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

The Reading / Listening - Level 6

A horticultural company in the U.K. is marketing a revolutionary new plant that grows both tomatoes and potatoes. It is called the TomTato and yields up to 500 sweet, cherry-sized tomatoes and a healthy crop of white potatoes. Britain's Daily Mail newspaper joked you can now get ketchup and fries from the same plant. The company, Thompson and Morgan, began research into the possibility of grafting together tomato and potato plants over 15 years ago. Paul Hansord, horticultural director at the company, said the great thing about the plant is that it is not genetically modified in any way. He said he knew it was possible to graft the two plants together because they belong to the same plant species.

Mr Hansord explained how the commercial concept developed. He said: "At the start, we thought it'd just be a novelty thing to do. But as the trials developed, we realised what we had produced was really high yield, had fantastic flavour and could be done commercially for the first time. The TomTato is being dubbed as "veg plot in a pot". Hansord said it can be grown inside or outside, in a large flower pot or in a bag. It is selling at around $25 on the company's website. Britain's Telegraph newspaper said: "'Double-crop' plants like the TomTato could be extremely useful in the future, as they help populations grow more food in smaller spaces."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Level 4 or Level 5

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 40 Lesson Activities on the PDF Handout

WARM-UPS

1. TOMTATOES: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about TomTatoes. Change partners often and share your findings.

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words from the article are most interesting and which are most boring.

horticultural / marketing / revolutionary / tomatoes / potatoes / genetically-modified / commercial / novelty / high yield / flavour / flower pot / double-crop plants / useful

Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.

3. DOUBLE-CROP: You are the marketing manager of a company that produce these double-crop plants? Complete this table with your manager partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

Grafting of…	Plant name	Benefits
Strawberry and melon
Rice and chili pepper
Coconut and pineapple
Cocoa and grape
Sugar cane and onion
Wheat and garlic

4. GRAFTING: Students A strongly believe it is no problem to graft different plants together to create new plants; Students B strongly believe it's a big problem. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

MY e-BOOK

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

See a sample

5. PRODUCE: Rank these and share your rankings with your partner. Put the most useful produce at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

• rice

• potatoes

• garlic

• coconuts

• onions

• tea

• wheat

• apples

6. PLANT: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "plant". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if a-h below are true (T) or false (F).

a.	A pharmaceutical company produced the new TomTato plant.	T / F
b.	The TomTato plant can produce up to 500 tomatoes.	T / F
c.	The TomTato company has been researching this concept for 50 years.	T / F
d.	The tomato and potato belong to different species of plant.	T / F
e.	The project started out as a serious piece of research.	T / F
f.	The company slowly realised they could make money from TomTatoes.	T / F
g.	One TomTato plant will cost around $25.	T / F
h.	A paper suggested TomTatoes could be one solution to food crises.	T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

1.	horticultural	a.	nicknamed
2.	marketing	b.	joining
3.	crop	c.	cultivate
4.	grafting	d.	gardening
5.	in any way	e.	notion
6.	concept	f.	harvest
7.	yield	g.	exceedingly
8.	dubbed	h.	advertising
9.	extremely	i.	return
10.	grow	j.	at all

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

1.	marketing a	a.	tomato and potato plants
2.	a healthy crop	b.	like the TomTato
3.	the possibility of grafting together	c.	same plant species
4.	genetically	d.	concept developed
5.	they belong to the	e.	of white potatoes
6.	how the commercial	f.	yield
7.	a novelty	g.	revolutionary new plant
8.	high	h.	"veg plot in a pot"
9.	being dubbed as	i.	modified
10.	Double-crop plants	j.	thing

GAP FILL

A horticultural company in the U.K. is (1) ____________ a revolutionary new plant that grows both tomatoes and potatoes. It is called the TomTato and (2) ____________ up to 500 sweet, cherry-sized tomatoes and a healthy (3) ____________ of white potatoes. Britain's Daily Mail newspaper (4) ____________ you can now get ketchup and fries from the same plant. The company, Thompson and Morgan, began research into the possibility of (5) ____________ together tomato and potato plants over 15 years ago. Paul Hansord, horticultural director at the company, said the great thing about the plant is that it is not (6) ____________ modified in any way. He said he knew it was possible to graft the two plants together because they (7) ____________ to the same plant (8) ____________.

