EP 10 Quiz1 (U1-2)

Reading

Organic or Enhanced?

 Section I

One of today’s latest crazes, popularized by the Internet and mainstream media, is eating organic products. These products, such as vegetables and livestock, are grown or raised without the use of fertilizers, pesticides or hormones. Advocates of these products believe in a “greener”, back-to-nature approach and try to discourage people from buying from supermarkets, as the bulk of produce on sale there has been enhanced with additives for mass production.

Section II

What does the term “enhanced food” really mean? Well, scientists around the globe are constantly hard at work trying to improve the value, quality, and appearance of food on a scale beyond our imagination. In order to do this, they resort to measures such as cloning, adding artificial coloring, adding preservatives, and altering the nutritional value. The reasons behind this are to make the product look as attractive as possible and prevent it from decaying easily, thus prolonging its shelf life.

Section III

Science claims that food manufactured in this way is perfectly safe for human consumption and has undergone a barrage of rigid health and quality checks by both independent and governing bodies before it is released onto the market. Using these methods, food can be mass-produced at a lower cost, making it more accessible for people in poorer countries. In addition to this, food with a longer shelf life reduces waste.

 Section IV

While altering the DNA of our vegetable produce is not as frowned upon as it once was, many people raise objections when the same process is used on animals. Animal activists are strongly opposed to interfering with animal DNA in order to make it more desirable for human consumption. Altering life in search of ways to nourish the population can often have disastrous results, results that are often unpredictable and uncontrollable.

 Section V

This may be the reason why organic farms are on the rise, and although their produce is pricier, more and more people buy from them when their budget allows it. In a recent survey where consumers were asked which product they would buy if money was not an issue, an amazing 67% said they would prefer to buy organic produce. Nowadays, a plethora of information can be found on the subject through the Internet, and there seems to be a growing consensus that there is just something inherently right about producing food as nature intended.

 Section VI

Both ways of producing food are backed by strong arguments as to which is better. Organic methods produce food the natural way, and science applies cutting-edge technology to address issues such as world starvation. Pushing the boundaries of what we already know is a learning process that involves trial and error, but it also leads to the advancement of our knowledge and the understanding of our natural world.

The reading passage has six sections I–VI. Choose the most suitable heading for each section II–VI from the list below. Write the appropriate letter (a–i) for each section.

Example           Section I           Heading:  e

a. Seeking Knowledge
b. Unhealthy Eating
c. Feeding the Masses
d. Food Technology
e. Back to Nature
f.  Buying on a Budget
g. Food Production Ethics
h. The Old-Fashioned Way
i. Organic is Best

Vocabulary

Complete the sentence. Choose the best answer.

Grammar: Passive voice

Change the sentences below into passive voice. Delete agents if necessary

Grammar: Comparative forms of adjectives and adverbs

Correct the mistake and rewrite the sentence.

Grammar: Reported speech

Report the following statements.

Combine the sentences below using proper conjunctions. Be careful with commas. 

1. She runs every day. She is very fit.
2. You will always feel tired. You run without taking any rest along the way.
3. I have not seen my grandmother. I came to Germany.
4. She was eating dinner. I was doing my homework.
5. I didn’t know what time it was. I was very late for class.

Listening

Complete the notes below. Write no more than two words and/or a number for each answer.