Unit 7 writing by Andromahi

In recent years, geneticists have found ways to produce new crops by modifying them in order to eliminate starvation. On the other hand, there are some concerns whether or not the results of promoting these genetically modified (GM) crops is more beneficial than harmful.--> you can put it more clearly and grammatically correctly: there are concerns whether the effects of these genetically modified (GM) crops will be beneficial or not.

On the one hand, COMMA the percentage of famine have has increased dramatically worldwide. Unfortunately, COMMA 795 million people in the world do not have enough/ sufficient/ adequate food to lead a healthy active life. Consequently, COMMA it is crucial to be found for alternative ways to generate food to be found. The achievement of genetic modifications have has succeeded to raise the yield of Argentina, for instance,  to approximately 17 billion kilos only in 10 years. Needless to say that those statistics indicate successfully that GM crops can definitely contribute to win beating the enemy that is called hunger. The main thing priority/ consideration (we need more formal equivalents) is that only if a country has an abundance of products, will poor people have the ability to purchase food in lower prices. A number of them may even manage to be absorbed into the agricultural sector and have/ receive a salary.

Detractors, on the other hand, claim that due to the fact that genetically modified crops is a new practice, (there is nothing accurate) there is little certain data about these seeds' long-term effects and safety of use. It should can be argued that transgenic crops can cause allergic reactions. This is because their genome may contain genes an allergen, thus prompting an allergy to the person who consumes them (a food that prompts an allergy). In addition, COMMA it is believed by some people that GM crops can trigger the development of cancer. It is worth noting that there is no evidence for this. However, the government should ensure safety and set the guidelines.

In the light of the above, COMMA genetically modified crops is a controversial issue. Pros and cons should be undoubtedly taken into account. In practice, COMMA before promoting this scheme globally, COMMA IT is appropriate to conduct more studies/ more research about the effects. Only by in this way can people anticipate a brighter future.

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Andromahi, you dealt with a new topic well, but your text could be even better if there were more formal expressions at certain points and fewer grammatical or even spelling errors (look at the corrections in bold). 

Argentina should be mentioned as an example with all the proper linking phrases and explanations. 

The end of paragraph 1 was a little confusing for the reader, too. 

Overall, if certain things are improved, we will reach the desired goal! You are close, Andromahi! Keep trying! Christina 👌👏💝

GM Crops

  Lately there has been much debate about the use of genetic engineering so as to generate genetically modified crops.  It is a truism that (NO COMMA HERE) the intervention (=ανάμειξη?) of technology (or even better: technological advances) has provided tremendous opportunities to *enable our life less though/ for people to lead a more comfortable life on this planet. From my perspective, I think that genetically modified crops can make a decisive contribution to *come up against adverse realm facing adversity, several of which becomes evident in malnutrition and economy.

 There are several reasons why genetic engineering can chip in the rising of the economy/ boost or enhance economy. To begin with, it is known that farmers , who are in the bottom of social ladder**,are using this method (subject+verb+object) more and more this method in order for their yields fields to produce oodles of yield. The more the farmers produce ,the more they receive financially. Furthermore,  what production companies really prefer is a great amount of yields in order to *have the highest brands' generation generate/produce large quantities in very low prices . Not only does IS all this process of production be on the rise, but also consumption should occur three times more than usual. Last but not least, genetically modified foods are much more resistant through time. As a consequence, they should be used as materials in stock in case of an emergency.

  Another beneficial advance of genetic engineering is the alleviation of malnutrition***.  It is known that in some non developing nations, there is a huge part of the population who cannot merely make for a living , staying malnourished. Genetically modified foods may be deemed as an ally ti this issue of the poorer families due to the mass production of fundamental goods/ basic necessities. Some people, however, may claim that these methods of production are going to spawn detrimental effects into on the human body causing fatal ailments, COMMA such as cancer. So/ therefore/ consequently (=more formal equivalents of so), it is clear that mortality rates will absolutely increase. However,  in reality what these people forget is that GM (no dash in-between) foods provide the chance of a self- sufficient life. Not only does do GM foods not aim at elevated mortality rates,  but they also endorse people's complete adequacy/ self-sufficiency/ independence.

