Trouble on the table

What do you get when you cross a chicken with an apple? A flounder with a tomato? These aren’t
jokes waiting for a punch line. Believe it or not, combinations like these may make their way to our dinner
table. There’s a brave new world of agriculture that has some people excited about new superfoods.
Others are very nervous.

For thousands of years, farmers improved their crops by patiently crossbreeding plants that have
good traits. But crossbreeding doesn’t always work. Even when it does, it can take decades to get good
results.

Now, thanks to advances in gene science, there are amazing shortcuts. Genes are the instructions
inside cells that help determine what a living thing looks like : its size, its shape and countless other traits.
Using the new tools of genetic engineering, scientists can take a gene from one living thing and put it
directly into another plant or animal. That way, says John Mount, professor of agriculture at the
University of Tennessee, “You can make changes more precisely in a much shorter period of time.”

Here’s how it works. First scientists identify a gene that controls a desirable trait, for example a
protein in an Arctic flounder that helps the fish thrive in frigid waters. The scientists then use chemicals
to cut and paste the flounder gene into the genes of tomato cells in a test tube. The cells grow into a
tomato plant. Then the plant is tested to if the gene still works. Do its tomatoes resist the cold? Yes, they
do.

Scientists believe the new techniques can create crops that are pest-proof, disease-resistant and
more nutritious. Researchers are working on a rice that has an extra boost of vitamin A from a daffodil
gene. The rice could help prevent blindness, even death for millions of kids who don ’t get enough vitamin A
in their diet.

Are we making monster food?

Not everybody is convinced that pumping up our food with foreign genes is a good idea. Many people say
these genetically modified, or GM foods may end up harming the environment and human s. They fear that
plants with new genes forced into them will accidentally crossbreed with wild plants and create p esticide-
resistant superweeds. They also say GM foods could carry genes that trigger allergies or other side
effects.

“We are rushing headlong into a new technology,” warns Ronnie Cummins of the Organic Consumers
Association. “We are courting disaster if we don’t look before we leap.”

Nearly half the US corn and soybean crops are now genetically modified. Health concerns are
growing and many consumer groups are demanding that GM foods be labelled.

So far, GM foods haven’t harmed anyone. Most genetic researchers believe that if troubles do
happen, they will be manageable. As the battles go on, will we continue to see GM foods on our tables ? “I
hope so,” answers Alice Snow, an ecologist at Ohio State University. “Even though I have concerns, I think
it would be stupid not to use this technology. We have just to use it wisely.”

Time
 Trouble on the table

I – COMPREHENSION

1 – General understanding :

Read the title and the caption : what might / may / must be the text about?*
Explain “monster food”.

2 – Further understanding :

§ 1 : Find equivalents for “croiser” and “monsterfoods”.

What is the risk mentioned?
What are the reactions to this phenomenon?
Explain the reference to “brave new world”.

§ 2 : Find equivalents for “increase”, “production”, “cross”, “characteristics”

In the past, how did farmers increase their production?
What were the drawbacks of that technique?

§ 3 : Pick up the words related to biology.

What are genes?
What does genetic engineering consist in?
What are the advantages of this new technology?

§ 4 : Find equivalents for “prosper”, “very cold” . Analyse the two occurrences of “test”.
Give an example and describe the scientific process.

§ 5 : Find equivalents for “insect” and “daily food”. Analyse “pest-proof” and “disease-resistant”.
Give a second example and its potential advantages.

§ 6 : Find equivalents for “monster plants”, “endanger”, “generate”.

What are the dangers of genetic engineering?

§7 : Explain Ronnie Cummins’ piece of advice.

§8 : Infer the meaning of “soybean”, “label” and “demand”.

What do consumer groups want? Why?

§9 : Find equivalents for “hurt”, “controllable” and “cautiously”.

What do most researchers think?
Explain Alice Snow’s ambiguity.
II – GRAMMAR

1 – Use comparative forms to describe GM foods and biological foods or crossbreeding and genetic
engineering :

good for health – bad for health – healthy – unhealthy - productive

safe – nutritious – big crops – cheap – reliable – fast – efficient - slow

2 – Turn the following sentences into the passive :

1) You can make changes more precisely in a shorter period of time.

