New TomTato plant grows potatoes and tomatoes

New TomTato plant grows potatoes and tomatoes (1st October, 2014)

The Reading / Listening - Level 4

A gardening company is selling a revolutionary new plant that grows up to 500 tomatoes plus a crop of potatoes. It is called the TomTato. A newspaper joked you can now get ketchup and fries from the same plant. The company began its research 15 years ago. Its horticultural director said the great thing is that it is not genetically modified. He said he knew it was possible to join the plants together because they are from the same species.

The director explained how the idea grew. He thought at first that it would just be a "novelty thing" but soon understood the plant could produce hundreds of tasty tomatoes. He then knew it could make money. The TomTato is called the "veg plot in a pot" and costs $25. It can grow inside or outside, in a flower pot or in a bag. Double-crop plants like the TomTato will be useful in the future as people grow more food in smaller spaces.

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 5 or Level 6

Sources

http://www.thompson-morgan.com/vegetables/vegetable-plants/all-vegetable-plants/tomtato/t47176TM
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2432094/TomTato-plant-produces-potatoes-tomatoes-sale-UK.html#ixzz2gK2vh3PG
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/howtogrow/fruitandvegetables/10332908/TomTato-mutant-plant-that-grows-tomatoes-and-potatoes-unleashed.html

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.	gardening	a.	from the same plant
2.	a crop	b.	together
3.	get ketchup and fries	c.	modified
4.	it is not genetically	d.	the same species
5.	join the plants	e.	company
6.	they are from	f.	of potatoes

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

See a sample

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.	how the idea	a.	thing
2.	it would just be a novelty	b.	plants like the TomTato
3.	produce hundreds	c.	in smaller spaces
4.	could make	d.	grew
5.	double-crop	e.	of tasty tomatoes
6.	people grow more food	f.	money

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

A gardening company is selling (1) ___________________ plant that grows up to 500 tomatoes (2) ___________________ potatoes. It is called the TomTato. A newspaper (3) ___________________ get ketchup and fries from the same plant. The company (4) ___________________ 15 years ago. Its horticultural director said (5) ___________________ that it is not genetically modified. He said he knew it was possible to join the plants together because (6) ___________________ same species.

The director explained (7) ___________________. He thought at first that it would just (8) ___________________ but soon understood the plant could produce (9) ___________________ tomatoes. He then knew it could make money. The TomTato is called the "(10) ___________________" and costs $25. It (11) ___________________ outside, in a flower pot or in a bag. Double-crop plants like the TomTato will (12) ___________________ future as people grow more food in smaller spaces.

TOMTATOES SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about TomTatoes in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

Write about TomTatoes for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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