Bees are Carrying Pesticides into the World’s Honey

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Materials Daily News

Intermediate

Exercise 1

Vocabulary

pesticide

Noun

ˈpɛstəˌsaɪd

a substance used to kill insects or animals that damage crops

Pesticides can be toxic to humans.

You need to use special soap to wash pesticides off fruits and vegetables.

Certain pesticides are banned because they are health threats.

show up

Phrasal Verb

ʃəʊ ʌp

to become or make someone/something become noticeable

Enemy units showed up on the radar.

wonder

Verb

ˈwəndər

to think and want to know about something

He wondered what his neighbors were doing.

I wonder what animals really think about.

She wondered why her husband was late.

I wonder if he can get the report done today.

I wonder who will be our new boss.

I wonder if that horoscope is true.

evidence

Noun

ˈɛvɪdəns

a fact, object, etc. that shows that something is true

The ring he gave me is evidence that he loves me.

The lawyer presented an important piece of evidence in court.

Researchers have yet to discover any tangible evidence linking Stonehenge to aliens.

The police found the murder weapon and other concrete evidence.

They won the case although much of the evidence was against them.

Hair fashion among young people is evidence of how quickly times can change.

I have just learned that evidence suggested that Stonehenge was a burial site in the beginning.

The murder weapon was the only evidence.

There is no evidence that he stole the money.

Evidence has shown that rats and humans share the same types of nerve cells.

pollen

Noun

ˈpɒlən

the very fine powder that is produced by a plant and that is carried to other plants of the same kind usually by wind or insects

This plant is known for producing very little pollen.

Exercise 2

Article

AI Generated Audio––:–– / ––:––

Bees are Carrying Pesticides into the World’s Honey

Bees are responsible for about 30 percent of the world's food supply. Our fruits and vegetables would not grow without bees.

Many farmers use chemical products known as pesticides to protect food plants from insects. Studies have shown that these chemicals are also hurting the bees.

Now it turns out that the pesticides are also showing up in the world’s honey supply. And researchers are wondering how that could affect us.

The problem is an unusual kind of pesticides called neonicotinoids.

A recent study found evidence of these pesticides in most of the world's bees.

David Goulson is a professor of biology at Britain’s University of Sussex. He says the chemicals harm the ability of bees to find their way.

Goulson says the problem seems to come from new genetically engineered seeds. He says some of the seeds are covered with pesticides.

And the pollen coming from those plants ends up on the bees. Swedish researchers found the chemicals in 75% of all the world's honey.

Goulson says it is not just bees that are dying off. He says researchers are also seeing “big declines of farmland birds, butterflies and so on.”

The European Food Standards Agency and the European Union are considering limiting the use of neonicotinoids.

Exercise 3

Questions

What would not grow without bees?

Who is David Goulson?

How do pesticides harm bees?

Are bees the only species that are dying off because of pesticides?

Exercise 4

Discussion

Were you aware of the importance of bees before reading this article? If so, what did you know about them? If not, has it changed your opinion of them?

Are you concerned about the recent findings regarding bees and honey? Why? Why not?

Do you think that these findings will negatively impact the honey industry? Why? Why not?

Are you in favor of or against the use of pesticides? Please explain your answer.

Would you support placing a limit on the use of neonicotinoids? Why? Why not?

Exercise 5

Further Discussion

Do you like insects or do you find them creepy? Why?

When was the last time you were stung by a bee? Please share your experience.

Would you ever consider becoming a bee-keeper? Why? Why not?

Do you enjoy eating honey? Why? Why not?

What do you think would happen if bees went extinct? Please explain your answer.

Exercises for Further Self-Study

These self-study exercises are optional and should be carried out after the lesson has finished.

Exercise 6

Sentence Building

Write at least one sentence for each of the words in Exercise 1: Vocabulary. Begin by making sure you understand the definition of each word. Use the example sentences as a guide if you are unable to think of a sentence. Practice reading your sentences out loud.

Exercise 7

Summary

Make a brief summary of the article. Focus on the main topic and consider which pieces of information are most important. Make sure you include details such as what the article is about, who is mentioned in it, where and when the events took place, and also how and why they happened.

Parts of this lesson are based on:

An article by Voice of America.