Integrated Task — GM Food
Practice
Get Started
A.Read the passage and complete the notes below.
A. Consider the advantages and risks of GM food and fill in the blanks with the expressions in the box.
Advantages Risks
naturally resist pests develop resistance to natural pesticides
negative effects on human health no pesticides needed
contain all essential nutrients allergic reactions
B.Choose the correct expressions for its appropriate explanation from the box in A.
1 : fight against harmful insects without chemicals
2 : have all necessary substances like vitamins, proteins...
3 : build up the ability to fight against natural chemicals
4 : having allergies after being affected by something
C.Fill in the blanks with the correct expressions practiced in B.
Genetically-modified (GM) food is considered to be important because it is pest resistant naturally and contains all 1 . However, it is concerned that GM food could 2 to natural pesticides and thus have 3 on human health.
Get Ready to Write
Choose the answer with a different meaning from the others.
1 GM food has the ability to pests.
A develop B resist C withstand
2 GM food has several over regular crops.
A advantages B risks C benefits
3 We need to understand whether GM food has any .
A risks B negative effects C advantages
4 Genetically modified food is dangerous to .
A human behavior B human health C a person's well-being
5 , insects might develop resistance to the natural pesticide.
A Over time B As time goes by C From time to time
6 a gene from Brazil nuts with soybeans has been banned in America.
A Combining B Isolating C Mixing
Let's Read
Genetically-modified (GM) food is a crop whose DNA has been changed. It is becoming more important as the population increases. It has two advantages over regular food. One advantage of GM food is its ability to resist pests. Consumers do not wish to eat crops that have been treated with pesticides. For example, Bt corn is naturally resistant to insects. Therefore, no pesticides are needed. Also, GM food is more nutritious. Many crops do not contain all the nutrients a person needs. They can be genetically-modified to contain all essential nutrients. For example, rice lacks many of the necessary nutrients. It can be modified to include important nutrients such as Vitamin B and proteins.
Bt corn: field corn that has received a gene transferred from a naturally occurring soil bacterium called Bacillas thuringiensis.
Notes
Topic: Genetically-modified ( ) food — two
Detail: 1 pests
Bt corn — naturally resistant to insects
2 more : to contain all essential
rice — modified to contain Vitamin B and proteins
Let's Listen
A. Fill in the blanks as you listen to the lecture.
Professor: I would like to talk about genetically-modified food or food today. Many are praising its merits. But we need to be careful here because GM food has several .First, some people like genetically-modified food because it is pest resistant. However, GM food is pest . May I remind you that insects have developed resistance to other pesticides in the past? There is a worry that the same might happen with GM crops. insects might develop to the natural pesticide within Bt corn. So the natural pesticide might the insects at all. Also, genetically-modified food is dangerous to . There are those who believe it is healthier. However, this is . Introducing a foreign gene into a plant is . The impact on human health could be unexpected and . For instance, a gene Brazil nuts soybeans was banned. The reason was due to serious concerns over
reactions.
B.Listen to the lecture again and complete the notes.
Notes
Topic: Several of GM food
Detail: 1 not pest
— insects to the natural pesticide
2 dangerous to
— introducing foreign genes into a plant →
a gene from Brazil nuts with soybeans
— reactions
……
