___—————————— Z Key term Linguistic expression: The way the language used by writers conveys their thoughts and ideas to a reader. MORE COMPLEX SUMMARY QUESTIONS Genetically Modified Piods 3 Introduction ssa Summary writing is useful to make sure you have undertone Lea have just read, and to help explain what the Ps ssage 7 a Tete Summaries should be a piece of continuous writing ant length. 6.1 Complex summary The following example exercise is more complex than It is based on a passage that is more demanding in co! expression. : Ronee the technique required to write a summary of the passage a effect, very similar to that used to respond to the passages we looked at earl a ‘ead the passage and the question carefully and note down what you consider to be the main relevant points, Then read the analysis of the task that follows. Exercise 1 Read carefully the article ‘Genetically Modified Foods ~ summarise: '* What GM foods are and how they were developed. ‘* The reasons given as to why they could be advantageous. ‘* The concerns that some people in the UK have about GM foods. Remember to make a list of key points and to use your own words as far as possible. You should write between 200 and 250 words. questions those we have looked at so far, intent and linguistic for and against’ and then for and against», There has been much concern recently about GM foods, some ‘of which are being tested and some of which are already used as ingredients in the food we eat. GM stands for ‘genetically- modified, (1) and describes the process by which scientists are able to pinpoint the individual gene which produces a desired outcome, extract it, copy it and insert it into another organism. (2) To some extent, humans have been involved in. genetic modification for centuries. For example, larger cattle which gave more milk were bred to produce even larger offspring. Seeds from cereals and other crops that were hardier and ‘grew better were selected for planting the following year to produce better yields. With genetically modified organisms however, the modifications involved are often of akind thatcould not possibly occur naturally. (3) F . (3) For example, addi cow growth hormone to the embryo of a broiler chicken to pee a larger, ftir growing chicken, (2) oF adding genes from a virus to a plant to allow it to bec soy ‘ome resistant to the There are many reasons why GM foods cot () Far example, 3 ro could be made topo nora increased protein and vitamin levels, or with less fat. (5) An often-used argument in favour of GM crops is that diovuhi resistant crops could help to alleviate famine in develop countries, where low rainfall often leads to food shortages () Techniques have also been developed to make fresh produce last longer, so that it can ripen on the plant and be transported more easily with less wastage. (7) The first GM food products ~ a tomato purée and a vegetarian cheese — appeared in British supermarkets in 1996, The purée was made from tomatoes which were designed to stay firmer for longer, leading to (4) less waste in harvesting. The tomatoes also held less water, meaning that less water was required to grow them (8) and less energy was used removing water from them to turn them into purée. This in turn made the purée cheaper for the consumer. (5) The first GM soya was planted in the US in the same year, and up to 60% of all products on supermarket shelves could how contain some GM soya. (6) Monsanto, a major GM manufacturer, has developed a strain of GM soya which is resistant to Roundup, its own brand of herbicide. This allows weeds to be controlled even after the soya has started to grow, saving an estimated 33% on the amount of herbicide used. (9) Roundup Ready® soya amounted to 15% of the 1997 US soya crop. GM foods have been largely accepted by the Americans, with nearly 70% of them saying that they would buy GM foods even if they were simply engineered to stay fresh for longer. (7) Even more would purchase foods modified to resist Insect. pests, resulting in less use of pesticides. (10) Lee 46.2 Example response In the UK, people are being far more cautious, possibly with good reason. Lessons learned during the BSE crisis are still very much in people's minds. Con ve trust wat we are eating, (8) and what could be the long-term effects? (11) ‘The UK has potentially more to lose by the introduction of GM cops. In America, farming takes place on an industrial scale, with millions of hectares used exclusively for growing crops. (9) Intensive use of pesticides has virtually wiped out wild animals and plants in the huge crop fields of the US. The Americans can afford to do this, (12) as they also have many huge wilderness conservation areas often the size of several English counties, which are havens forall their native wildlife. (19) In the UK, however, farms are an integral part of the countryside. The use of herbicide- or insect-esistant crops could potentially have severe effects on biodiversity, by virtually wiping out wild flowers and consequently the insects that feed on them, and further up the food chain, the predators, that eat the insects. (13) Some crops are being developed to improve soil quality, (13) by removing heavy metals from the sol, for example, so that they ‘can be harvested and destroyed. An excellent idea, but what about the animals that eat the contaminated plants? Others are being developed for salt resistance, so that they can be grown in previously unusable areas. But what if their seeds were to be carried to a saltmarsh? Would they be a threat to ‘wild species that have lived there naturally for years? (13) So far, there is no evidence of GM foods being harmful to humans, but the rules governing their testing are less strict than with medicines, and after BSE, we know that ‘no scientific evidence of harm’ is not the same as 'safe to eat’. (11) Source: adapted from Young People's Tas forthe Environment nps:typteorgukatsheetslgenetically-msifie-foodsigeneticaly- modified foods 6.2 Example response purpose of this section is to help guide you through the process of writing a : mmary of this passage. Pee fhe thought processes of a student approaching the task and ‘ First, we will look at t! Next we will make num! required by the question. Finally, we will produce an example d these to the highlighted sections. : eee ered notes of the main points to be included. of a final summarised version of the points