The Growth of

Urban Farming

CONTENT
Growing food in large cities

READING SKILL
Understanding the author's
purpose

BUILDING VOCABULARY
Understanding word roots
 Before You Read
A. Connect with the topic. Where do you buy your food? Check (.I)
your answers.
D supermarket
D local outdoor market
O local farm
D convenience store
D restaurant
D other: ________

B. Pair work. Compare your answers with a partner. Do you, buy your food
at the same places?
Example
A: I usually buy my food at a market on Saturdays.
B: Me too! I love markets!

C. Preview the reading. Move your eyes quickly over the reading on
pages 63-64. Look at the reading for only 1-2 minutes. Then complete
the Previewing Chart below.

Previewing Chart u� I .H I ultj l!:.?.>"

1. Title of the reading: ___________________
2. Names of people and places in 3. Key words. (What words appear
the reading. (List 2 more.) several times? List 2 more.)
United States vegetables

4. I think this reading is probably about

62 Chapter 7 I The Growth of Urban Farming

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The Growth Of Urban Farming

For most people living in cities, buying fresh vegetables and fruits
means a trip to the supermarket Bul how far does the produce 1 have
to travel to get to the store? ln the United States, the average American
produce has to travel 2,400 km to reach the supermarket where it is
s sold. And many other kinds of produce in the supermarkets are imported2
from other countries, especially in the winter. It isn't hard to find fresh
strawberries in the middle of January in Chicago. They have been flown
in 3 from South America.

The United States isn't the only country that imports food. Most
10 countries do. In fact, in Japan, 60 percent of supermarket food comes
from overseas. In the United Kingdom, some studies4 say that 40 percent
of food is imported. The city of London alone imports 80 percent of its
food from as close as Europe and as far away as South Africa and New Maps
pages 154-156
Zealand. If your bananas traveled 5,000 km to reach you, are they
1 s still "fresh?"
Culture and
A lot of oil is used to grow and ship5 the food you find in the Language Notes
supermarket. Many studies say that ten calories of carbon energy6 page 147

1 produce fresh vegetables and fruits

2 imported brought in from another country
3 flown in brought in by airplane
4 studies reports
5 ship send, transport
6 carbon energy energy from oil or oil-based products

63
 are used to make and deliver every one calorie of food we eat, and not
everyone is happy about this. Some people want to use less energy because
20 it's better for the environment. Others want to use less energy because
they are worried that oil prices will rise in the future.
Recently, the answer for more and more people is to grow their
own food-even if they live in crowded cities. This trend, called urban
agriculture, or urban farming, can be found all over the world. In Tokyo,
25 Japan, for example, the recruitment company 7 Pasona has been growing
food inside its office building for several years. They started with a rice
paddy8 inside their building. Recently, they moved their urban farm,
called Pasona 02, to a new building, where they are growing not only rice,
but 200 other kinds of plants, including many vegetables. In other parts of
30 Tokyo, some restaurants are growing food in roof gardens, or even on the
outside walls of their buildings.
In Frankfurt, Germany, there is a popular community-based group
that rents small pieces of land for people to grow their own food. Office
workers can now become "farmers" by coming to take care of their plants
35 once or twice a week and enjoy eating their own fresh produce as well.
Another community-based group, called Brooklyn Grange, grows
vegetables on New York City rooftops and sells them to people and
businesses around the city. Brooklyn Grange welcomes people to
volunteer with them and learn more about farming. In addition to
40 learning some useful skills, they say volunteering is a good way for people
to get to know other people in their neighborhoods.
How much food can people grow in small spaces? In the city of
Pasadena, California, the Dervaes family grows almost all of the food it
eats in an area that is only about 400 square meters. They started this
45 project in the 1980s because they wanted to live their lives using very little
or no carbon energy. They also have an online journal and blog to teach
other people how to grow their own food.
In fact, it's easy to find blogs by urban farmers who are sharing their
stories and farming tips9 with people all over the world. Urban farming
so isn't just helping people grow fresh food. It is also helping communities to
develop and grow in city neighborhoods and online around the world.
Word Count 592 \ Reading Time: ___ Words per Minute: ___
: (Minutes) (Word Count/Reading Time)

