2B.

1 – LISTENING & SPEAKING

LECTURE SUMMARY 3
Class: 18E16
Group 4
Members:
1. Bùi Thị Hồng Hoa
2. Vũ Thị Thư
3. Hoàng Thị Thúy
4. Nguyễn Thị Tươi

Advantages and disadvantages of GM food

In her speech, the lecturer discusses the benefits and drawbacks of genetically modified food.
She begins by giving the definition of GM food. Then, she provides the listeners with three
strengths of it. Firstly, farmers can reduce the necessity of exposing GM plants to pesticides as
these plants are lethal to pests without harming people; hence, this may not only cause a
decline in food prices but also protect the environment. Secondly, transgenic plants can
develop better because of having the ability to grow under unfavorable climatic conditions,
which has enabled cultivators to increase productivity. Thirdly, genetic engineered food has an
increased shelf life, so it seems that there will be a drop in food waste due to less food getting
spoiled quickly. After that, the lecturer focuses on three weaknesses of bioengineered food.
She first indicates that the growth of GM plants is so fast and powerful that it is possibly
responsible for the death of other wild plants living in surrounding areas, which can negatively
affect the environment. Another potential hazard is that genetically engineered crops could kill
other harmless organisms inhabiting nearby. Last but not least, there is a growing concern that
the consumption of GM plants, namely the one carrying animal genes appears to have adverse
effects on human. In conclusion, although genetically altered food is beneficial, it still poses
some problems that make people reluctant to consume.