1. GM FOOD

2. Discuss: Do you care about what you eat during the day?
Where do you eat at school?
At the cafeteria? At the canteen?
Do you read food labels when you buy packaged food from the market?
Do you notice any signs related with GM food?
Are you concerned about the ingredients?

3. .

4. Genetically Modified (GM) Foods
Genetically Modified (GM) or 
Genetically Engineered (GE) foods:
foods produced from organisms that have had changes introduced into their DNA using the methods of genetic engineering as opposed to traditional cross breeding.
GMO: Genetically Modified Organisms

6. Why to produce GM food?
Scientists are hoping to achieve a specific benefit such as
increased crop yield,
resistance to herbicides and pesticides,
resistance to disease or
drought tolerance.

7. Why? While a lot of plants are modified for research,
the objective of most crop genetic modification is:
to make a plant strain that is commercially or socially beneficial.

8. Some examples: Rainbow Papaya
Yields can be increased if plants are engineered with improved resistance to a disease-causing pest like the Rainbow Papaya, or with the ability to grow in an inhospitable, perhaps colder region.

9. Endless Summer Tomatoes
Fruit that stays ripe longer, such as Endless Summer Tomatoes, provides more time for shelf time after harvest for use.

10. Golden Rice
Thanks to genetic engineering, traits that enhance the nutritional value, such as Golden Rice designed to be rich in vitamin A, have been made.

11. Non-Browning Apples
Traits that enhance the utility of the fruit, such as non-browning Arctic Apples have also been made.

12. modification (n) the act of making stg different, alteration, change,
adjustment
modify (v)
modified (adj)
The program can be used on all computers without modification.
They passed the law with only a few minor/slight/small modifications.

13. manipulate (v) manage, shape, form to change stg in an
unfair or selfish way
He's accused of trying to manipulate the price of the stock.
The company manipulated its accounts to exaggerate its profits.

14. resistant (adj) not damaged or affected by something
- an infection that’s resistant to antibiotics
heat-resistant
stain-resistant
fire-resistant
water-resistant
These plants are resistant to cold temperatures.
He became resistant to the medication.

15. disrupt (v) upset, disorganize, interrupt, disturb
Protesters disrupted the conference.
The barking dogs disrupted my sleep.

16. nasty (adj)
disgustingly filthy,
extremely harmful,
unkind, unpleasant
Drivers often have a nasty habit of driving too close to cyclists.
Police were alerted when neighbors complained of a nasty smell coming from the basement.

17. the former/ the latter
The former: the first of two people or things that you have just mentioned 
The latter: the second of two people or things just mentioned 
the last thing or person mentioned 
Of chicken, fish, and meat, I like the latter best.
Where unemployment and crime are high, it can be assumed that the latter is due to the former.

18. ultimately (adv) in the end, fundamentally, finally, eventally
He ultimately  agreed to the deal.
I have confidence that the plan will ultimately succeed. 

19. contain (v) include, hold, involve
The museum contains a number of original artworks.
The film was banned because it contained a number of extremely violent scenes.

20. label (n/v) marker, description, brand, logo, tag
to mark, describe, brand
Currently, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandates that all genetically engineered (GE) foods should be labelled as such if it contains unexpected allergens, toxicant beyond acceptable limits and a unique nutritional value.

21. processed (adj) treated, refined processed cheese meat fish
the artificial colourings and flavourings in processed foods
When food is processed, many of the nutrients are stripped away and not put back.

22. .

23. After Reading Questions: Paragraph A
By looking at the introduction, do you think the writer is going to be for or against genetically modified foods? What can you say about the tone (attitude) of the writer? Positive, negative or neutral?

24. Paragraph A
Can you explain why genetic engineering is defined as ‘tampering with Mother Nature’?

25. Paragraph B
What are the food items that contain GM material stated in this paragraph?

26. Paragraph B
Scan the paragraph to find out what the following percentages refer to.
75%
65%
Does GM food have to be labelled as such in Canada?
in Turkey?

27. Paragraph C Is GM food something new?
How long have farmers been using GM food?
What makes genetic engineering different today?

28. Paragraph C
What does ‘the latter’ in line 35 refer to?

29. Paragraph D Why are some people concerned about GM food?
How do the proponents of GM food support their views?
How do the opponents of GM food refute the opposite side’s views?

30. Paragraph E
What are the two different points of view stated in this paragraph?
Can you list their points of arguments and complete the following table?

31. Paragraph E Critics GM is good because … ….. GM is bad because … …..
Fans of Agricultural Biotechnology
Critics
GM is good because …
…..
GM is bad because …
…..

32. Paragraph E Critics GM is bad because it could…
Fans of Agricultural Biotechnology
Critics
GM is good for …
health
the environment
the economy
the world’s hunger problems since it …
boosts the nutritional content of foods
leads to a drop in pesticide/herbicide use
promotes efficient farming
GM is bad because it could…
create superweeds/insects
disrupt global food systems
destroy ecological diversity
put small farms out of business
cause long-term environmental problems

33. Paragraph F
What is the topic of this paragraph?

34. Paragraph F

35. Paragraph G
What is the topic of this paragraph?

36. Paragraph G
What positive examples are given to prove that genetic modifications have been beneficial? ….

37. Paragraph H
What kind of an environmental advantage did farmers gain in 1997 in the U.S.?

38. Paragraph H What do the following figures refer to? 9% ……………………………
2.8 million ………………..
$190 million ……………..