【一起听英语】你吃过紫色的西红柿吗？

你吃过紫色的西红柿吗，这是科学家研究出来的一个新品种，是不是很神奇呢？

Rob: Hello I’m Rob. Welcome to 6 Minute English. With me today is Finn. Hello

Finn.

Finn: Hello Rob.

Rob: Now Finn, I'd like to start by asking you a question. Would you eat a purple

coloured tomato?

Finn: Purple? Well, that depends. Is it a naturally coloured tomato? Where does it

come from? Is this an artificial tomato? Rob, tell me more.

Rob: Artificial – yes, you mean is it man-made and trying to copy something that

is natural? Well, in a way - yes. Because scientists have developed a

genetically 2 modified purple tomato; they took red tomato plants and

changed their genetic 1 patterns so that they now produce new, purple

tomatoes.

Finn: Yes, so this would be an example of GM – genetically modified – food. It's

something we'll be discussing more soon and, of course, looking at some

related vocabulary.

Rob: But here's another question for you Finn that hasn't been modified – or

changed – in any way! GM food has been researched and experimented with

for many years but do you know when the first genetically modified food was

first sold commercially? Was it in:

a) 1974

b) 1984

c) 1994

Finn: Well, we think of GM food as a recent thing so I'll say the opposite, a) 1974.

Rob: OK, we’ll find out if you're right later on. Let's talk more now about

genetically modified food – or GM food. It's called this because the food's

genes 3 have been changed. This means the way it grows is different from the

way it grows when it isn’t touched by humans.

Finn: Yes, so, growing GM food – or crops – is controversial. Some scientists think

it's needed to meet the world's growing demand for food.

Rob: Yes, GM food can resist – or stop the effects of – some pests or bad

weather. It can grow more quickly, meaning even more crops can be

cultivated – or grown.

Finn: But opponents of GM food – people who argue against it – say we don't know

enough about its effect on the environment.

Rob: And then there are the fears about who controls what's grown.

Finn: Yes, but despite this, GM food has become an important part of food

production. Crops like sweetcorn, rape 4 plants, wheat and tomatoes have all

been genetically modified.

Rob: Yes, like the purple tomato, which was recently developed in the UK. It has a

dark pigment 5 – or colour – which gives it the same potential health benefits

as blueberries.

Finn: Well, that sounds like a good thing. And not only that, it has an antioxidant

– that's a substance that stops the decaying process – which tests show

could help fight cancer.

Rob: One day we could see these purple tomatoes on pizzas or in our tomato

ketchup 6. Let's hear from Professor Cathie Martin who is a plant biologist from

The John Innes Centre who developed this tomato. What does she say is

good about this new food?

Professor Cathie Martin, Plant Biologist, John Innes Centre:

With these purple tomatoes, you can get the same compounds that are present in

blueberries and cranberries 7 that give them their health benefits but you can apply them

to foods that people actually eat in significant amounts and that are reasonably

affordable 8.

Rob: So she says the good thing about this development is we can get health

benefits from something we eat significant amounts of – so lots of – and

they will be reasonably affordable – so it will be cheap.

Finn: Yes but there's still maybe a problem with the colour. We are affected 9 by the

colour of stuff we put in our mouths. I mean, who eats blue food?!

Rob: That's true. And also because the European Union has restrictions 10 on growing

GM food, this tomato has to be grown in Canada where rules are more

supportive of GM foods.

Finn: OK. Well, Professor Nick Pidgeon, who is an Environmental Psychologist, says

in the UK there is some distrust of GM food.

Rob: He says some people are concerned all this is messing with nature – it's not

natural – and maybe we don't know what the long-term consequences are.

Finn: And a big concern is that large corporations will have control over the

technology. And this could mean they control food prices too. You know Rob,

I think this is a debate that will go on and on and on.

Rob: Indeed. But it's now time to reveal the answer to today's question. Earlier I

asked you if you knew when the first genetically modified food was first sold

commercially.

Finn: I said a) 1974.

Rob: Interesting. The answer is actually 1994. A company called Calgene sold a

product that delayed the ripening 11 of tomatoes.

Finn: OK, well, I guess that means the fruit could last longer and it would stop it

going soft?

Rob: That was the idea. Now, before we go, Finn, could you remind us of some of

the vocabulary that we've heard today?

Finn: Yes, I will.

artificial

genetically modified

genes

resist

pests

cultivated

pigment

antioxidant

significant

affordable

distrust

ripening

Rob: Well, that brings us to the end of today's 6 Minute English. We hope you’ve

enjoyed today’s programme. Please join us again soon.

Both: Bye.