2) Scientists are carrying out studies over GMOs.

3) So far, GM foods haven’t harmed anyone.

4) For thousands years, farmers improved their crops by patiently crossbreeding the best plants.

5) Food companies must inform consumers.

6) Scientists may find new treatments for rare diseases.

7) If transplant a foreign gene into a living organism, then it genetically modifies this organism.

8) From an economic point of view, one can describe GMOs either as a disaster or a blessing.

9) Scientists use chemicals to cut and paste a gene.

10) We should use this technology, but we have to use it wisely.

3 – Complete with the right tense : preterit / present perfect :

1) A few weeks ago in Essex, thousands of people (demonstrate) against GM foods.

2) Over the last few months, GM crops (become) very unpopul ar in the European Union.

3) Twenty African states (recently – publish) a statement denouncing GM crops.

4) Since GM seeds first (appear), US producers (show) great confidence in this technology.

5) The European Commission (approve) nine varieties of GM crops for import since 1994.

6) Laboratories (know) for years that GM crops are controversial.

7) Research (carry out passive) in genetic engineering for years and the first GM foods (appear) at

the end of the 20th century.

8) Environmentalists (express) their fears since the first GM foods (use passive) in the food

industry.

9) At the beginning many scientists (think) GM foods (can/may) be harmful. However, no

evidence (be shown) so far.

10) The text (write passive) three years ago, but the consumers’ fears (remain) the same until now.

4 – Translate into English :

1) Selon un étude, les OGM seraient plus mauvais pour la santé que les aliments produits par

l’agriculture biologique.
 2) Les OGM sont cultivés depuis des années et le seront peut-être encore pendant longtemps.

3) On doit contrôler la génétique pour la rendre plus sûre et moins dangereuse.

4) Malgré les craintes des consommateurs, on ne doit pas arrêter les recherches sur les OGM.

5) Certains scientifiques sont plus sceptiques que d’autres, alors que la plupart sont peut-être plus

confiants.

6) Des chercheurs ont analysé des échantillons d’OGM : même s’ils permettent d’augmenter les

récoltes, ils pourraient être plus dangereux et doivent donc être contrôlés.

5 – Complete the following text, chosing the appropriate form (active or passive, tense) and adding
link words :

The article _____________ (take) from Time. It ____________ (write) several years ago and

____________ (entitle) “Trouble on the table”. ____________ it ____________ (deal) with GM

foodsand the potential dangers which ____________ (associate) with this issue for several years.

______________ half the American corn and soybean crops ____________ (genetically modify).

_____________ genetic engineering, crossbreeding ____________ (exist) for a long time.

____________ it has several disadvantages. ____________ it ____________ (prove) less productive

and ____________ (take) more time.

GM foods ____________ (trigger) various reactions. ____________ it ____________

(supported) by some people, ____________ other people ____________ (strongly disapprove) of them.

____________ there are positive aspects to this issue. ____________ they ____________

(resist) diseases more efficiently. ____________ less pesticide ____________ (will use).

____________ more people ____________ (may feed) ____________ scientists ____________ (may

develop) more nutritious food.

____________ the text also mentions the more negative aspects. ____________ GM plants

____________ (may harm) the environment ____________ with accidental crossbreedings or pesticide-

resistant superweeds. ____________ health ____________ (may endanger) ____________ GM foods

____________ (may trigger) allergies. ____________ consumer want GM foods to ____________

(label)

____________, ____________ GM foods ____________ (consider) as a scientific progress,

they ____________ (have to use) wisely.

UN says eat less meat to curb global warming
Level 2 Intermediate

1 - Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text.

consumption ruminant gluttony simplistic contradictory

graze livestock flatulence controversial habitat

1. An animal’s ____________________ is the place it normally lives.

2. ____________________ is when a person or animal has too much gas in their stomach or intestines.
3. If two or more ideas are ____________________, they disagree with each other and cannot both or all be true.