 Taking everything into account ,the obvious conclusion to be drawn is that the advance of genetic engineering has been crucial to humanity. But for it, percentages of shortages would be high and wounds' of whole world remain at the bottom (UNCLEAR HERE- don't think in Greek!) . To my mind , if we let technology interfere completely in some fields/ if technology is put into good use, then the future will probably/ definitely/certainly seem brighter.

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*If you translate these parts of the sentence in Greek, will they make sense? 
** Please avoid statements such as this one- they are unnecessary and politically incorrect. 
*** This should be your first argument in paragraph two, in my opinion, as it is the most important one.

Charalambos, I totally appreciate your attempt at elaborating on a very difficult topic we have not discussed in class yet. There are certainly areas that need more improvement (vocabulary used incorrectly, some grammatical errors, some unclear sentences), but I can see you are trying, which makes all the difference! If you have written this essay on your notebook too, you can copy my corrections and let me know which parts you found confusing. You are very close to passing! We can do this, adults' team! Christina 💟😎💪

Genetically modified crops

     It is a truism that over the past decades the earth' s population has increased dramatically. There has been heated controversy between proponents of genetically modified crops and detractors of transgenic foods (or: detractors of them- save the useful paraphrase for later) about whether it is reprehensible to adopt such a method. Personally speaking, I think that it is a moot point and we should shed some light on it/ some light should be shed on it- use the passive preferably.
     A sound argument in favor of genetically modified crops is that it is a significant means to tackle the world hunger. It is evident that many  people the world over suffer from malnutrition. By developing transgenic foods may lead to alleviate these problems. Furthermore, advocates of transgenic foods claim that crops are bound to give better yields resulting in low prices which will be beneficial for the consumers globally/the world over. Another point that they adduce is that genetically modified plants enable farmers to use powerful pesticides in order to protect their fields from unwanted weeds, meaning that their workload and expenses will diminish.
     On the other hand, opponents of transgenic foods argue that this phenomenon may result in many thorny issues which should be taken into account. First off, some people are profoundly convinced that consuming genetically modified foods may trigger health issues. Not only is the scientific research about these plants poor, but also there are already concerns from scientists who suggest that there are more to it than meets the eye. Moreover, there are those who believe that tampering with the DNA of organisms is not in the right direction. In other words, it is maintained that such a practise goes beyond the ethical boundaries and humankind is surpassing limits beyond their nature. Another point (unnecessary: of others) is that the root of the problem is not the amount of the yields but the fact that the majority of people who starve cannot afford to buy foods. That is to say, COMMA they urge the state to find different ways to address the world hunger, as giving incentives to young people to cultivate land and support them financially.
     By a way of conclusion, it should be reiterated that adopting genetically modified crops is a profoundly debatable issue and all aspects should be taken into consideration. It is a matter of life and death and we must be tentative in our judgements. I am totally  convinced that the state should fund scientists to conduct experiments and provide scientific results. Thus, they will enable us to choose wisely the best solution wisely. (verb+object+ adverb of manner)


Vassilis, wow! That is an amazing piece of writing on a topic we hardly had  any time to discuss! Also, the way you handled the issue was very clever and at no point did it confuse the reader, which is a feat in its own right.

Well done and keep up the effort! 

Grammar 4/5
Vocabulary 4/5-- possibly 5/5
Rhetoric 5/5

Total score: 13/15 at the very least! Christina 👍💪😊

ECPE Challenge Unit 7: Science and Technology Videos

1. Watch this video by the Irish Stem Cell Foundation, offering a simple introduction to stem cell research.

2. And this on the biotechnology behind 'clean' meat and fish, and the future battle to win over the hearts and minds of the eating public

3. Looking forward to the essay, here's a BBC Newsnight report and debate on the pros and cons of GM crops:

4. Finally, we have read of the claim that GM crops are needed to help solve the problem of hunger in developing countries. Here are Greenpeace's objections to that argument.


 

Genetically modified (GM) crops.. What is your opinion?

Nowadays, we often hear about genetically modified crops which are going to help societies to produce more food supplies in order for the latter to cope with malnourished people and world hunger. Although this seems to be a really beneficial (positive) side of transgenic crops, (as far as I am concerned-> not necessary) I am completely opposed to altering the crops' DNA.