7 recruitment company company that helps find people to work in other companies
8 rice paddy a field for growing rice plants
9 tips helpful information

64 Chapter 7 I The Growth of Urban Farming irLanguage.com

After You Read
Understanding the Text
A. Comprehension
For each item below, fill in the correct circle.
1. Finding the Main Idea This reading is primarily about _.
®how far produce has to travel to get to the supermarket
® the fact that more people are growing food in cities
© the fact that more farmers are moving to big cities

2. Scanning for Details In London, around __ of food is imported.

®40%
® 60%
©80%

3. Scanning for Details American produce travels _ on average to get to

the supermarket.
®IOkm
® 2,4 00km
© 5,000km
4. Making Inferences You can infer that:
®Pasona only has offices in Tokyo.
® Brooklyn Grange is based in New York City.
© Pasadena has a lot of urban farmers.

5. Making Inferences You can infer that:

®The Dervaes family lives on a large farm.
® Some members of the Dervaes family teach at a university.
© The Dervaes family lives in an urban area.
B. Vocabulary
Underline these words in the reading passage on pages 63-64. Then match
each word with its definition to the right.
1. _ neighborhood a. get to (a place)
2. overseas b. outside your own country
3. roof c. having many people or things in a small space
4. crowded d. the area around the place you live
5. reach e. the top of a building

65
 C. Consider the Issues
Work with a partner to answer the questions below.
l. Do you think urban farming is a good idea? Why or why not?
2. If the price of food at your supermarket suddenly went up 300%, what
would you do?
3. Why do you think most people buy food from the supermarket instead of
growing it themselves?
4. Look at the chart below. Check (vi) Advantage or Disadvantage for each
item. Then add one more advantage and disadvantage of your own.

You can have very fresh food. D D

You don't use oil to transport the food to D D
the store.
It takes a lot of time to grow food. D D
You need to find a space to grow the food. D D
You can be happy knowing that you grew D D

I
something yourself.

l!1 D

5. Would you like to grow your own food?

D I already grow my own food.
D I'm already planning to do this soon.
D I'd like to, but I don't think I can.
D I don't think I will ever grow my own food.
Explain your answers to another pair.

66 Chapter 7 I The Growth of Urban Farming www.irLanguage.com

Building Vocabulary
Understanding Word Roots
Many English words are made from roots (parts of words) from Greek and
Latin. Learning these roots can help you guess the meaning of new words
when you read.
Examples

Root
urb
�����--�-
Meaning
city
-����-.-�--· -
Examples
I urban, suburban
com together community, communicate
[agn agriculture, agribusines_ s_ __...,
1 farming ----Ii-

A. Complete the sentences with words from the chart above.

1. Charles took some _____ courses at the university, and now his
farm is very successful.
2. Many people in neighborhoods, not far from large cities,
grow food in their backyards.
3. There is a great feeling of when everyone in our
neighborhood works together on something.
4. The history of started thousands of years ago, when
humans first started growing rice and wheat.
5. The Dervaes family set up their website and blog not only to
_____ their own ideas about urban farming, but also to
hear other people's stories.
6. Despite their busy, environment, the Chicago Urban
Farmers group is able to grow 2,000 kg of tomatoes every summer.

B. Look at these word roots and examples. Match the root with the correct
meanmg.
Root Examples Meaning
1. cred incredible, credit a. step, go
2. micro microscope, microwave b. carry, move
3. __ port import, transport c. very small, tiny
4. diet dictionary, dictation d. believe
5._grad grade, graduate e. speak, say

67
 Reading Sl<ill
Understanding the Author's Purpose
Authors write texts for different reasons. Some texts are supposed to teach
or give information about a topic. Others are supposed to entertain the
reader, or make them feel happy, sad, or even scared. Finally, some texts
are supposed to persuade, or make readers agree with something that the

i
author believes. Often, an author combines two or more of these purposes
in one text.