4. ____________________ is the process of eating or drinking something.

5. If an idea is ____________________, it causes strong disagreement or disapproval.
6. A ____________________ idea treats something in a way that makes it seem simpler than it really is.

7. When animals ____________________, they eat grass growing in a field.

8. ____________________ is the collective word for animals such as cows,
sheep and pigs that are kept on farms.
9. A ____________________ is an animal such as a cow or sheep that brings food
back from its stomach into its mouth to chew it a second time.
10. ____________________ is the bad habit of eating more than you need.

2 Find the information

Look in the text and find the answers to these questions as quickly as possible.

1. According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization how much of global

greenhouse gas emissions are produced by meat production?

2. How much meat protein does the average person in the UK eat each day?

3. By what percentage is UK meat consumption above WHO guidelines?

4. Which is the more effective global warming agent – methane or carbon dioxide?
5. By what percentage does Compassion in World Farming want to reduce meat consumption by 2020?

6. What percentage of UK emissions is generated by livestock?

UN says eat less meat to curb global warming
Level 2 Intermediate
UN says eat less meat to enjoy it,” said Torode. “Too much meat for any person

curb global warming is gluttony. But there’s a more important question here:

• Climate expert urges radical shift w here [the meat] comes from. If w e all bought British
food and stopped buying imported food w e’d save a
in diet
huge amount of carbon emissions.”
• Industry unfairly targeted –
6 Pachauri w ill be speaking at an event organized by
farmers
animal w elfare group Compassion in World Farming,
1 According to the w orld’s leading expert on global
w hich has calculated that if the average UK home
w arming, people should give up meat for one day a
reduced meat consumption by 50%, that w ould reduce
w eek if they w ant do something that w ould help tackle
emissions more than if people cut car use by 50%. The
climate change. Dr Rajendra Pachauri, chair of the
group w ants the government to lead campaigns to
United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
reduce meat consumption by 60% by 2020.
Change, said that people should then go on to reduce
Campaigners have also pointed out the health benefits
their meat consumption even further. So far this is the
of eating less meat. The average person in the UK eats
most controversial advice the panel has given on how
50g of protein from meat a day, equivalent to a chicken
individuals can help tackle global w arming.
breast and a lamb chop – a relatively low level for rich
2 Dr Pachauri said diet change w as important because nations but 25-50% more than World Heath
of the huge greenhouse gas emissions and other Organization guidelines.
environmental problems – including habitat destruction
7 Professor Robert Watson, a government
– associated w ith rearing cattle and other animals. It
scientific adviser, said the government could
w as relatively easy to change eating habits compared
help educate people about the benefits of eating
to changing means of transport, he said.
less meat, but it should not ‘regulate’. “Eating
3 The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization estimates less meat would help, there’s no question about
that meat production causes nearly 20% of global that, but there are other things,” Watson said.
greenhouse gas emissions. These gases are
8 However, Chris Lamb, head of marketing for the
generated during the production of animal feeds, for
pig industry group BPEX, said the meat industry
example, w hile ruminants, particularly cow s, emit
had been unfairly targeted and was working hard
methane, w hich is 23 times more effective as a global
to find out which activities had the biggest
w arming agent than carbon dioxide. The agency has
environmental impact and reduce those. Some
also w arned that meat consumption w ill probably
ideas were contradictory, he said – for example,
double by the middle of the century. one solution to emissions from livestock was to
4 “Reducing meat consumption is the most attractive keep them indoors, but this would damage
option because it can be done almost immediately animal welfare. “Climate change is a very young
and it w ill bring about reductions in greenhouse gas science and our view is there are a lot of
emissions in a short period of time,” said Pachauri. simplistic solutions being proposed,” he said.
“Give up meat for one day [a w eek] initially, and 9 Last year a report into the environmental impact of
then continue to decrease it,” said the Indian meat eating claimed livestock generated eight per
economist, w ho is a vegetarian. How ever, he also cent of UK emissions – but eating some meat w as
said that other changes in lifestyle w ould help to good for the planet because some habitats
tackle climate change. “That’s w hat I w ant to benefited from grazing. It also said vegetarian diets
emphasize: w e really have to reduce consumption
that included lots of milk, butter and cheese w ould
in every sector of the economy.” probably not reduce emissions much because dairy
5 Pachauri can expect some strong responses from cow s produce the potent greenhouse gas methane,
the food industry to his advice, though he has w hich is released through flatulence.
received unexpected support from restaurateur
John Torode, w ho is about to publish a new book, © Guardian New s & Media
John Torode’s Beef. “I have a little bit of meat and First published in The Observer
•
UN says eat less meat to curb global warming
Level 2 Intermediate

