Food on the Go
Question: What must fruits and vegetables be able to do to survive the journey from the farm to your table?
Answer: They need to be tough.
Question: How can scientists make foods better?
Answer: By developing foods that are tastier, easier to transport, faster growing, and more resistant to diseases.
Question: When are watermelons typically planted, and when are they ready to be picked?
Answer: Watermelons are planted in the spring and grow bigger and juicier until they are ready to be picked in the summer.
Question: What is vertical farming?
Answer: Vertical farming is a method where farms grow up, not out, using many different levels in a tall structure.
Question: How did home cooking methods change with the introduction of the first home ovens?
Answer: The first home ovens brought the fire inside, making cooking more convenient.
Question: What does the word "shipped" mean in the context of transporting food?
Answer: "Shipped" means to send something, such as crops, from one place to another.
What is one example of a food that has changed due to transportation needs?
Answer: Tomatoes.
Question: What are genes, and why are they important in crops?
Answer: Genes are the basic material that makes every food unique, determining its physical traits.
Question: How do supermarkets manage to carry watermelons year-round?
Answer: Supermarkets carry watermelons year-round by shipping them from other regions or countries.
Question: How do vertical farms differ from traditional farms in terms of land use?
Answer: Vertical farms use less land and can be built in cities and other areas where traditional farming is not possible.
Question: What type of ovens began to be used in the nineteenth century, and why were they easier to use?
Answer: Gas and electric ovens began to be used, and they were easier to turn on and set specific temperatures.
Question: What is the meaning of "produce" in relation to farming?
Answer: "Produce" means to grow or make something, such as crops on a farm.
Question: What is the process called where farmers choose seeds from tomatoes with thicker skins to make them tougher?
Answer: Selective breeding.
Question: What is genetic engineering used for in farming?
Answer: Genetic engineering is used to introduce new traits to crops that do not naturally occur, such as making a cucumber taste good to humans but bad to insects.
Question: What made it possible for us to eat watermelon any time of the year?
Answer: Selective breeding and hybridization made it possible for us to eat watermelon any time of the year.
Question: What are some of the advantages of vertical farming mentioned in the text?
Answer: Advantages include using less land and water, growing crops without pesticides or fertilizers, and being able to grow crops in urban areas.
Question: What form of energy do microwave ovens use to cook food?
Answer: Microwave ovens use electromagnetic radiation to cook food.
Question: How is the word "traits" used when talking about plants or animals?
Answer: "Traits" are the characteristics or features that are passed from one generation to the next in plants or animals.
Question: In what century did farmers begin to produce new plant hybrids?
Answer: The twentieth century.
Question: What is Golden Rice, and what problem does it solve?
Answer: Golden Rice is a genetically modified food that provides Vitamin A, helping to prevent blindness caused by Vitamin A deficiency.
Question: Describe the first watermelons grown in Africa around 3,000 B.C.
Answer: The first watermelons were just 5 cm wide, very bitter, and hard.
Question: What are hydroponic farms, and how do they differ from traditional farms?
Answer: Hydroponic farms grow plants without soil, using a special mixture that provides all the nutrients needed. They use 20 times less water than traditional farms and can reuse water.
Question: What is the modern kitchen appliance mentioned that cooks food under pressure, and why is it popular?
Answer: The modern kitchen appliance is a pressure cooker, which is popular because it cooks food either slowly or quickly under pressure, resulting in tasty meals.
Question: Explain the term "developed" as it relates to new types of crops.
Answer: "Developed" means to create or improve something, like new types of crops through breeding or genetic engineering.
Question: What is a hybrid, and why is it important in the context of food transportation?
Answer: A hybrid is created by breeding two different varieties of plants together to have the best traits of each parent. It is important because a good hybrid can be sweet and tasty but also have a thick skin that will stand up to long shipping distances.
Question: How did scientists develop Golden Rice?
Answer: Scientists developed Golden Rice by changing the genes of white rice to add Vitamin A, making it more nutritious.
Question: How have farmers improved watermelons over time?
Answer: Farmers improved watermelons by carefully choosing which plants to grow and later by cross-breeding, resulting in much bigger, super-sweet melons with skins tough enough to ship safely but easier to open than the original watermelons.
Question: Why do hydroponic farms not need to use pesticides, and what additional advantage do they have regarding space for growing?
Answer: Hydroponic farms do not need pesticides because the growing mixture is sterile, meaning it does not contain any living germs or bacteria. Additionally, they require less space for growing.
Question: During a special sale in 2015, how many modern pressure cookers were sold in a single day, and what does this suggest about their popularity?
Answer: More than 215,000 modern pressure cookers were sold in a single day, suggesting they are very popular with users.
Question: Describe what "disadvantages" and "advantages" mean in the context of farming practices.
Answer: "Disadvantages" are the negative aspects or challenges of something, such as traditional farming methods that might use more water. "Advantages" are the positive aspects or benefits, like vertical farming using less land and water.