�-��������--Main Purpose
l
I Type of Text
News articles inform
��--������--1--��������������
Travel guides
Short stories entertain
I
�ove_ ls
_ ___
I Advertisements persuade
' Commercials

A. Analyze the Reading

Look at the two versions of the same information below and answer the questions.
A lot of oil is used to grow and ship the food you find in the
supermarket. Many studies say that ten calories of carbon energy are
used to make every one calorie of food we eat, and not everyone is
happy about this. Some people want to use less energy because it's better
for the environment. Others want to use less energy because they are
worried that oil prices will rise in the future.
1. The author's purpose in this passage is mainly to:
D inform D entertain D persuade

A lot of oil is used to grow and ship the food you find in the
supermarket. Many studies say that ten calories of carbon energy are used
to make every one calorie of food we eat, and not everyone is happy about
this. Many people don't realize that less oil is being produced every year
now, and soon oil prices will be rising. When oil prices rise, the cost of
food rises. If people don't start to grow their own food, they may quickly
find that they cannot afford to buy food at the supermarket.
2. The author's purpose in this passage is mainly to:
D inform D entertain D persuade
Compare answers with a partner.

68 Chapter 7 I The Growth of Urban Farming

B. Apply the Reading Skill
Read each blog entry. Then answer the questions below.

Ctty Chiclt's Chicken Blog

Everybody I know thinks that they can't raise chickens in the city, but they are wrong!
My husband and I have been raising chickens here for two years now. If you're interested in
knowing more about how to choose the best chickens for your environment, you've come
to the right place! Believe it or not, different kinds of chickens have different kinds of
personalities. Just like with dating, you have to find a good match. Click on the link at the
bottom of the page if you want to receive my monthly newsletter. As always, there are lots
of photos and stories that were sent by fans of the blog.

Many people think that becoming a vegetarian is a difficult thing to do, but it's
actually easier than you think, especially when you know some basic facts:
1. Studies show that, on average, vegetarians live up to two years longer than meat-eaters.
2. More people get sick from eating bad meat than they do from eating bad vegetables.
3. Eating vegetarian is much cheaper than eating a meat-based diet.
4. It is easy to get enough protein and all the other things your body needs
without eating meat.
5. Vegetarianism is growing every year around the world, and more and
more restaurants offer delicious vegetarian items on their menus.

1. I think the author's purpose in the first blog entry is to

��������������and ��������������

2. I think the author's purpose in the second blog entry is to

��������������and��������������

Compare your ideas with a partner.

69
 Discussion & Writing
1. Pair work. How could we reduce the amount of oil that we use every day?
Add your suggestions to the chart below.

D grow your own food

· D use public transportation instead of driving cars
I D build more solar-powered buildings
D��������������������������
D��������������������������
D ��������������������������
Discuss your suggestions with your classmates and then complete the
sentence below.
I think the best suggestion is to

2. What are the most serious problems in the world today? Add two ideas to
the list below.
• climate change I global warming
• terrible diseases like cancer
• pollution of the air, land, and water

3. Choose three items on your list. Write a sentence about something people
can do to help solve each problem.
Example
There is too much pollution, so we should ask businesses to use solar energy.

Words to Remember
Mini-Dictionary NOUNS : VERBS : ADJECTIVES
I
page 158 blog (take) care (of) . average
community import crowded
envi.ronment : (get to) know : fresh
farming reach overseas
neighborhood urban
roof(top)

70 Chapter 7 I The Growth of Urban Farming

Can You Live
Forever?

CONTENT
Trying to live forever

READING SKILL
Understanding headings

BUILDING VOCABULARY
Understanding suffixes: -al, -ic,
-ist. -logy
 Before You Read
A. Connect with the topic. How often should you do these things in order
to be healthy? Check (.I) your answers.

