Reading n.7 – Worldwide crisis: The geopolitics of Food Scarcity.

Vocabulary
Skyrocketing= increasing sharply
Soaring = rising dramatically
Rise  prices rise, taxes rise
Raise  the government raises them
Losing their grip entirely = to lose complete control over something
Upheaval = confusion, disorder
Fall short = be insufficient, not enough, less than required
Teetering due to price spikes = becoming unstable because of a sudden increases in prices
(barcollante a causa picchi di prezzi/impennate dei prezzi)
Driver = influencer
The new norm = the new reality / standard
Issue = problem / situation
Moderated growth in demand = reduced increased in the request for something
Favorable = suitable / advantageous
On record = ever registered / ever reported / documented
Price spikes = sudden price escalation / rise in prices / increase in prices (picchi di prezzi/impennate
dei prezzi)
Drought = water shortage / dryness (siccità)
Heat wave = extremely high temperatures (ondata di caldo)
(disruptive = upsetting / problematic)
Driven by = influenced by / cause by / lead by
Wells = water supply (pozzi)
Soften = reduce / lessen the impact of / ease
Shortages = situations where there is a lack of something
Price surges = price spikes
Steer = direct
Grains surpluses = excesses of grain
Idle cropland = uncultivated land
Shipped = exported
Wheat crop = its production of wheat
Safety cushion = safety net
If something happens, so does another
Comprehension
 1. .

2. Soaring prices does not affect rich countries, while they represent a calamity for the poorest
countries who spend most of their income in grocery shopping and where this could not
guarantee them the possibility to have proper meals.
3. In the past, prices increased because of natural calamities, such as a monsoon, dryness and
unusual hot weather; today instead, price escalation is caused by trends, such as a growth of
the population and unusually high temperatures.
4. It means that rich countries are no more able to export its excesses and rescue countries in
need.
5. The article predicts a negative outlook because in the past most of the problems were caused
by nature and we couldn’t control them, but now humans are responsible, and we should
work to change the actual situation.

Reading
Abhorrence = hatred / dislike / repulsion
Plaudits = applause, acclaim, praise (singular)
Admonished = reprimanded
Hackneyed (phrases) = overused, common
Register
No contractions
Keep it distant
personal anecdotes
Formals fixed expressions
formal
lexis

1) Cater for yourself (look after yourself)

2) Be informed of / be given notice of / notified of
3) Should you/if you
4) No obligation  you are under no obligation
5) No matter what / regardless of
 1) Tension
2) Popular
3) 20%
4) Social communication
5) Has a purpose
6) Muscles
7) Heart rate
8) Colds and flu
9) Pain
10) Flexibility
Relax = lighten up

 Lead to – a build up of tension

 Burst out laughing = scoppiare a ridere (burst into tears)
 Turn out to be = risultano essere (end up being)
 Workout (to work out / workout)
 Fend off = avoid / defend from
 Cope with – whatever life throws at them