Are Bananas Becoming Extinct?

Brazil is starting to face the problem of pests and diseases which are attacking banana plants and threatening to destroy whole plantations. If you hear the words endangered species, you probably think that the species in danger is one in the animal kingdom. Stories about endangered animals are nothing new; they are frequently in the newspapers. But scientists are warming about endangered plant now. According to an article in the New Scientist magazine the worlds most popular fruit is running a serious risk of extinction. The article says bananas may become extinct within 10 years, unless they are rescued by biotechnology. The problem is that the banana may be the worlds most popular fruit, but in scientific terms it is a genetically decrepit sterile mutant. The edible version, the type of banana that we eat, has no seeds. Bananas are cultivated bananas (which is due to their asexual reproduction) makes them vulnerable to pests and diseases. To make matters worse, there is no easy way to cross one variety with another; new varieties cannot easily be produced by natural methods. Black Sigatoka, the fungal disease that is attacking banana plantations is now a global epidemic. Luadir Gasparotto, brazils leading pathologist says Black Sigatoka is destroying most of our banana fields and there is nothing we can do about it. Scientists from across the world are working to rescue the banana through genetic engineering. They are trying to develop new hybrid bananas and produce new varieties which are resistant to diseases and insects. However, producers are not investing on the project, because consumers do not accept GM (genetically modified) foods. Buy your bananas now. Within ten years it may be too late. A. Qual a notcia mais importante do texto, sintetizada no prprio ttulo? ______________________________________________________________________ B. Haveria alguma soluo para o problema? Qual? ______________________________________________________________________ C. O texto termina em tom otimista ou pessimista? ______________________________________________________________________ 1. Com o apoio das transparents words, encontre no texto o equivalente a: a) agricultor brasileiro _________________________________ b) enfrentar o problema ________________________________ c) pragas e doenas ___________________________________ d) bananeiras ________________________________________ e) destruir plantaes inteiras ___________________________ f) espcie ameaada __________________________________ g) reino animal_______________________________________ h) um srio risco de extino ______________________________ i) a verso comestvel _____________________________________ j) diversidade gentica _____________________________________ k) para piorar as coisas _____________________________________ l) uma epidemia global _____________________________________ m) atravs da engenharia gentica ________________________________ n) alimentos modificados geneticamente _____________________________________ o) tarde demais ____________________________________________________

Observe como os marcadores do discurso abaixo so usados no texto e que idia ou noo que eles expressam: Marcador do discurso significado funo If Se Estabelecer condies But Mas Contrapor idias Unless A menos que, a no ser que estabelecer condies Due to Devido a Relacionar causa e efeito Through Atravs de Indicar meio, modo However Contudo, no entanto Contrapor idias Because porque Relacionar causa e efeito Within Dentro de Indicar abrangncia (de tempo ou espao) 2. Now fill in the blanks with one of the words in the parentheses. (Agora preencha os espaos em brancos com uma das palavras nos parnteses.) 1. The banana is the words most popular fruit ______________ its cheap and good to eat. (because due to) 2. The limited genetic diversity cultivated banana is _______________ their asexual reproduction. (because due to) 3. Bananas may become extinct ___________ they are not rescued by biotechnology. (Through within) (If unless) 4. Bananas may become extinct _____________ a decade, ___________ they are saved by genetic engineering. (through within) (if unless) 5. the worlds most popular fruit is on the road to extinction. ____________, it is still possible to solve the problem. (unless however) 6. They may be genetically decrepit, _________ theyre delicious! (but - because) 3. Encontrem no texto as palavras que completam corretamente as frases abaixo: a) Bananas are vulnerable to ________________________. b) Black Sigatoka is now a global ____________________. c) Bananas have no _______________, they are sterile. d) Bananas are cultivated by replanting ________________ from the banana ________________. e) Scientists are trying to ________________ the problem though genetic _____________________. f) They are trying to develop new ______________ which are ________________to pests and diseases. g) Consumers do not want _______________________________ foods. 4. Identifique os personagens da notcia, relacionando as colunas de modo a formar frases corretas, de acordo com o texto: (1) Consumers (2) Endangered species (3) Scientists (4) Producers (5) Pests and diseases (6) Black Sigatoka (7) Bananas ( ) do not want to spend their money on that project. ( ) ... are the worlds most popular fruit. ( ) is a fungal disease which is now a global epidemic. ( ) are a terrible problem to banana producers across the world. ( ) have a project to save the banana through biotechnology. ( ) . . . are animals or plants in danger of extinction. ( ) . . . do not want to eat GM bananas.