The
reading and lecturer are both concerned with several benefits of GM products, which
are crops that have been altered through genetic engineering. The author of
reading passage believes that GM products have a lot of advantages. The lecturer
cast doubts on its arguments.
First of all, the author points out that GM products will solve the
hunger problem. It is mentioned that GM products use sunlight efficiently. Therefore,
the amount of crops will be increased. This point is challenged by the lecturer.
The lecturer suggests that people already have enough food. The problem is that
it is unequally distributed, which means there will be few access to the poor.
Secondly,
the author contends that GM technology will reduce the price of food. Because
GM products are more resistant, they will be more tolerant of cold temperature.
Then, food supply will be stabilized, which, in turn, makes food prices lower.
The lecturer counters this assertion. According to the lecture, billions of
dollars are invested to study genetic technology not for charity but for
profits. In addition, there will be more water usage and it will increase the
price up to 5 times compared to the current one.
The final point made by the author is that GM technology can produce more
durable vaccines. The author states that people have hard time shipping the
conventional vaccines. On the other hand, the lecturer refutes this claim. It
is mentioned that new vaccines have same problem with the current ones. People
use fruits such as banana to make vaccine. However, they need to be kept cool.
Therefore they have same problem, the shipping problem.