage from the article best supports the idea that worm charming can be a successful business?
On any given morning, grunters may collect about 4,000 earthworms. Then, they sort them into buckets of 50 and sell them for freshwater fishing bait.
Some grunters put a running chainsaw into the ground. Others use knitting needles or pitchforks.
There's a Guinness World Record for worm charming, too. It was set by a 10-year-old girl in the UK in 2009.
These events also get competitive: Grunters face off to see who's got the best worm-charming skills.
Worm grunting is a practice used to bring earthworms up to the surface of the ground. It's also known as worm charming. Some worm grunters pound a wooden rod into the ground. Then they rub a metal strip across the rod. This makes a strange noise. People say it sounds like a door creaking…or a bullfrog with a sore throat. Some grunters put a running chainsaw into the ground. Others use knitting needles or pitchforks. Still other grunters tap dance to call worms to the surface.
But it's not the sound that brings earthworms out of the soil. It's the vibrations created by the instruments the worm grunters use. The vibrations are like those made by moles moving underground. And moles eat earthworms. So, to avoid becoming a meal, the worms flee to the surface. There, the earthworms are scooped up by humans.
On any given morning, grunters may collect about 4,000 earthworms. Then, they sort them into buckets of 50 and sell them for freshwater fishing bait. But worm grunting doesn't just pay the bills. It's also an excuse to have fun. In the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, there are worm grunting festivals. They celebrate this unusual but dependable way to get earthworms to rise from the ground. These events also get competitive: Grunters face off to see who's got the best worm-charming skills. There's a Guinness World Record for worm charming, too. It was set by a 10-year-old girl in the UK in 2009. The young girl collected 567 worms in 30 minutes. What method did she use? She wiggled a fork in the ground while hitting it with a stick.
QUESTION 1
1 / 4
Which passage from the article best supports the idea that worm charming can be a successful business?
On any given morning, grunters may collect about 4,000 earthworms. Then, they sort them into buckets of 50 and sell them for freshwater fishing bait.
Some grunters put a running chainsaw into the ground. Others use knitting needles or pitchforks.
There's a Guinness World Record for worm charming, too. It was set by a 10-year-old girl in the UK in 2009.
These events also get competitive: Grunters face off to see who's got the best worm-charming skills.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The passage from the article that best supports the idea that worm charming can be a successful business is:
"On any given morning, grunters may collect about 4,000 earthworms. Then, they sort them into buckets of 50 and sell them for freshwater fishing bait."
This sentence highlights the collection and sale process, indicating that it is a viable business activity.
"On any given morning, grunters may collect about 4,000 earthworms. Then, they sort them into buckets of 50 and sell them for freshwater fishing bait."
This sentence highlights the collection and sale process, indicating that it is a viable business activity.