Activity I Often I Sometimes I Rarely I Never

• eat fresh fruits and vegetables D D D D

• eat meat D 0 0 0
• eat ice cream, cake, and other 0 0 0 0
desserts
0 0 0 0
• drink coffee

• drink green tea 0 0 0 0

• do sports and exercise 0 0 0 0
• do things that make you feel stressed 0 0 0 0

B. Pair work. Discuss your answers with a partner. Do your habits match
your answers?
Example
A: I think you should rarely eat ice cream and cake because ...
B: Really? I think you should never eat desserts. They're bad for you.

C. Preview the reading. Move your eyes quickly over the reading on
pages 73-74. Look at the reading for only 1-2 minutes. Then complete
the Previewing Chart below.

Previewing Chart

1. Title of the reading:-------------------

2. Names of people and places in 3. l(ey words. (What words appear
the reading. (List 2 more.) several times? list 2 more.)
&:ly kurzweil forever

4. I think this reading is probably about

72 Chapter 8 I Can You Live Forever?

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,/ ..ti
Can You Live Forever?
There's an old saying: An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Certainly,
apples are good for you, but can eating them really help you avoid getting

ti
sick? Could they even help you live forever? Eating apples may not be
enough, but there's at least one man who thinks that living forever is
5 possible.
Ray Kurzweil: Inventor 1 and Futurist
Ray Kurzweil was born in 1948 and grew up in New York City. .,,,,...._
. rLanguage.com

Kurzweil is an inventor and is well known for his work in technology.

Many of his inventions have been in the area of artificial intelligence, 2
10 or AI for short. Kurzweil is also well known as a futurist-a person who
has strong ideas about how the future might be, or perhaps should be,
based on his knowledge of science.
Kurzweil's View of the Future
Kurzweil believes that by 2050, there will be a new technology called
15 nanobots, tiny3 machines that will be so small that billions4 of them
will be able to travel inside your body and fix problems in each cell. 5
Kurzweil also believes that by then, computers will be able to think just
like a person's brain. He just has to live long enough so that he can take
advantage of 6 these inventions. He believes that diet7 and exercise are
20 the keys.

Kurzweil's Plan: Diet and Exercise

Besides all of his famous work in technology and futurology, Kurzweil
may be best known for what he eats and drinks. Kurzweil and his personal
doctor, Dr. Terry Grossman, have created a special diet and exercise
25 program. Using these tools and a few others, Kurzweil hopes to live
forever.
Map page 156
Kurzweil drinks very large amounts of water every day. He believes that
a lot of water is needed to get all of the toxins8 out of his body. He never Culture and
drinks soft drinks or coffee, but he does drink green tea. He thinks it does Language Notes
30 many good things for his body. page 148

I inventor person who makes, or creates, new things

2 artificial intelligence (AI) machines that can "think" like a person's brain does
3 tiny very small
4 billions one billion = I ,000,000,000
5 cell the smallest living part of an animal or plant
6 take advantage of make full use of something
7 diet what you eat and drink
8 toxins things that are bad for your body; poisons

73
 Kurzweil also believes that certain kinds of foods are unhealthy. Instead
of eating foods like white bread, potatoes, and white rice, he thinks people
should eat foods like whole wheat bread and brown rice. For many years,
Kurzweil has not eaten any food that has sugar in it. He eats mostly
35 vegetables, lean9 meats, and tofu.

Kurzweil also does a few other things for his health. He tries to have
very little stress in his life, and he makes sure he gets enough sleep every
night. He exercises daily and meditates 10 regularly as well. Kurzweil also
takes special vitamins and other supplements11 that he feels will help slow
40 the aging of his body. In fact, he takes over 150 different supplements
every day.
The Race Between Age and Invention
Will this routine help him live until 2050? Maybe. Kurzweil regularly
takes tests to check the "age" of his body. When he was 40 years old,
45 the age test said his body was like a 38-year-old's. In 2009, at age 61, the
same test said that his body was like a 40-year-old's. He feels that if his
body only seems 2-3 years older after 20 years, living until 2050 may be
possible.
"Plan B"
so What if his body dies before nanobots can save him? Kurzweil is
already planning to have his body frozen 12 by a company called the AJcor
Life Extension Foundation. They will keep his body frozen until they feel
that the technology is ready to bring him back to life.
Many scientists believe that Kurzweil's ideas about living forever are
55 not really scientific at all. But Kurzweil thinks that as long as he waits for
enough technological inventions, both his mind and his body may be able
to live forever.
Word Count: 613 Reading Time: ___ Words per Minute: ___
(Minutes) (Word Count/Reading Time)