grafting
crop
species
genetically
marketing
belong
yields
joked

Mr Hansord explained how the commercial (9) ____________ developed. He said: "At the start, we thought it'd just be a (10) ____________ thing to do. But as the trials developed, we realised what we had produced was really high (11) ____________, had fantastic flavour and could be done (12) ____________ for the first time. The TomTato is being (13) ____________ as "veg (14) ____________ in a pot". Hansord said it can be grown inside or outside, in a large flower (15) ____________ or in a bag. It is selling at around $25 on the company's website. Britain's Telegraph newspaper said: "'Double-crop' plants like the TomTato could be (16) ____________ useful in the future, as they help populations grow more food in smaller spaces."

commercially
extremely
yield
concept
plot
pot
novelty
dubbed

LISTENING - Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)	______ company in the U.K. is marketing a revolutionary new plant
	a. A horticultural b. A horticulture c. A forty-cultural d. A haughty cultural
2)	It is called the TomTato and ______ 500 sweet, cherry-sized tomatoes
	a. fields up to b. wields up to c. yields up to d. welds up to
3)	research into the possibility ______ together tomato and potato plants
	a. of grafts b. of grafting c. of grafted d. of graft
4)	the great thing about the plant is that it is not ______
	a. genetic-key modified b. genetic limb odd fried c. genetically modified d. genetically modifiable
5)	it was possible to graft the two plants together because they belong to the ______
	a. same plant specials b. same plant species c. same plant specimens d. same plant specifics
6)	Mr Hansord explained how the commercial ______
	a. concepts developed b. conceptual developed c. con sapped developed d. concept developed
7)	At the start, we thought it'd just be ______ to do
	a. a novel tea thing b. a novel tee thing c. a novelty thing d. a novelties thing
8)	But ______ developed, we realised what we had produced was really high yield
	a. as the trails b. as the trial c. as the trail d. as the trials
9)	The TomTato is ______ "veg plot in a pot"
	a. being dabbed as b. being dubbed as c. being dibbed as d. being drubbed as
10)	'Double-crop' plants like the TomTato could be ______ in the future
	a. extremely useless b. extremity useful c. extremely usefulness d. extremely useful

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

A horticultural company in the U.K. is (1) ___________________ new plant that grows both tomatoes and potatoes. It is called the TomTato and yields up to 500 sweet, cherry-sized tomatoes and (2) ___________________ white potatoes. Britain's Daily Mail newspaper joked you can now get ketchup and (3) ___________________ plant. The company, Thompson and Morgan, began research into the possibility (4) ___________________ tomato and potato plants over 15 years ago. Paul Hansord, horticultural director at the company, said the great thing about the plant is that it is not genetically (5) ___________________. He said he knew it was possible to graft the two plants together because (6) ___________________ plant species.

Mr Hansord explained (7) ___________________ concept developed. He said: "At the start, we thought it'd just (8) ___________________ to do. But as the trials developed, we realised what we had produced was really high yield, had fantastic flavour and could (9) ___________________ for the first time. The TomTato is being (10) ___________________ plot in a pot". Hansord said it can be grown inside or outside, in a large flower pot or in a bag. It is selling at around $25 on the company's website. Britain's Telegraph newspaper said: "'(11) ___________________ like the TomTato could (12) ___________________ in the future, as they help populations grow more food in smaller spaces."

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.	What kind of company created the TomTato?
2.	How many tomatoes can grow on one TomTato plant?
3.	What did a British newspaper joke about?
4.	How much research went into the TomTato?
5.	What process is not part of creating the TomTato?
6.	What did the company think when it started the TomTato project?
7.	What did the company decide was fantastic about the TomTato?
8.	What is the TomTato's slogan?
9.	Where can you buy TomTatoes?
10.	What term did the Telegraph use to describe the TomTato?

