www.argyre.

hu/b2

NM Studio ..:: Angol tvoktats ::..

angol@argyre.hu

Vegetarianism Daniel Ive been a vegetarian since I was eighteen. Before that Id always eaten quite a lot of meat, like the rest of my family, but then I read a book about animal rights that made me start asking myself a few questions. For exam le, I love animals, and know I could never kill one myself unless my own survival really de ended on it, but by buying meat wasnt I su orting the killing of animals by other eo le! "e all know that murdering a erson is wrong, but why do we acce t that killing an animal is very different! Dont they have feelings and a desire to live, #ust like we do! $herefore vegetarianism for me was an ethical choice, although I also think there are health benefits % for exam le almost none of my vegetarian friends are overweight, but about half of my meat&eating ones are. 'livia I was a vegetarian for about eighteen months when I was at university, but I havent been able to kee it u since then. Ive never gone back to eating red meat, but I cant resist a bit of chicken from time to time, and I love fish, so maybe you could call me a (semi&vegetarian. $o be honest I cant disagree with the ethical arguments against eating meat, but I #ust find it too difficult to cut it out of my diet com letely. I do believe there are good environmental reasons for trying to reduce the amount of meat we eat. )aising animals to roduce meat uses u a huge amount of natural resources such as land and water % far more than #ust growing cro s % and makes global warming worse. *ack Id say most vegetarians are eo le in cities who dont understand rural life. Ive lived in the countryside all my life, so I grew u around cattle, shee and igs. )aising animals for food is a way of life that goes back thousands of years % its a natural thing for humans to do. +lso, the smell and taste of bacon is #ust gorgeous % my life would be oorer without it, I am a bit uncomfortable about modern factory farming, though. Its all about roducing as much meat as ossible, as quickly and chea ly as ossible, and the animals often s end most of their lives indoors in confined s aces. -ou have to ay a bit extra for free&range meat % which means meat that comes from animals that have led more natural lives, having been free to move around on the farm % but Im ha y to do so. Exercise 1 Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F), or if the text doesnt say (D). 1. (Free&range meat is generally more ex ensive than other meat. 2. 'livia has never eaten red meat. 3. Daniel thinks it is healthier to be vegetarian than to eat meat.

www.argyre.hu/b2

NM Studio ..:: Angol tvoktats ::..

angol@argyre.hu

4. 'livia thinks that being (semi&vegetarian is the best ethical choice. 5. *ack thinks that vegetarians dont understand what life is like in the countryside. 6. Daniel is now the only vegetarian in his family. Exercise 2 1. "hat first made Daniel think about becoming a vegetarian! 2. "hy does Daniel think that killing an animal is not very different from murdering a human being! 3. "hy isnt 'livia a vegetarian! 4. "hat exam les does 'livia give of natural resources that are used in large quantities to roduce meat! 5. "hat reasons does *ack give for eating meat! 6. "hy does *ack think that the free&range method of farming is better than factory farming! .egold/sok0 Exercise 1 1. $ 2. F 3. $ 4. F

5. $ 6. D

Exercise 2 1. Daniel first thought about becoming a vegetarian when he read a book about animal rights. 2. 7e thinks killing animals is not very different from murder because animals have feelings and a desire to live, #ust like humans do. 3. 'livia is not a vegetarian because she finds it too difficult not to eat meat. 4. 8he gives the exam les of land and water. 5. *ack says that humans have been raising animals for food for thousands of years 9and therefore that it is (natural:, and also that his life would be oorer without the smell and taste of bacon. 6. *ack thinks the free&range method is better because animals do not live indoors in confined s aces but instead are free to move around the farm.