GENETICALLY

MODIFIED FOODS
Higher English for Communication, 2nd Year
Reading Component
Prof. Aitor Ibarrola-Armendariz
QUESTION 1

The above-mentioned debate has been contaminated by political

and aesthetic preconceptions and considerations. For instance:
the animosity against American companies/businesses, the fact
that some people are afraid of what the advances of science
could bring about. Also, there is the romantic notion that local
production is always better. All these factors have biased a great
deal the debate about GM Food, mostly turning people against it.
QUESTION 2

The writer compares Genetically Modified Food to nuclear power

because, although most people do not seem to like either of them
and are aware of their dangers, still, given the circumstances,
their use seems to be compulsory. Especially, in some particular
areas of the globe where food shortages are a real challenge.
QUESTION 3

In order to avoid world hunger in the future, there are, at least,

two things that will be needed/two steps that will need to be
taken: on the one hand, crop adaptation will have to be
accelerated/ sped up/ faster and, on the other, the amount of
food produced (or yields) will have to be increased. All these
necessary adjustments make the inclusion of GM Food a must.
QUESTION 4

Those who are against GM Food have provided no empirical/

scientific evidence to prove that their opinion on the risks involved
in this kind of food is correct. At the same time, if food supply is not
enough for the growing population, the children of the poor who live
in cities will inevitably run the risk of going through periods of
undernourishment and malnutrition (severe hunger), as prices are
also likely to increase. This might have devastating consequences/
effects on their future lives.
QUESTION 5

Some African countries are now suffering the consequences of

having followed/imitated the European prohibition of GM Foods:
as they have not done the necessary research on African crops,
now their production is not enough/ sufficient to attend the
demand. They have increased, not decreased the risks of hunger
mentioned before. In short, they have lost some precious/
valuable time that should have been spent on researching their
own crops in order to improve their production.
QUESTION 6

• While the writer admits that, like climate change, the problem of
food shortages in some areas of the world cannot be solved by
adopting one single measure; he also states that the refusal to
use GM Food is far from helping to solve the problem. As a
matter of fact, he is convinced that this refusal is making things
worse or more difficult.