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ

1.	What kind of company created the TomTato?	6.	What did the company think when it started the TomTato project?
	a) an agrinomical one b) a horticultural one c) a haute couture one d) an agricultural one		a) it was a novelty b) it wanted to graft a tomato plant and cherry tree c) it would make a billion dollars d) it would have a fantastic taste
2.	How many tomatoes can grow on one TomTato plant?	7.	What did the company decide was fantastic about the TomTato?
	a) 50 b) 15 c) 5,000 d) 500		a) the potatoes last for 3 years b) the colour c) the flavour d) the TV commercials
3.	What did a British newspaper joke about?	8.	What is the TomTato's slogan?
	a) creating a French fires plant b) squeezing ketchup from the plant c) getting ketchup and fries from one plant d) tomato-tasting cherries		a) "Veg plot in a pot" b) "Grow your own ketchup and fries" c) "Ketchup and fries fresh from the garden" d) "Veg pot in a plot"
4.	How much research went into the TomTato?	9.	Where can you buy TomTatoes?
	a) 15 years b) 16 years c) 17 years d) 18 years		a) in a supermarket b) from a farm c) on Amazon.com d) from the company's website
5.	What process is not part of creating the TomTato?	10.	What term did the Telegraph use to describe the TomTato?
	a) photosynthesis b) genetic modification c) any kind of grafting process d) watering the plant		a) a "double-plant" crop b) a "crop-plant" double c) a "double-crop" plant d) a "plant-double" crop

ROLE PLAY

Role A – Strawberry/melon

You think a strawberry/melon plant is best. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their plants. Also, tell the others which is the least attractive of these (and why): rice/chili pepper, sugar cane/onion or wheat/garlic.

Role B – Rice/chili pepper

You think a rice/chili pepper plant is best. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their plants. Also, tell the others which is the least attractive of these (and why): strawberry/melon, sugar cane/onion or wheat/garlic.

Role C – Sugar cane/onion

You think a sugar cane/onion plant is best. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their plants. Also, tell the others which is the least attractive of these (and why): rice/chili pepper, strawberry/melon or wheat/garlic.

Role D – Wheat/garlic

You think a wheat/garlic plant is best. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their plants. Also, tell the others which is the least attractive of these (and why): rice/chili pepper, sugar cane/onion or strawberry/melon.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words 'tomato' and 'potato'.

tomato

potato

Share your findings with your partners.

Make questions using the words you found.
Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

Share your questions with other classmates / groups.
Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

both
500
joked
15
way
belong

start
trials
first
large
website
smaller

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.

TOMTATOES DISCUSSION

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

a)	What did you think when you read the headline?
b)	What springs to mind when you hear the word 'plant'?
c)	What do you think of the idea of a TomTato plant?
d)	Is the TomTato plant a good or bad idea?
e)	What other combinations of plants would you like to see?
f)	Do you think the TomTato is the first of many hybrid plants?
g)	What do you think of the name TomTato?
h)	What's wrong with genetically modifying plants?
i)	Should the company graft a spinach plant to the TomTato to make a SpinTomTato?
j)	How interesting would it be to be part of the TomTato research?

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

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

a)	Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
b)	Would you like a TomTato plant?
c)	Are there any dangers in creating things like a TomTato plant?
d)	Why do you think the company thought the TomTato was a novelty at the beginning?
e)	How successful do you think the TomTato will be?
f)	Would the TomTato sell well in your country? Why?
g)	What do you think of the "veg plot in a pot" slogan?
h)	What are the benefits of double-crop plants?
i)	Are double-crop plants the key to future food shortages?
j)	What questions would you like to ask the TomTato's creator?

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

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

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

LANGUAGE - CLOZE

A (1) ____ company in the U.K. is marketing a revolutionary new plant that grows both tomatoes and potatoes. It is called the TomTato and (2) ____ up to 500 sweet, cherry-sized tomatoes and a healthy (3) ____ of white potatoes. Britain's Daily Mail newspaper joked you can now get ketchup and fries from the same plant. The company, Thompson and Morgan, began research (4) ____ the possibility of grafting together tomato and potato plants over 15 years ago. Paul Hansord, horticultural director at the company, said the great thing about the plant is that it is not genetically modified in any (5) ____. He said he knew it was possible to graft the two plants together because they belong to the same plant (6) ____.