3 2 - Comprehension check

Are these statements True (T) or False (F) according to the text?

1. If people reduced car use by 50% it would reduce greenhouse gas

emissions more than if they reduced meat consumption by 50%.

2. Dairy cows release methane through flatulence.

3. Meat consumption is expected to double by the middle of the 21st century.

4. The average person in the UK eats less meat than the WHO guidelines recommend.

5. Eating less meat is good for your health.

6. If everyone became vegetarian, greenhouse gas emissions would decrease

dramatically.

Choose the best answer according to the text.

1 What is the main problem associated with meat consumption?

It is unhealthy.
It produces greenhouse gases.
It is expensive compared with vegetarianism.

2 Why wouldn’t a vegetarian diet make much difference?

Because vegetarians eat lots of dairy products produced by cows.
Because it would cost a lot to grow more crops.
Because some habitats benefit from grazing.

3 What does the restaurateur John Torode believe?

That importing food is a more important issue than reducing consumption.
That global warming is caused by meat consumption.
That climate change is a very young science.

4 Professor Watson wants...

… the government to introduce laws to reduce meat consumption.
… the government to tell people that eating less meat would be good for them.
… the government to find out which activities have the biggest environmental impact.
UN says eat less meat to curb global warming
Level 2 Intermediate

5 4 - Two-word expressions

Match the words from the left-hand column with the words in the right-hand
column to make expressions from the text.

1. greenhouse a. w elfare

2. climate b. benefits

3. global c. change

4. environmental d. diet

5. carbon e. impact

6. health f. dioxide

7. animal g. w arming

8. vegetarian h. gases

6 5 - Word building

Complete the table.

verb noun
1 consume
2 reduce
3 emit
4 destroy
5 solve
6 respond
7 propose
8 advise

7 6 - Discussion

Apart from reducing the amount of meat you eat, what other ways can you reduce energy consumption?
Rephrase into direct speech :
1) He emphasized that one solution to emissions from livestock was to keep them indoors, but this
would damage animal welfare.

2) Chris Lamb, head of marketing for the pig industry group BPEX, said the meat industry had been
unfairly targeted and was working hard to find out which sectors had the biggest environmental
impact and reduce those activities.

3) Campaigners also pointed out what could be the health benefits if people had less meat in their
diets.

4) Professor Robert Watson, a government scientific adviser, said the government could help
educate people about the benefits of eating less meat, but it did not have not ‘regulate’

5) the Indian economist said that people had to give up meat for one day [a week] initially, and then
they should continue to decrease it.”

Turn into reported speech :

1) He complained : “This is the most controversial advice the panel has given on how individuals can help

tackle global warming.”

2) The journalist insisted : “The agency has also warned that meat consumption will probably double in

the next decades.”

3) “Reducing meat consumption may the most attractive option because it can be done almost

immediately and it will bring about reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in a short period of time,”

said Pachauri.

4) He said : “That’s what I want to emphasize: we really have to reduce consumption in every sector of

the economy.”

5) He reminded the reader : “The average person here consumed 50g of protein from meat a day last

year.”

6) “Eating less meat will help, there’s no question about this, but there are other things,” Watson said

7) Scientists pointed out : “Last year a report into the environmental impact of meat eating was claiming
livestock generated eight per cent of UK emissions.”