Three young people — Neelam, Joseph and Maria — describe how the food crisis affects their communities. Solutions discussed include hydroponics, genetically modified crops, and reducing waste of precious resources.
Whose problem was what?
Neelam's problem and Joseph's problem was that grassland becomes desert. Maria's story is about Guatemala.
Hydroponics
Hydroponics means growing plants in liquids (no soil and no land needed). It can even be used on Mars. Although it is one of the solutions, it has several weaknesses — it is NOT free of problems.
- ✓ Grows plants in liquids
- ✓ Doesn't need soil and land
- ✓ Can be used on Mars
- ✗ Has several weaknesses
Genetically Modified (GM) crops
GM crops can grow faster, use less water, and resist diseases. BUT — they also have negative sides. The exam often tests whether you remember: 'It has zero negative sides' is FALSE.
Save Guatemala
To save jobs, people in Guatemala are buying less meat and eating more vegetables.
Saving the Oklahoma Dust Bowl
The Oklahoma Dust Bowl disaster shows that creating new farmland can be very dangerous.
Reduce energy use
Examples: turn off the lights, put on another sweater at home in winter — both reduce energy use. 'Develop better electric vehicles' is not in this category.
Reuse / recycle / reduce
Reusing material to make different things = 'adding new pieces to mend old furniture / reducing'. Storing rain water to water garden flowers = 'reusing'. Replacing buttons that are missing from clothes = 'recycling'.
Wasting precious resources
'Precious resources' in this passage refers to fresh and salt water.