Genetically modiied organisms: Breadbasket or Pandora’s box? 514 · 8
EXERCISEReading for interpretation and inference, part 1 Indicate which of the
following statements in the reading text support (✓) or do not support (X) genetically
engineered products.- “Genetic engineering, or recombinant DNA technology, was able to achieve with
precision and eiciency what traditional breeding could never have accomplished:
the creation of a transgenic organism that contained genes from another organism.” - “The early 1980s saw a proliferation of biotechnology companies in the ields of
agriculture and pharmaceuticals, where the potential successes of recombinant DNA
promised to be as lucrative as they were innovative.” - “France and ive other European countries proceeded in 2011 to ban genetically
modiied organisms on their soil.” - “The birth of Dolly, the irst cloned sheep, in 1997 showed that remarkable progress
can be made.” - “GE foods themselves have not been around long enough for their health efects to
be thoroughly studied, let alone scientiically determined.” - “Healthy crops can grow only in healthy environments.”
4 · 9
EXERCISEReading for interpretation and inference, part 2 Choose the correct
interpretation for each of the following statements from the reading text. Pay special
attention to the boldface words and phrases.- “And if so, are genetically engineered superfoods all that they’re cracked up to be?”
a. Are genetically engineered superfoods defective?
b. Are genetically engineered superfoods as good as people say they are? - “In the mid-nineteenth century, Gregor Mendel’s experiments with garden peas transformed
traditional breeding practice into the science of genetics and sowed the seeds of an
agricultural revolution.”
a. In his experiments, Gregor Mendel planted a new kind of seed.
b. Gregor Mendel’s experiments were the beginning of great changes in agriculture. - “... the U.S. government gave genetic engineering technology the green light by providing
grants for research into genetic manipulation of food crops.”
a. GE technology was able to go ahead with research.
b. GE technology had to protect the environment. - “... but the associated health and environmental risks coupled with social, philosophical,
and ethical issues will continue to fuel the debate.”
a. People will disagree about the value of genetic engineering.
b. People will eventually agree about the value of genetic engineering.