The Reading / Listening - Seafood - Level 2

A new study says higher levels of "forever chemicals" may be in seafood. Forever chemicals are man-made toxins. They do not break down. They can stay in our blood and lead to a variety of health issues. These include cancer, and kidney and liver problems. Researchers in the USA said there should be safety guidelines for these chemicals in seafood. The level of these toxins is highest in marine creatures like prawns and lobster. This could mean people who love sushi and prawn cocktails may have to rethink their diet and eat less seafood.

Forever chemicals were developed in the 1930s. Today, they are found in food packaging. Most of our food wrappers, take out containers, and other food holders contain the chemicals. Over the decades, the chemicals have entered our food chain. Professor Megan Romano said she wanted people to enjoy seafood, but also to be aware of the risks. She said: "Our recommendation isn't to not eat seafood. Seafood is a great source of lean protein and omega fatty acids." She thinks it is important for people to understand more about what is in the food they eat.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Seafood - Level 0 Seafood - Level 1   or  Seafood - Level 3

Sources
  • https://scitechdaily.com/dartmouth-research-uncovers-hidden-dangers-in-popular-seafoods/
  • https://www.newsweek.com/warning-toxic-forever-chemical-risk-seafood-diet-1889465
  • https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12403-024-00640-w


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. Forever chemicals are man-
  2. They do not break
  3. lead to a variety
  4. kidney and
  5. safety
  6. marine
  7. people who love sushi and
  8. rethink their diet and
  1. guidelines
  2. prawn cocktails
  3. made toxins
  4. eat less seafood
  5. of health issues
  6. liver problems
  7. down
  8. creatures like prawns

Paragraph 2

  1. Forever chemicals were developed
  2. food
  3. food holders contain
  4. Over the
  5. the chemicals have entered
  6. Our recommendation isn't to
  7. Seafood is a great source
  8. what is in the food
  1. our food chain
  2. they eat
  3. packaging
  4. the chemicals
  5. of lean protein
  6. in the 1930s
  7. decades
  8. not eat seafood

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A (1) ___________________ higher levels of "forever chemicals" may be in seafood. Forever chemicals are (2) ___________________. They do not break down. They can stay in our blood and lead to a (3) ___________________ issues. These include cancer, and kidney and liver problems. Researchers in the USA said there should (4) ___________________ for these chemicals in seafood. The level of these toxins is highest in (5) ___________________ prawns and lobster. This could mean people who love sushi and prawn cocktails may have to rethink their (6) ___________________ less seafood.

Forever chemicals were (7) ___________________ 1930s. Today, they are found in food packaging. Most of (8) ___________________, take out containers, and other food holders contain the chemicals. Over the decades, the chemicals have entered (9) ___________________. Professor Megan Romano said she wanted people to enjoy seafood, but also to (10) ___________________ the risks. She said: "Our recommendation isn't to not eat seafood. Seafood is a (11) ___________________ lean protein and omega fatty acids." She thinks it is important for people to understand more about (12) ___________________ the food they eat.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Anewstudysayshigherlevelsof"foreverchemicals"maybeinseafood.F
oreverchemicalsareman-madetoxins.Theydonotbreakdown.Theyca
nstayinourbloodandleadtoavarietyofhealthissues.Theseincludecanc
er,andkidneyandliverproblems.ResearchersintheUSAsaidthereshou
ldbesafetyguidelinesforthesechemicalsinseafood.Theleveloftheseto
xinsishighestinmarinecreatureslikeprawnsandlobster.Thiscouldme
anpeoplewholovesushiandprawncocktailsmayhavetorethinktheirdi
etandeatlessseafood.Foreverchemicalsweredevelopedinthe1930s.
Today,theyarefoundinfoodpackaging.Mostofourfoodwrappers,take
outcontainers,andotherfoodholderscontainthechemicals.Overthede
cades,thechemicalshaveenteredourfoodchain.ProfessorMeganRom
anosaidshewantedpeopletoenjoyseafood,butalsotobeawareoftheris
ks.Shesaid:"Ourrecommendationisn'ttonoteatseafood.Seafoodisag
reatsourceofleanproteinandomegafattyacids."Shethinksitisimporta
ntforpeopletounderstandmoreaboutwhatisinthefoodtheyeat.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic 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.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

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

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

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

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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