Mr Hansord explained how the commercial concept developed. He said: "At the start, we thought it'd just be a novelty thing to do. But as the (7) ____ developed, we realised what we had produced was really (8) ____ yield, had fantastic flavour and could be done commercially for the first time. The TomTato is being (9) ____ as "veg plot in a pot". Hansord said it can be (10) ____ inside or outside, in a large flower pot or in a bag. It is selling at around $25 on the company's website. Britain's Telegraph newspaper said: "'Double-crop' plants (11) ____ the TomTato could be extremely useful in the future, (12) ____ they help populations grow more food in smaller spaces."

Put the correct words from the table below in the above article.

1.	(a)	haute couture	(b)	hot cultural	(c)	horticultural	(d)	high-cultural
2.	(a)	yields	(b)	wields	(c)	fields	(d)	shields
3.	(a)	clap	(b)	crop	(c)	crap	(d)	clop
4.	(a)	from	(b)	of	(c)	by	(d)	into
5.	(a)	weigh	(b)	weight	(c)	way	(d)	weighs
6.	(a)	specials	(b)	species	(c)	specimens	(d)	specifics
7.	(a)	trials	(b)	trolls	(c)	trails	(d)	toils
8.	(a)	weighty	(b)	large	(c)	big	(d)	high
9.	(a)	daubed	(b)	drubbed	(c)	dubbed	(d)	dabbled
10.	(a)	grower	(b)	grew	(c)	growth	(d)	grown
11.	(a)	akin	(b)	like	(c)	similar	(d)	resemble
12.	(a)	as	(b)	is	(c)	was	(d)	has

SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	A aucoulrrthitl company in the U.K.
2.	a lrnootvyeiuar new plant
3.	leisdy up to 500 sweet, cherry-sized tomatoes
4.	tgfginra together tomato and potato plants
5.	it is not genetically fomddiie in any way
6.	they belong to the same plant sseiepc
Paragraph 2
7.	how the lermoamcci concept developed
8.	it'd just be a ntlveoy thing to do
9.	we silraeed (UK) / elierzad (USA) what we had produced
10.	fantastic rvfaolu (UK) / rlaovf (USA)
11.	The TomTato is being uebbdd as "veg plot in a pot"
12.	ymxeeltre useful

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	of grafting together tomato and potato plants over 15 years ago. Paul Hansord, horticultural director
( )	in any way. He said he knew it was possible to graft the two plants together because they belong to the same plant species.
( )	or in a bag. It is selling at around $25 on the company's website. Britain's Telegraph
( )	crop of white potatoes. Britain's Daily Mail newspaper joked you can now get ketchup and fries
( )	newspaper said: "'Double-crop' plants like the TomTato could be extremely
( )	useful in the future, as they help populations grow more food in smaller spaces."
( )	Mr Hansord explained how the commercial concept developed. He said: "At the start, we thought it'd just
( )	as "veg plot in a pot". Hansord said it can be grown inside or outside, in a large flower pot
( )	be a novelty thing to do. But as the trials developed, we realised what we had produced was really high
( )	at the company, said the great thing about the plant is that it is not genetically modified
( )	yield, had fantastic flavour and could be done commercially for the first time. The TomTato is being dubbed
( )	from the same plant. The company, Thompson and Morgan, began research into the possibility
( 1 )	A horticultural company in the U.K. is marketing a revolutionary new plant that grows both
( )	tomatoes and potatoes. It is called the TomTato and yields up to 500 sweet, cherry-sized tomatoes and a healthy

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

1.	Marketing that a grows revolutionary both new plant.
2.	500 cherry . sweet - tomatoes , sized to up Yields
3.	from fries and ketchup get now can You plant same the.
4.	in is any not way genetically modified It.
5.	was it knew He together plants two the graft to possible.
6.	just we the thing be thought start a it'd , At novelty.
7.	we high had yield produced was What really.
8.	dubbed TomTato pot plot" as is . in being The a "veg
9.	like extremely the useful TomTato could Plants be.
10.	grow spaces more food Help in populations smaller.

CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)

A horticultural / haute couture company in the U.K. is marketing a revolutionary / revolutionise new plant that grows all / both tomatoes and potatoes. It is called the TomTato and yields up / along to 500 sweet, cherry-sized tomatoes and a healthy crop of white potatoes. Britain's Daily Mail newspaper joking / joked you can now get ketchup and fries from the same plant. The company, Thompson and Morgan, began research onto / into the possibility of grafting combined / together tomato and potato plants over 15 years ago. Paul Hansord, horticultural director at the company, said the great thing about the plant / planet is that it is not genetically modified in any way. He said he knew it was possibility / possible to graft the two plants together because they belong to the same plant specifics / species.

Mr Hansord explained how the commercial / commercialised concept developed. He said: "At the starting / start, we thought it'd just be a novelty / novel thing to do. But as the trials developed, we realised what we had produced was really high / height yield, had fantastic flavour and could be done / doing commercially for the first time. The TomTato is being daubed / dubbed as "veg plot in a pot". Hansord said it can be grown inside or outside, in a large flower pot or in a bog / bag. It is selling / sale at around $25 on the company's website. Britain's Telegraph newspaper said: "'Double-crop' plants similar / like the TomTato could be extremely useful in the future, as they help populations / populace grow more food in smaller spaces."

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

INSERT THE VOWELS (a, e, i, o, u)

_ h_rt_c_lt_r_l c_mp_ny _n th_ _.K. _s m_rk_t_ng _ r_v_l_t__n_ry n_w pl_nt th_t gr_ws b_th t_m_t__s _nd p_t_t__s. _t _s c_ll_d th_ T_mT_t_ _nd y__lds _p t_ 500 sw__t, ch_rry-s_z_d t_m_t__s _nd _ h__lthy cr_p _f wh_t_ p_t_t__s. Br_t__n's D__ly M__l n_wsp_p_r j_k_d y__ c_n n_w g_t k_tch_p _nd fr__s fr_m th_ s_m_ pl_nt. Th_ c_mp_ny, Th_mps_n _nd M_rg_n, b_g_n r_s__rch _nt_ th_ p_ss_b_l_ty _f gr_ft_ng t_g_th_r t_m_t_ _nd p_t_t_ pl_nts _v_r 15 y__rs _g_. P__l H_ns_rd, h_rt_c_lt_r_l d_r_ct_r _t th_ c_mp_ny, s__d th_ gr__t th_ng _b__t th_ pl_nt _s th_t _t _s n_t g_n_t_c_lly m_d_f__d _n _ny w_y. H_ s__d h_ kn_w _t w_s p_ss_bl_ t_ gr_ft th_ tw_ pl_nts t_g_th_r b_c__s_ th_y b_l_ng t_ th_ s_m_ pl_nt sp_c__s.

Mr H_ns_rd _xpl__n_d h_w th_ c_mm_rc__l c_nc_pt d_v_l_p_d. H_ s__d: "_t th_ st_rt, w_ th__ght _t'd j_st b_ _ n_v_lty th_ng t_ d_. B_t _s th_ tr__ls d_v_l_p_d, w_ r__l_s_d wh_t w_ h_d pr_d_c_d w_s r__lly h_gh y__ld, h_d f_nt_st_c fl_v__r _nd c__ld b_ d_n_ c_mm_rc__lly f_r th_ f_rst t_m_. Th_ T_mT_t_ _s b__ng d_bb_d _s "v_g pl_t _n _ p_t". H_ns_rd s__d _t c_n b_ gr_wn _ns_d_ _r __ts_d_, _n _ l_rg_ fl_w_r p_t _r _n _ b_g. _t _s s_ll_ng _t _r__nd $25 _n th_ c_mp_ny's w_bs_t_. Br_t__n's T_l_gr_ph n_wsp_p_r s__d: "'D__bl_-cr_p' pl_nts l_k_ th_ T_mT_t_ c__ld b_ _xtr_m_ly _s_f_l _n th_ f_t_r_, _s th_y h_lp p_p_l_t__ns gr_w m_r_ f__d _n sm_ll_r sp_c_s."

