Learn English with BBC Podcasts

• ☐ ☐ ☐ implausible [adj] - unlikely, hard to believe
• ☐ ☐ ☐ glow [v] - give out steady light
• ☐ ☐ ☐ illuminated [adj] - light up
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a modification [n] - a change
• ☐ ☐ ☐ watercress [n] - a type of leafy plant used in salads [image]
• ☐ ☐ ☐ infrared [n] - a type of light (on the red end of the light spectrum)
• ☐ ☐ ☐ the vicinity [n] - the area
• ☐ ☐ ☐ harvest [v] - gather or collect
• ☐ ☐ ☐ plug in [v] - connect to an electric outlet
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a solar-cell [n] - an electrical device that changes light into electricity
• ☐ ☐ ☐ degrade [v] - break down chemically
• ☐ ☐ ☐ edible [adj] - able to be eaten
• ☐ ☐ ☐ nanoparticles [n] - very small particles (between 1 and 100 nanometres in size)
• ☐ ☐ ☐ biocompatible [adj] - not harmful to living tissue

[n] - noun,  [v] - verb, [phv] - phrasal verb,  [adj] - adjective,  [exp] - expression

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1. Plants are being made to produce light through genetic modification.
   True
   False
   
   
2. The scientist also developed a type of water that can produce light.
   True
   False
   
   
3. He mentions replacing plastic products and electronic circuit boards with plants.
   True
   False
   
   
4. The scientist has created a plant that can connect to a cellphone.
   True
   False
   
   
5. He has also created a plant that can be plugged in to an electrical outlet.
   True
   False
   
   
6. Plants store energy in the form of sugar.
   True
   False
   
   
7. He states that plants have the functions of both a solar cell and a battery.
   True
   False
   
   
8. He states that his plants will be difficult to replace if they are damaged.
   True
   False
   
   
9. Plants are made mainly of carbon monoxide.
   True
   False
   
   
10. The plants that he is creating were designed to be edible.
    True
    False
    
    

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1. What is the discussion mainly about?
   (A) Watercress can be used for food or to produce light.
   (B) Research is being done to make plants that can be used as lights.
   (C) A recent study has produced plants that can be used in computers and phones.
   (D) Scientists are now able to genetically modify plants to produce electricity.
   
   
2. Which of these statements is NOT true about the plants in the study.
   (A) The plants are edible.
   (B) The plants produce light.
   (C) The plants can store energy.
   (D) The plants have been genetically modified.
   
   
3. What is the purpose of the research that is being done?
   (A) To reduce people's dependency on electric lighting.
   (B) To make a more nutritious plant for salads.
   (C) To replace all electric lighting.
   (D) To combine plants with phones.
   
   
4. According to the scientist, what advantages do these plants have?
   [Click four answers.]
   (A) They produce their own energy.
   (B) They can repair themselves.
   (C) They are cheap to produce.
   (D) They can store energy.
   (E) They are delicious.
   (F) They degrade.
   
   
5. What does the scientist mean when he says this?
   
   (A) They are trying to make plants that can be used for food and light.
   (B) They didn't design the plants to be food, but they can be eaten.
   (C) They wanted the plants to be edible, but they cannot be eaten.
   (D) The plants might be edible, but it is unclear.
   
   

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Directions: Write sentences about the video clip using the words given. You can change the word form or add words, but you cannot change the word order.
( ) = optional   [ ] = necessary

Instrucciones: Escriba oraciones sobre el videoclip usando las palabras dadas. Puede cambiar la forma de la palabra o agregar palabras, pero no puede cambiar el orden de las palabras.

Instrucciones: Escreva orações sobre o videoclipe usando as palavras-chave. Você pode alterar a forma da palavra ou adicionar palavras, mas não pode alterar a ordem das palavras.

지시 : 주어진 단어를 사용하여 비디오 클립에 대한 문장을 씁니다. 어형을 변경하거나 단어를 추가할 수 있지만 어순은 변경할 수 없습니다.

scientist / U.S. / successful / create / glow / plant / without / use / genetic / modification

Scientists in the U.S. have successfully created glowing plants without using genetic modification.

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lead / by / MIT / professor / Michael / Strano / team / develop / watercress / that / emit / light

Led by MIT professor Michael Strano, [a/the] team developed watercress that emits light.

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they / hope / reduce / need / electric / lighting

They hope to reduce the need for electric lighting.

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because / plant / harness / solar / energy / and / store / it / sugar / they / ideal / natural / light / source

Because plants harness solar energy and store it as sugar, they [are/make] an ideal natural light source.

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plant / also / able / repair / self / when / damage / and / they / biodegrade

Plants are also able to repair themselves when (they are) damaged, and they are biodegradable.

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Strano / team / previous / develop / plant / that / could / connect / cellphone / via / infrared / signal

Strano's team previously developed plants that could connect to cellphones via infrared signals.
Strano's team previously developed a plant that could connect to a cellphone via an infrared signal.

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Strano / plant / also / make / from / carbon / dioxide / atmosphere / make / them / eco / friend

Strano's plants are also made from carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, making them eco-friendly.
Strano's plants are also made from carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which makes them eco-friendly.

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although / not / design / be / edible / the / plant / safe / eat

Although (they were) not designed to be edible, the plants are safe to eat.

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1. According to the listening, what are the advantages of using plants as a source of light? Can you think of any other advantages?
2. What are some other ways you think plants could be used to replace everyday objects?
3. Would you eat a glowing salad made from Strano's watercress? If it continued glowing as it passed through your body, would you be more or less likely to eat it?
4. Strano stresses that his research in done without genetic modification. Why do you think he mentions this? Is it important to you?
5. Do you think biotechnologies like gene editing or cloning should be used? What are the ethical concerns?