Reading-Why Should We Avoid GMOS

Reading SFL – ENGLISH PREPARATORY PROGRAM
Why Should We Avoid GMOs?
A. ___________________________________
The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) asks doctors to prescribe non-GMO diets
for all patients. The reason is that animal studies show organ damage, gastrointestinal and immune
system disorders, accelerated aging, and infertility. In addition to these findings, human studies show
how genetically modified (GM) food can leave material behind inside us. It also possibly causes long-
term problems. Genes inserted into GM soy, for example, can transfer into the DNA of bacteria living
inside us. The toxic insecticide produced by GM corn was found in the blood of pregnant women and
their unborn fetuses. Another example is RBGH (Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone) which is a
genetically engineered copy of a naturally occurring hormone produced by cows. When rBGH is
injected into dairy cows, milk production increases by as much as 10-15%. As a result, the milk from
treated cows has more of the hormone IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1). This is linked to cancer.
B. GMOs contaminate―forever.
GMOs cross pollinate and their seeds can travel. It is impossible to fully clean up our contaminated
gene pool. This means that GMO pollution will outlast, in other words, last longer than the effects of
global warming and nuclear waste. The potential impact is huge. It is threatening the health of future
generations. GMO contamination has also caused economic losses for organic and non-GMO farmers
who often struggle to keep their crops pure. The reason is that GMOs, just like flowers, reproduce by
themselves.
C. ___________________________________
Most GM crops are engineered to be "herbicide tolerant". This means that they are resistant to
deadly chemicals. Between 1996 and 2008, US farmers sprayed an extra 383 million pounds of a
herbicide called Roundup on GMOs. Overuse of Roundup results in "superweeds". This is causing
farmers to use even more toxic herbicides every year. Not only does this create environmental harm,
GM foods contain higher residues of toxic herbicides. Roundup, for example, is linked with sterility,
hormone disruption, birth defects, and cancer.
D. Genetic engineering creates dangerous side effects.

By mixing genes from totally unrelated species, genetic engineering brings about a number of
unpredictable side effects. Moreover, no matter which type of genes are inserted, the process of
creating a GM plant can result in massive damage. This in turn produces new toxins, allergens and
nutritional deficiencies.
E. The US government is too tolerant.

Most of the health and environmental risks of GMOs are ignored by governments' so-called
regulations and safety assessments. The reason for this tragedy is largely political. The US Food and
Drug Administration (FDA), for example, doesn't require a single safety study or labeling of GMOs. It
allows companies to put their GM foods onto the market without even notifying the FDA. They claim
that they had no information that shows that GM foods were greatly different. But this was a lie.
FDA's own scientists agree that GMOs can create unpredictable, hard-to-detect side effects. They
asked for long-term safety studies. However, the White House had instructed the FDA to promote
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biotechnology.
F. ___________________________________
In the past, biotech companies like Monsanto told us that chemicals like Agent Orange, PCBs, and
DDT were safe. They are now using the same type of superficial, dishonest research to try and
convince us that GMOs are safe. Independent scientists, however, have caught the spin-masters red-
handed. They demonstrate how industry-funded research is designed to avoid finding problems.
They also show how adverse results are changed or denied.
G. Independent research and reporting is attacked and suppressed.

Scientists who discover problems with GMOs have been attacked, silenced, fired, threatened, and
denied funding. The journal Nature announced that a majority of scientists belittle research by other
reliable scientists in a one-sided, emotional way. They also state that this “is not helpful in advancing
knowledge." Furthermore, attempts by media to expose problems are also often censored.
H. ___________________________________
GM crops and their related herbicides can harm birds, insects, marine ecosystems, and soil
organisms. They reduce bio-diversity, pollute water resources, and are unsustainable. For example,
GM crops are eliminating habitat for monarch butterflies, whose populations are down 50% in the
US. Research has shown that Roundup herbicide has caused deaths of embrios and endocrine
problems, and organ damage in animals even at very low doses. In addition, it has been seen that
GM canola has been growing wild in North Dakota and California. And the wild canola threatens to
pass on its herbicide tolerant genes on to weeds.
I. ___________________________________
Sustainable non-GMO agricultural methods used in developing countries have resulted in crop
increases of 79% and higher. On the other hand, GMOs do not, on average, increase crops at all. This
was evident in the Union of Concerned Scientists' 2009 report Failure to Yield, the definitive study to
date on GM crops and yield. The International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and
Technology for Development (IAASTD) report stated that GM crop yields in some cases declined.
They stated that the current GMOs do not support the goals of reducing hunger and poverty. They do
not aim to improve nutrition, health and rural livelihoods. Finally, they do not facilitate social and
environmental sustainability. On the contrary, GMOs use the money and resources that would
otherwise be spent on more safe, reliable, and appropriate technologies.
J. By avoiding GMOs, you contribute to, forcing them out of our food supply.
Because GMOs give no consumer benefits, if even a small percentage of us start rejecting brands that
contain them, food companies will kick them out. In Europe, for example, in 1999, just after a GMO
safety scandal hit the papers and alerted citizens to the potential dangers a tipping point was
achieved. In the US, a consumer rebellion against GM bovine growth hormone has also reached a
tipping point. This rebellion kicked the cow drug out of dairy products by Wal-Mart, Starbucks,
Dannon, Yoplait, and most of America's dairies.
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A. Match the headings with the reasons A, C, F, H and I.
1. GMOs do not increase crops or prevent hunger _______

2. The biotech industry uses ‘old tales’ to tell us GMO is safe _______
3. GMOs harm the environment. _______
4. GMOs are unhealthy. _______
5. GMOs increase herbicide use _______
B. Read the text and answer the following questions
1. Three GM products mentioned in paragraph one are _________________________,

__________________________ and __________________________.
2. Why will GMO pollution outlast the effects of global warming and nuclear waste?
___________________________________________________________________________.
3. Find a word in paragraph C which means “able to endure specified conditions or treatment”
________________________.
4. What does this refer to in paragraph 5 line 5? ___________________________.
5. According to the text which of the following is NOT true about GMO?
a. It can leave material behind inside us.
b. The harms are not acknowledged by the government.
c. It harms the habitat of Monarch butterflies.
d. It kicked the cow drug out of dairy products.

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Reading SFL – ENGLISH PREPARATORY PROGRAM

Why Should We Avoid GMOs?

D. Genetic engineering creates dangerous side effects.

E. The US government is too tolerant.

G. Independent research and reporting is attacked and suppressed.

1. GMOs do not increase crops or prevent hunger _______

B. Read the text and answer the following questions

1. Three GM products mentioned in paragraph one are _________________________,

4. What does this refer to in paragraph 5 line 5? ___________________________.

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