Bus_Part_C1_ReadingBank_U5

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Reading bank

Unit 5
1 Read the article about food quickly and find what the numbers refer to.
1 500,000 6 380 million
2 20 7 2011
3 7 8 150 million
4 10 9 223
5 more than 50 years ago 10 459

2 Read the article again and match the sections (A–F) with the statements (1–6).
1 There is a lack of clarity regarding what is permitted in innovative food production.
2 The world will be affected by how China plans to feed its population in the future.
3 A Chinese venture capital firm has invested in a company that uses tiny six-legged creatures to make food.
4 The USA is ahead of Asia in the production of new and revolutionary foods.
5 People are less likely to buy insect-based food if they can taste and see the insects.
6 There hasn’t been any significant progress in food production since people began farming on a large scale in the 1960s.

3 Choose the best meaning (a or b) for the phrases in bold according to the text.
1 Venture capitalists are involved in …
a investing money in new businesses. b investing money in well-established companies.
2 An accelerator is a group or company that …
a invests in start-ups and helps them to grow. b focuses on encouraging disruptive innovation.
3 If you have a minority stake in a company, it means …
a your own most of the shares. b you own less than half the shares.
4 Seed funding involves …
a investing in the food and agriculture business in b investing in a company at the initial stages of its development
exchange for shares in the business. in exchange for shares in the business.
5 A sovereign wealth fund is …
a owned by the state. b owned by a group of individuals.
6 If a company makes an overseas foray, it means it …
a has decided to suspend all international business b is becoming involved in business in another country.

4 What is the missing word in these phrases? Which item could make you sick if you ate it?
sustainable
technology sector
safety issues
contaminants
security
related start-ups
lab-grown

5 Find the words in the box in the text. Then answer the questions.

alternative meat arable land beverage chemical fertiliser condiments dietary requirements
insect-based snacks lab-grown meat pesticide plant-based burger patties

1 What can be eaten by vegetarians? and


2 What are used to give flavour to food and make it tastier?
3 What do famers use to stop their crops being destroyed by certain insects and vermin?
4 What is added to the soil to make crops grow stronger?
5 What are needs connected to food and drink?
6 What do you call places that are suitable for growing crops for food?
7 What is another word for a drink?
8 What do you call small meals made from tiny creatures with six legs and a body divided in three parts?
9 What do you call meat produced from animal cells by scientists in a laboratory?

1 Business Partner C1 © Pearson Education 2020


Reading bank

Asian investors begin to bet on bugs as the future of food


Ventures back silkworms and crickets in the race to meet region’s dietary needs

A TOKYO – An emerging group of Asian venture portable devices that detect pesticides and other food
capitalists are exploring whether insects and lab- contaminants. They are all tackling an industry that
grown meat can help meet Asia’s growing appetite observers say has been slow to embrace cutting-edge
for food. 50 technology.

5 For Shanghai-based accelerator Bits x Bites, D ‘More than half a century ago, the “green
the search for sustainable food has extended to revolution” solved the food security issue with
silkworms. Last year, the company invested in chemical fertilisers and pesticides that enabled mass
Bugsolutely, a local start-up that is developing insect- production,’ said Satoshi Koike, President of Tokyo-
based snacks. 55 based farming technology start-up Vegetalia. ‘Since

10 Silkworms are grown to spin silk, with the worms then, there has been no innovation in the way we
usually disposed of when they are done producing. produce food.’
Bugsolutely, which made its name selling cricket- Food-related start-ups have taken off in the
based pasta, noted that the waste was rich in protein, USA, where preference for organic food has spread.
vitamins and minerals. This prompted the company 60 California-based Impossible Foods, which sells

15 to infuse snacks with silkworm powder in popular plant-based burger patties that taste like real
flavours like salt and vinegar. meat, has raised more than $380 million since its
B ‘After a lot of consumer research, we started to establishment in 2011. Tyson Foods, the largest meat
learn that the younger generation doesn’t want to packer in the USA, set up a $150 million venture arm
see whole insect pieces,’ said Matilda Ho, managing 65 in 2016 to invest in start-ups that develop alternative

20 director of Bits x Bites, in a recent interview in Tokyo. meat.


‘Also, since no one can taste the insect flavour ... it’s E The number of investors worldwide backing food
easy for people to adapt to the new concept. We are and beverage start-ups doubled from 223 in 2015 to
excited about how this product can bring traction to 459 in 2017, according to CB Insights. While some
the market.’ 70 prominent Asian investors like Singapore sovereign

25 Bits x Bites was launched in 2016 as China’s wealth fund Temasek Holdings and Li Ka-shing, one
first accelerator specialising in the food technology of China’s richest men, have invested in Impossible
sector. Backed by local condiments company Shinho, Foods, the region lags behind the USA, where large
it normally provides no more than $500,000 in food companies have begun actively pursuing the
seed funding to promising ventures in exchange 75 latest innovations.

30 for minority stakes. It also supports their growth It remains uncertain whether the funds can create
through mentorship programs and connecting them homegrown champions that can compete against
to potential investors. well-funded U.S. rivals, many of which are eyeing
C As Asia’s population expands, so will the Asian markets. Impossible Foods recently entered
challenges in meeting its dietary requirements. 80 Hong Kong by tying up with local restaurants,

35 China has already overtaken the USA in the number marking its first overseas foray outside the USA.
of obese people, according to a 2016 study by F Regulation is another obstacle. Insects, for
The Lancet medical journal. The country has also example, are generally not approved for consumption
been plagued with numerous food safety issues. in most Asian markets, and regulations concerning
‘China represents 20 percent of the world 85 lab-grown food are even less clear. Even the U.S.

40 population but less than 7 percent of its land is Food and Drug Administration recently announced
arable,’ said Ho. ‘How we feed the population for the that it will hold a meeting in July to share ‘initial
next decade will have global implications.’ thinking’ about how it will regulate food made from
Snacks made from insects are only part of the harvesting animal cells.
equation. Bits x Bites has invested in ten start-ups 90 ‘I don’t think we will be able to see everyone
45 ranging from Alesca Life, which sells mini farms that starting to eat organic in the next decade,’ concedes
fit in shipping containers, to Inspecto, a developer of Ho. ‘It’s going to be a long-term game.’

Business Partner C1 © Pearson Education 2020 2

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