Future food

I can understand a text about insects as food.

Revision: Student Book pages 78-79

1 Complete the text with the words below.

(Hoàn thành văn bản với các từ dưới đây.)

I'm trying to improve my ¹ _____, but it isn't easy if you love all types of food like I do. However, I've decided that instead of not eating my favourite meals, I just eat smaller ² _____ of them. That means that I'll eat a ³ _____ of pizza and not a whole one, and I'll just have one ⁴ _____ of takeaway Chinese food instead of two. At least that means there won't be any ⁵ _____ filling up the fridge! And when I eat out at a restaurant, I'll choose the meals on the ⁶ _____ that include salads and healthy food. The problem is that I like food with strong ⁷ _____ and tastes, so I'm going to find ⁸ _____ full of lettuce a bit tasteless!

2 Read the text and answer the questions.

(Đọc đoạn văn và trả lời các câu hỏi.)

1 What reasons are used to support an insect-based diet?

2 How are supporters of insects as food trying to persuade Americans to eat them?

THE INSECTS ARE COMING!

With an abundance of cheap food and a weakness for junk food, the dietary habits of many Americans (and people in other Western countries) have led to an obesity epidemic. As a result, a growing number of food experts are saying it's time to replace traditional dishes with more nutritious and also more economical and ecological dishes: dishes that contain insects.

If you put a plate of bugs (as insects are often called in the USA) in front of an American, they, like most Westerners, would probably refuse to eat them.

Insects are seen as pests that destroy food crops rather than delicacies to be eaten. ¹ _____ The challenge for the promoters of insect-based meals is to make Americans see them in the same way.

During the 20th century, if you had visited a research department at an American food and agricultural university, you would have heard about how they were trying to reduce insect numbers due to the negative impact they have on crops and seeds. ² _____ Furthermore, insect fairs such as the BugFest at the North Carolina Museum or The Great Insect Fair at Penn State University explain that grasshoppers, moths and their cousins are an excellent source of nutrients like protein, minerals and vitamins. The fairs also offer the more adventurous visitors 'bug banquets', which serve mouth-watering insect dishes.

Apart from the scientific community, a growing number of market stalls and restaurants are providing insect meals too. ³ _____ What is more, fans of insect-based cooking like Daniella Martin are spreading the word that bugs are good for you. Martin's blog Girl Meets Bug, her internet cooking videos and her newspaper columns are all contributing to changing Americans' perceptions of insects. ⁴ _____ While entomophagists (people who eat insects) agree they face an uphill struggle, with 70 million obese citizens and millions more who want to be environmentally friendly, it seems that this could be the right time for insects to invade America's kitchens.

Reading Strategy

When you do a gapped sentence task, look for clues before and after each gap. For example, if a sentence starts with And or Furthermore, it probably introduces additional information.

Other words can be used for

• contrast: But, However

• consequences or conclusions: So, Therefore

(Chiến lược đọc

Khi bạn làm một câu có chỗ trống, hãy tìm manh mối trước và sau mỗi chỗ trống. Ví dụ: nếu một câu bắt đầu bằng Và hoặc Hơn nữa, nó có thể giới thiệu thông tin bổ sung.

Những từ khác có thể được dùng để

• tương phản: Nhưng, Tuy nhiên

• hậu quả hoặc kết luận: Vì vậy, Do đó)

3 Read the Reading Strategy. Then read the text again. Match sentences (A-E) with gaps (1-4). There is one extra sentence.

(Đọc Chiến lược đọc. Sau đó đọc lại văn bản. Nối câu (A-E) với khoảng trống (1-4). Có một câu bị thừa.)

A Today, 50% of the same universities promote insects as food.

B The popularity of Mexican food in the USA is also helping, as companies such as Don Bugito offer traditional Mexican insect dishes.

C Moreover, the amount of land needed to produce enough insects to feed the whole country is much smaller than the land needed to produce meat.

D But will it be enough?

E However, in parts of Asia, Africa and Central America, where there are plenty of big, juicy insects all year round, they are considered a delicious staple.