9 lean with very little or no fat

10 meditates thinks deeply ia a spedal way to become calm and peaceful
11 supplements things that are added to your diet, like vitamins or special herbs
l 2 frozen made very cold. like ice

74 Chapter 8 I Can You Live Forever?

 irLanguage.com
After You Read
Understanding the Text
A. Comprehension
For each item below, fill in the correct circle.
1. Finding the Main Idea This reading is primarily about _.
@ technological inventions of the future
® healthy diet and exercise tips
© one man who is trying to live forever
2. Scanning for Details What does Kurzweil believe will happen by 2050?
@ Nanobots will be invented.
® A computer will be able to fix his ceils.
© His body will be like a 61-year-old's body.
3. Scanning for Details In 2009, Kurzweil was_ years old.
@38
®40
© 61
4. Making Inferences You can infer that:
@ Many scientists think Kurzweil's ideas for living forever are useful.
® Kurzweil may start to drink coffee in the future.
© If Kurzweil dies, his body may be frozen for many years.
5. Understanding the Author's Purpose he author's purpose in writing this
article was to
@ inform and entertain
® persuade and entertain
© persuade and inform
B. Vocabulary
Underline these words in the reading passage on pages 73-74. Then match
each word with its definition to the right.
1. _ possible a. belonging to one person; used by one
person and no one else
2. __ knowledge b. feelings caused by being worried or nervous
3. __ personal c. what a person knows
4. stress d. things you do on a regular schedule
5. routine . e. can happen

75
 C. Consider the Issues
Work with a partner to answer the questions below.
I. Do you agree with Kurzweil's ideas? Read the sentences and check (.I') your
answers.

a. A good diet and exercise program can make your body

D D
age less quickly.
b. Sleeping, meditating, and
. lowering your stress can make
I D D
your body age less quickly.
c. In 2050, there will be nanobots that can help fix
D D
problems in the cells of our bodies.
d. In 2050, there will be computers that can think like a
D D
person's brain.
e. By following his program, Kurzweil can stay alive
until 2050.
D D
f. If Kurzweil's predictions about the future are true, he will
D D
be able to "live"forever.

Share your answers with a partner. Do you have the same ideas?

2. What is your opinion of Kurzweil's beliefs about the future? Check (.I') one
or more statements or write your own.
D I believe that in the future, people will be able to live forever.
D I believe there will be many new kinds of technology in the future,
but I don't think that they will be enough to keep someone alive forever.
D I definitely believe that Kurzweil will be successful in his plan.
D I don't think Kurzweil will be successful in his plan.
D I would like to know more about Ray Kurzweil and his ideas.
D ������������������������
Share your opinions with your partner.
Example
I think Kurzweil has some interesting ideas, but I'd like to know more about
what other scientists say about his work.

76 Chapter 8 [ Can You Live Forever?

Building Vocabulary
Understanding Suffixes: -al, -ic, -ist, -logy
Suffixes come at the ends of words. They help you know if a word is a
noun, verb, or adjective. For example, many nouns and adjectives end with
these suffixes:

rs;ffix Sample Words Meaning

-al
l personal I belonging to oneself, not used by others
(adj.) artificial not real, man-made
technological related to technology
I
j -ic scientific related to science
(adj.) futuristic related to the future
1 -ist scientist a person who works in science
(noun) futurist a person who works in futurology
-logy technology area related to studying and creating new things
(noun) for use in our lives
futurology area related to studying and predicting the future
I

