LearnEnglishProfessionals

BIOTECHNOLOGYAUDIOSCRIPT
Listentotwostudentstalkingaboutgeneticallymodifiedfood.FrankisforGMfoodbuthisfriendAnn
isagainstit.
Optionalexercise ListentotheconversationanddecidewhetherthesestatementsareTrueorFalse.
(Answersbelow)
1FrankthinksAnnhasbeeninfluencedbythenewspapers.
2FrankthinksnonGMfoodsaresaferthanGMfoods.
3Scientistshaveworkedoutawayofintroducingavaccineintobananas.
4Annthinksfoodcompanieswillmakemoneyoutoffeedingpoorcountries.
5FrankthinksAnnisbeingnegative.
6Annisworriedaboutguineapigsbecomingextinct.

Frank:Sowhyareyousoagainstgeneticallymodifiedfoodthen?Ithinkyouvebeentakeninbyallthebad
press.
Ann:No,thatsnottrue.IvereaduponthesubjectandIthinktherearejusttoomanyrisks.
Frank:TheGMfoodsthatyougetareprobablysaferthannonGMfoods.
Ann.Dontbedaft.Whereveyougotthatfrom?
Frank:Well,therearetightercontrolsforGMfood.TherearecontrolsineachcountryandthenataEuropean
levelaswell.Iftheypassthroughallofthosecontrolsbeforetheyreachtheshopstheymustbeok.
Ann:Ijustdontliketheideaofhavingmyfoodaltered.Whatswrongwiththefoodwevealwayshad?
Frank:Wehavetomovewiththetimes.ThepossibilitiesforGMfoodareendless.
Ann:Whatreddertomatoesorbiggerstrawberries?
Frank:Yes,foronethingbutwhataboutvegetableswithahighervitamincontentorbananaswithvaccines
builtintothem.
Ann:What?(laughing)
Frank:Itstrue.TheyvedevelopedawaytoproducebananaswiththeHepatitisBvaccine.
Ann:Mm,notsurewhatIthinkofthat.Wehaventdoneenoughresearchandplayingaroundwithcropsis
playinghavocwiththewildlife.Therearewholespeciesofbirdsthatareindangerofbecomingextinct.Larksfor
example,theyarerapidlydecreasinginnumbersanditsbecauseofthechemicalstheyareusingonGMfoods.
Frank:Theyhaventprovedthat.
Ann:Notyet,no.Butitsonlyamatteroftime.
Frank:Mm.
Ann:Andanotherthinkthatworriesmeisthepowerthatafewfoodcompanieswillhaveifwestarttorelyon
GMfood.Theylldominatethepoorcountriesevenmorethantheydotoday.
Frank:Theyllfeedthem.
Ann:Ataprice,yes.Maybe.Imworriedaboutthefoodchaintoo.
Frank:Whatdoyoumean?
Ann:Well,playingaroundwithnaturecausesnoendofdamagetosomeplantsandanimals.Whenaspecies
diesoutormutates,ithasaknockoneffectonthewholeecosystem.
Frank:Ithinkyourebeingcynical.YourenotgivingGMfoodachance.
Ann:Notcynical,justcautious.

www.britishcouncil.org/professionals.htm
TheBritishCouncil,2008
TheUnitedKingdomsinternationalorganisationforeducationalopportunitiesandculturalrelations. WeareregisteredinEnglandasa charity.

LearnEnglishProfessionals
BIOTECHNOLOGYAUDIOSCRIPT

Frank:Ok,considerthis.Globalwarmingisthreateningtodestroythehabitatofpolarbears.
Ann:Whatsthisgottodowithgeneticallymodifiedfood?
Frank:Everything.WecoulduseGMfoodtochangethepolarbearshabitatnow.Thatwaywecanprevent
themfrombecomingextinct.
Ann:Ok,Iquitelikethatidea.
Frank:Good.Yourestatingtocomeroundtomywayofthinking.
Ann:No.Imjusttryingtounderstand.Idontlikebeingaguineapigandweareallbeingguineapigsforthe
experimentstheyredoingonGMfoods.IguessIdontlikethewaythingseemtojustbehappeningwithout
muchofadebate.
Frank:Whatdoyoumean?Weretalkingaboutitallthetime.
Ann:Talkingmaybe,butnobodyslistening.

_______________________________________________________________________________________
Answers: 1True,2False,3True,4True,5True,6False

www.britishcouncil.org/professionals.htm
TheBritishCouncil,2008
TheUnitedKingdomsinternationalorganisationforeducationalopportunitiesandculturalrelations. WeareregisteredinEnglandasa charity.