Enligsh worksheet

1. Summarize Rep. Dennis Kucinich’s comments about GMOs, including mention of the precautionary principle.

2. Hans Herren, a food scientist and etymologist, comments on GMO products, which are labeled in some form in most European countries. What does he say about how consumers react to them typically in Europe, and what most consumers want?

3. What is Monsanto’s response when various US states try to pass or pass various GMO labeling bills?

4. What are Hans Herren’s comments about the number of calories produced today and in the future for worldwide consumption? What is his insinuation about the thought that we must double the amount of calories/food produced?

5. Why do Jeremy Seifert and Rep. Dennis Kucinich object to GMOs being given G.R.A.S. status?

6. What objections does Dr. Vandama Shiva have about Monsanto and similar companies?

7. What is the purpose of the Global Seed Vault in Norway, how extensive is it, and what is remarkable about its contents?

8. In a voiceover, an official of the Global Seed Vault talks about the historical threats to crop diversity and strength, and discusses healthy agricultural systems. Paraphrase his words here.

9. Dr. Giles-Eric Seralini tested GMO feed and Monsanto’s RoundUp on rats for how long, as compared to Monsanto’s three month study?

10. What is Dr. Seralini’s reply to the question as to why we don’t see people walking around with visible tumors like what you see in his rats?

11. What happened in the media the day after Dr. Seralini’s study was published? What people/groups did this?

12. What are the criticisms made of Dr. Seralini’s study? What is his response to this?

13. Summarize some of Jeremy Seifert’s closing comments about Dr. Seralini, GMO testing, and so on, in the scenes in Paris and time with his son. Additionally, jot down some comments by Dr. Vandama Shiva, Gene Lodgson, Jean-Baptiste Chavannes, and other random people on the street.

Name: Date:

GMO OMG as an Argument Deconstruction

As you’re watching, consider how Jeremy Seifert uses the three persuasion techniques of ethos, pathos, and logos. Find FOUR examples of each in the film. Provide brief explanation of each example; don’t just list names or phrases.

- Ethos (appeal to the authority or honesty of the presenters; anything that establishes credibility/trust)

1.

2.

3.

4.

- Pathos (content that establishes emotional connection; sympathy; empathy; moral/ethical concerns)

1.

2.

3.

4.

- Logos (use of solid facts, figures, statistics, studies, hard data)

1.

2.

3.

4.

GMO OMG Funsheet: As the documentary plays, please watch for answers to the following items and answer them as fully and specifically as you are able.

1. What is a GMO, and what are the two main types of them?

2. Most studies that have been done on GMOs are about how long? Who does these studies?

3. When the chemical and seed company Monsanto donated seeds to Haiti, what did that country do to the seeds? Why is this a remarkable action by this nation?

4. Summarize Haitian agriculturist and social leader Chavannes Jean-Baptiste’s comments about Monsanto’s objectives, goals, and purpose.

5. What other countries have had major anti-GMO demonstrations besides Haiti?

6. Does shopping at Whole Foods mean you are avoiding GMO products? About what percentage of packaged food contains GMO ingredients?

7. About what percentage of these crops are GMOs? Corn _____ Soy ______ Cotton ____

Canola_____ Sugar_____. How many acres in the US are GMO crops?_____________

8. What happens when Jeremy Seifert calls various seed companies to ask them about their products and their safety? What does he think these companies’ reaction SHOULD be?

9. Jeremy Seifert talks with Ken Roseboro, editor of the Organic & Non GMO Report. What does Roseboro tell him about what the biotech industry wants?

10. What reaction does Jeremy Seifert get when he visits Monsanto facilities?

11. What is conventional farmer Bill Beam’s claim about organic farming? Why does he feel that chemical farming is better?

12. Explain how a farm can become contaminated with GMOs, and what companies like Monsanto have been known to do in response.

13. Renowned author and critic Gene Logsdon objects to GMOs, but not necessarily for health reasons. What is his objection to GMOs?

14. In 1945, how many pounds of pesticides were put on conventional crops overall? _________________ In 2000, what had this number grown to? ____________________

About how many species of crop damaging insects are now resistant to most pesticides? ______________ What else has become resistant to chemical controls due to heavy use by conventional farms?

15. According to researchers at the Rodale Institute, how do GMO crops perform when first planted? How do they do in the long run, according to the Rodale Institute?

16. Paraphrase Seifert’s narration about crop genetic diversity while at Seed Savers. What are his concerns?