(There are two reasons for my objection.) First of all, when people try to differentiate a genetic code of a living organism, it is an unethical action. A lot of people tend to agree with this, such as Prince Charles, who mentioned that when actions like this are done, people invade in realms that belong to God. (Why do you overgeneralize?) In addition, I am not sure that, even if a vast amount of food is produced, people are going to be given ample quantities of it. One basic example is Argentina, country which increased its productivity, but indigent people were not given enough food, since the farmers exported most of the yield in an effort to make as much profit as they could. As a result, GM crops will not be the solution to tackle the problem of world hunger, because the main problem will be that people will not be able to afford the cost of the food.

Moreover, another reason for concern is that scientists have yet to test what health risks these modified crops contain and how hazardous they are for us. Some people reported that after consuming such food, they had allergic reactions to it and they needed special treatment. In addition, a lot of people are afraid of  consuming such products because they are feared to lead to cancer or even liver damage. Therefore, scientists should do their best to carry out some experiments and see what consequences they have on our health and find ways so as to make them completely safe for our health.

All in all, I am not in favor of modifying the genetic material of any organism because this may lead to a lot of harmful effects on us, but also because I do not think that it is the best solution of winning the war against hunger.

November vocabulary Calendar!! (I hope it will be my last one)

1. The coach was clocking the athlete’s performance and at the end of an extremely hard-working day the athlete finally attained the desired time so as to participate in the Olympic Games.
2. His associate asked him to work round the clock for one day so as to finish the project before the deadline. When he heard that, he got ticked off and behaved as if he were possessed.
3. The man possesses an ability to read everyone’s lips.
4. It was such a poignant moment when she got informed of her son’s death. The police called her to inform (announce) that sadly, her 20-year-old son, who she had doted on, was dead. (spine chilling!)
5. She always buys a lot and lives lavishly, and most of her clothes are unique. As a result she is very possessive about her clothes and never lets anyone (without to) wear them.
6. The Company’s boss (president) is totally impertinent. He has been continuously belittling his employees who usually get told off with no reason. As a result, they have revolted against him.
7. The earth needs 24 hours to rotate once on its axis but it needs 365 days to revolve around the sun.
8. He is such an obstinate person; his couch and the floor had a few speckles of paint; he blamed his nephew without any proof and he made him wash out/rinse out the paint from the furniture and scrub the floor with a brush.
9. This year our yield was extremely prolific, because of the good weather. But in North Greece the soil dried out and the plants withered because of the heat.
10. His wife ruminated on her husband’s cheat for weeks, but she couldn’t figure out what to do. In no way did she want to get a divorce, because she was afraid of fending for herself and pay her own way; so her best friend suggested leaning on her advice and ironing out their problem immediately.
11. She scorned and underrated her colleague because she didn’t think that her associate was qualified for the promotion. But, at last, he was the one who became the manager.
12. She suffered from irreparable damage (injuries) after she fell down the stairs. She shouldn't have walked down the stairs in the sheer dark.
13. We should all pay our respects to her. (give it to her= acknowledge her good work) Since she got a job here, the company is thriving. She has all the qualifications and she works relentlessly; she has impeccable manners, the ability to persuade customers, and a special aptitude for captivating everyone.