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

a horticultural company in the uk is marketing a revolutionary new plant that grows both tomatoes and potatoes it is called the tomtato and yields up to 500 sweet cherry-sized tomatoes and a healthy crop of white potatoes britain's daily mail newspaper joked you can now get ketchup and fries from the same plant the company thompson and morgan began research into the possibility of grafting together tomato and potato plants over 15 years ago paul hansord horticultural director at the company said the great thing about the plant is that it is not genetically modified in any way he said he knew it was possible to graft the two plants together because they belong to the same plant species

mr hansord explained how the commercial concept developed he said "at the start we thought it'd just be a novelty thing to do but as the trials developed we realised what we had produced was really high yield had fantastic flavour and could be done commercially for the first time the tomtato is being dubbed as "veg plot in a pot" hansord said it can be grown inside or outside in a large flower pot or in a bag it is selling at around $25 on the company's website britain's telegraph newspaper said "'double-crop' plants like the tomtato could be extremely useful in the future as they help populations grow more food in smaller spaces"

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

AhorticulturalcompanyintheU.K.ismarketingarevolutionarynewplantthatgrow
sbothtomatoesandpotatoes.ItiscalledtheTomTatoandyieldsupto500sweet,ch
erry-sizedtomatoesandahealthycropofwhitepotatoes.Britain'sDailyMailnew
spaperjokedyoucannowgetketchupandfriesfromthesameplant.Thecompany,T
hompsonandMorgan,beganresearchintothepossibilityofgraftingtogethertoma
toandpotatoplantsover15yearsago.PaulHansord,horticulturaldirectorattheco
mpany,saidthegreatthingabouttheplantisthatitisnotgeneticallymodifiedinany
way.Hesaidheknewitwaspossibletograftthetwoplantstogetherbecausetheybel
ongtothesameplantspecies.MrHansordexplainedhowthecommercialconceptd
eveloped.Hesaid:"Atthestart,wethoughtit'djustbeanoveltythingtodo.Butasth
etrialsdeveloped,werealisedwhatwehadproducedwasreallyhighyield,hadfanta
sticflavourandcouldbedonecommerciallyforthefirsttime.TheTomTatoisbeingd
ubbedas"vegplotinapot".Hansordsaiditcanbegrowninsideoroutside,inalargefl
owerpotorinabag.Itissellingataround$25onthecompany'swebsite.Britain'sTel
egraphnewspapersaid:"'Double-crop'plantsliketheTomTatocouldbeextreme
lyusefulinthefuture,astheyhelppopulationsgrowmorefoodinsmallerspaces."

FREE WRITING

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

ACADEMIC WRITING

Creating new plants like the TomTato will be of great help to the world. Discuss.

_____________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about TomTatoes. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. TOMTATOES: Make a poster about TomTatoes and how they could help (or not) the world. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. DOUBLE-CROP: Write a magazine article about double-crop plants like the TomTato. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against them.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).

5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

6. LETTER: Write a letter to a horticultural expert. Ask him/her three questions about TomTatoes. Give him/her three of your opinions on them. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE (p.4)

a

F

b

T

c

F

d

F

e

F

f

T

g

T

h

T

SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)

1.	horticultural	a.	gardening
2.	marketing	b.	advertising
3.	crop	c.	harvest
4.	grafting	d.	joining
5.	in any way	e.	at all
6.	concept	f.	notion
7.	yield	g.	return
8.	dubbed	h.	nicknamed
9.	extremely	i.	exceedingly
10.	grow	j.	cultivate

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)

1.	A horticultural one
2.	(Up to) 500
3.	You can get ketchup and fries from one plant
4.	15 years
5.	Genetic modification
6.	It was just a novelty
7.	Its flavour
8.	Veg plot in a pot
9.	From the company's website
10.	A "double-crop" plant

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ (p.9)

1.

b

2.

d

3.

c

4.

a

5.

b

6.

a

7.

c

8.

a

9.

d

10.

c

ALL OTHER EXERCISES

Please check for yourself by looking at the Article on page 2.
(It's good for your English ;-)

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

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