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Iran war puts global food production at risk: fertiliser boss: BBC Learning English from the News

BBC Learning English

36K views 2 months ago

Warm-up Questions

What do you think it means when a war “puts global food production at risk”?
How could fertiliser affect the amount of food produced around the world?
What kind of vocabulary do you expect to hear in a BBC Learning English “From the News” episode?

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Iran war puts global food production at risk: fertiliser boss: BBC Learning English from the News

Overview of the story + headline 1 vocabulary: ‘ripple’ (00:00 – 03:23)

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1. According to the report, what is threatening global food production?

A new international rule banning fertiliser
An interruption of fertiliser supply
A decrease in the number of farmers worldwide
A sudden increase in global temperatures only

2. In the headline, what does ‘rippling across’ mean?

Moving in a straight line without change
Getting smaller and weaker
Freezing in one place
Spreading and causing effects in many places

3. What is an example of the phrase ‘ripple through’ used to mean ‘spread’?

A company changes its logo
News of a colleague’s resignation spreads in an office
A stone makes waves in water
A manager closes a meeting early

Iran war puts global food production at risk: fertiliser boss: BBC Learning English from the News

Why food production is under threat + headline 2 vocabulary: ‘drag on’ (03:23 – 05:53)

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1. Why is the Strait of Hormuz important in this story?

It is where most food is grown
It is an international bank that funds farming
It is the headquarters of a fertiliser company
It is a narrow waterway that a large amount of fertiliser trade passes through

2. In the headline, what does it mean if the crisis ‘drags on’?

It lasts for a long time, longer than expected
It moves quickly from one place to another
It becomes less serious
It ends suddenly

3. Which everyday example is given to show how ‘drag on’ can be used outside war news?

A meeting lasts too long
A holiday is too short
A bus arrives early
A meal is too expensive

Iran war puts global food production at risk: fertiliser boss: BBC Learning English from the News

Prices, food insecurity + headline 3 vocabulary: ‘feel the squeeze’ (05:53 – 08:29)

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1. What does the programme say ‘food insecurity’ means?

Food is imported from too many countries
People eat too much food
People do not have a reliable source of food
Food is unhealthy

2. Why could food prices rise, according to the explanation?

Supermarkets decide to raise prices for no reason
People stop buying food so prices increase
More fertiliser means food becomes luxury goods
Less fertiliser means less food is grown, so less supply pushes prices up

3. In the Sky News headline, who is said to ‘feel the squeeze’?

People who own large farms
Companies that sell fertiliser
Lower income households
Banks that lend money

Iran war puts global food production at risk: fertiliser boss: BBC Learning English from the News

Transcript will load here…

1. What is the main idea of the news story discussed in the episode?

The UK has solved food inflation
A new fertiliser is making crops grow faster
Countries are banning trade routes permanently
Conflict may disrupt fertiliser supply and affect global food production and prices

2. Which relationship is explained in the episode?

More storms → cheaper food everywhere
More imports → fewer meals → lower prices
Less fertiliser → less food grown → higher prices
Higher rent → more fertiliser → less hunger

3. What is the programme’s learning focus (besides the news story itself)?

Grammar rules for the passive voice only
Vocabulary in the headlines
Pronunciation of place names
Writing long essays about economics

Discussion Questions

Discuss the ideas from this video

Iran war puts global food production at risk: fertiliser boss: BBC Learning English from the News

How can a problem in one region ‘ripple across’ the world economy? Can you think of a real example?
Do you think governments should keep emergency reserves of key supplies (like fertiliser, fuel, or food)? Why or why not?
What are some signs that households are ‘feeling the squeeze’ in your country right now?
What actions could reduce food insecurity when prices rise?