A. Choose the correct word to complete each sentence.

1. Many (scientists I scientific) don't believe that Kurzweil's plans will work.
2. I don't know anyone who studies (futurist I futurology).
3. My (personal I personality) belief is that no one can live forever.
4. I love reading (scientist I scientific) articles in the news.
5. Kurzweil is a well-known (futurology I futurist) and has published
many books on the subject.
6. A computer thinking like a brain is an example of ( artificial I
artificially) intelligence.
7. My parents are sometimes afraid of new (technology I technological),
but I like it.
B. Read a newspaper, magazine, or blog. Find one word with each suffix.
Write the word, the sentence that the word is used in, and the meaning
of the word.
Example
economic.
Many countries are having economic. problems.
related to ec.onomic.s

77
 Reading Sl<ill
Understanding Headings
A heading is a small group of words that serves as a title for a paragraph or
several paragraphs. When a reading is long or complicated, authors often
use headings to divide a reading into smaller parts. You can use headings
when you read to find specific information quickly. For example, when we
read the heading below, we can tell that this paragraph is going to be about
what Kurzweil thinks about the future.
!Heading 1--• KurzweiJ s View of the Future
>

Kurzweil believes that by 2050, there will be a new technology called

nanobots, tiny machines that will be so small that billions of them can
travel inside your body and fix problems in each cell. By then, he also
believes that with new Al technology, computers will be able to think just
like a person's brain. He just has to live long enough so that he can take
advantage of these inventions. Diet and exercise, he believes, are the keys.

A. Analyze the Reading

Look back at the reading on pages 73-74 to answer the questions below.
1. How many headings does the author use?

2. Under which heading does the author talk about who Ray Kurzweil is?

3. Under which heading does the author talk about what Kurzweil eats
and drinks?

4. Under which heading does the author talk about what happens if Kurzweil's
ideas for keeping his body alive don't work?

5. Why do you think the author used different headings in this article?

78 Chapter 8 I Can You Live Forever?

B. Apply the Reading Skill
Read the headings for the article "Three Secrets to Less Stress:' Then complete
the chart.

Sleep: Nature's Best Medicine

Working Out, or Just Working?

Good-bye Coffee, Hello Water

Now read the article to check your answers.

E
If someone asks, "How are you?" do you always say, "Fine," but really want to say,
"Busy, Unhappy, or Stressed out?" Everyone wants to be happy, but with our busy
lives, full of study, work, family, home, and friends, it's hard not to be stressed out. In
this article, I will share with you my top three tips for staying stress-free.
Sleep: Nature's Best Medicine
The first ingredient in a stress-free life is to get at least eight hours of sleep every
night. The average person gets only between six and seven, and that's just not enough.
Scientific studies show that without at least eight hours of sleep a night, people
cannot concentrate for long periods of time. This is a big cause of stress.
Working Out, or Just Working?
Exercise is another key pan of lowering your stress. Whether you go to a gym, run
around your neighborhood, or just take a walk in the park, doctors agree that people
should exercise at least three times a week, for at least 20 minutes each time. After a
few weeks, you'll feel a huge difference!
Good-bye Coffee, Hello Water
Drinking too much coffee, tea, and soda with caffeine is another cause of stress.
For many, it's linked to not having enough sleep. When some people wake up, they're
still tired. The problem is, caffeine stays in your body for at least five hours. The
answer is simple: try to have only one coffee, tea, or soda each day, and for the rest
of the day, drink water. Lots of it. People should drink at least eight glasses per day.

79
 Discussion Et Writing
I. Choose three items from the box and write a prediction about what each
will be like in the year 2050.

computers entertainment books population

phones education food transportation

Example
In 2050, the population of the world will be over nine billion.

a.ln2050,�����������������������-

2. Ask three classmates about your predictions. How many people agree
with you?
Example
A: In 2050, do you believe the population of the world will be over
nine billion?
B: No, I think it will be less.
A: What do you think it will be?
B: I think the population will be less than now-around four billion.

Words to Remember
Mini-Dictionary NOUNS VERBS ADJECTIVES ADVERBS
page 158 I
brain keep away personal daily
future plan possible forever
invention scientific regularly
knowledge
routine
stress

80 Chapter 8 I Can You Live Forever?