* pay one's last respects show respect toward a deadperson by attending their funeral.
pay one's respects make a polite visit to someone: we went to pay our respects to the head lama.
14. Her claim was that her husband was not guilty of the crime. But as she was rummaging in the attic for a photo album, she found a T-shirt full off blood. She felt completely repelled and devastated by his action. Of course she didn’t defend him at the court and as a consequence the jury returned a verdict of guilty.
15. The vehicles of the future are probably some more enhanced scooters propelled by electric power.
16. He always expresses his feelings expansively; He is always open-eyed waiting for a beautiful woman so as to pay a compliment to her.
17. All this period the team was consistently scoring high in every match; so its cheerleaders were swaying in their team’s song.
18. He grew up in a deprived area, where the proportion of the undernourished children that were close to starvation was alarmingly high.
19. You should be amenable to anything you are asked to do. In addition try not to be diffident if you go to your boss' office; put your money where your mouth is and you have nothing to worry about.
20. If you stay all day long in front of a computer, then this will have deleterious effects on your eyes.
21. The number of people that became insolvent today is almost 1 to 3.
22. She tried to put two and two together, according to his words, but she based her train of thought on spurious information.
23. My friend’s boss asked him back to work; as you can imagine he was delirious with happiness.
24. I put all my eggs in one basket and I had a fight with my boss for being so obstinate; The strange is that he told me that I was right, and he urged me to always say my opinion loud.
25. While I was walking on the street somebody shoved me; as I turned back an extremely tall man dwarfed me and all of my friends were laughing with the comparison of me next to a giant person!
26. All prisons are surrounded by barbed wire, so as to make it difficult for prisoners to escape.
27. Low-paid employees almost always take a few cash rebate from the taxes.
28. He was made responsible for the event. Although everything was organized perfectly his boss punished him just because he had got out of bed on the wrong side.
29.   A: I’m really frustrated that you didn’t come here on time. B: I told you that I was held up. What should I do?
30. When it’s rainy outside and there are thunders and lightings, I always latch on doors, windows etc. because I am really afraid.

Technology and I

Well, although i don't know much of technology, the two gadgets that appeal to me and i really enjoy to use, is my blue notebook(small laptop) and my mobile phone. I bought my notebook two years ago, in order to help me with my activities in university. Because of it's size i can take it everywhere, even in my bag, and it provides to me the opportunity of being consistent in my university obligations. Now i use it also, for my english homework! This isn't a common laptop for me,because i see it as a useful tool for my work. But it also offers relaxation and fun. The other gadget that i love to use is my pink mobile phone. It has got the possibility of storing large numbers of mp3 music,that accompanies me, especially when i'm travelling.
When i first get a device that i do not know how to use, i usually read the manual in order to find how the device works. But when i get a device that is new(e.g. a new mobile phone), but it is a kind of gadget that i have already use it, i prefer to figure out how it works by trial and error. How different can be from my old one?

And some corrections to the paragraph:

Well, although I don't know much of technology, the two gadgets that appeal to me and I really enjoy to use ARE my blue notebook(small laptop) and my mobile phone. I bought my notebook two years ago, in order TO USE IT FOR MY UNIVERSITY ASSIGNMENTS AND RESEARCH. Because of ITS size I can take it everywhere, even in my bag, and it provides ME WITH the opportunity of FULFILLING ALL MY UNIVERSITY OBLIGATIONS. Now I use it also, for my English homework! This isn't a common laptop for me,because I see it as a useful tool for my work AS WELL AS TO relax and HAVE fun. The other gadget that i love to use is my pink mobile phone. It has got the possibility of storing large AMOUNTS of mp3 music,that accompanies me, especially when I'm travelling.It has also GOT a camera that can CAPTURE my good times or beautiful landscapes.
When I first get a device that i do not know how to use, I usually read the manual in order to find how the device works. But when I get a device that is new(e.g. a new mobile phone), but it is a kind of gadget that I have already useD, I prefer to figure out how it works by trial and error. How different can IT be from my old one?

Which high-tech gadgets appeal to you? When you first got them did you read the manual or you tried to figure out how they work by trial and error?

Everyday, I use two high-tech gadgets that enhanced but also improved my daily life. The first one is my tiny mp4 player, which is a device that allows me to listen to music while I am walking to my work but also it enables me to watch videos or movies while I am on the bus. As for the second one, it is my iPhone which was my most thrilling birthday present. Before I got it in my hand, I thought it was a waste of money. But how wrong was I? After a few days of searching and installing applications, at the moment I am able to check my e-mail and my English blog any time I want, no matter where am I (you see I mention the blog everywhere :P) . In addition, every day I have to use the bus because I leave in the outskirts of Heraklion; through an application I know exactly what time the bus leaves. Finally, what really amuses me is that I always have a high definition camera with me so as to take pictures that depict every special moment of my life.

Although it seems a bit unusual, when I buy a new thing, no matter what it is, I never read the instruction manual. I prefer to spend more time trying to find on my own what capabilities it has because it is more creative; but in some cases I do not figure out how it works properly, and as a result I waste a lot of time.