India faces impending sugar shortage amidst weak rainfall

admin 2024年3月29日

Beginner

world news, world news - beginner

Pre-reading questions:

I will read each question. Then, please answer them.

講師がそれぞれの質問を読むので答えましょう。

Have you heard or read about situations where a specific crop’s production decreased due to unfavorable weather conditions or water scarcity?
Are there any particular crops or agricultural products that your region or country is known for producing?

Vocabulary:

I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.

単語、意味、例文を読みます。講師に続いて音読しましょう。

drop /drop/

[noun] – a reduction in the amount or level of something
The sudden drop in temperature caused concern among farmers about their crop yields.

crop /krop/

[noun] – a plant such as a grain, vegetable, or fruit grown in large amounts on a farm, or the total amount gathered of such a plant
The wheat crop this year was exceptional, yielding an abundant harvest for the farmers.

raise /reyz/

[verb] – to cause something to increase or become bigger, better, higher, etc.
The company plans to raise prices on their products next month due to increased production costs.

government /GUHV-ern-muhnt/

[noun] – the group of people who officially control a country
The government has announced new policies to improve healthcare services nationwide.

predict /pri-DIKT/

[verb] – to say that an event or action will happen in the future, especially as a result of knowledge or experience
Meteorologists predict heavy rain tomorrow based on weather patterns.

Article reading:

Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.

記事を音読しましょう。講師はあなたの発音とイントネーションを確認します。

India, recognized as one of the world’s top sugar makers, is facing a big problem this year. The country is not getting enough rain, causing a significant drop in how much sugar they can make. This shortage might force India to buy sugar from other countries for the first time in seven years instead of selling it like they usually do. The main reason for this problem is that farmers in important sugarcane-growing places like Maharashtra and Karnataka are planting less sugarcane.

Due to low rainfall, lakes and rivers have less water. This forces farmers to grow crops like sorghum and chickpeas that need less water and grow faster than sugarcane. This could mean less sugar until September 2025. India usually sells 12% of the world’s sugar but might need to buy sugar from other countries by the first half of 2025. This could raise sugar prices worldwide, helping Brazil, the top sugar seller. Even though the government has not spoken, people in the sugar business predict less sugar production, and India might need to buy sugar from abroad. needs.

True or False:

Read the sentences and identify if they are true or false based on the article.

文章を読んで、記事に基づいて正誤を答えましょう。

The decrease in sugar production in India due to the water shortage won’t affect global sugar prices or benefit Brazil’s sugar sales.
Farmers in Maharashtra and Karnataka are planting more sugarcane, contributing to an increase in sugar production.
Low water levels in lakes and rivers are compelling farmers to grow alternative crops like sorghum and chickpeas that require less water.
There’s certainty that India will not need to import sugar from other countries despite the current shortage.
India typically sells around 12% of the world’s sugar but may have to resort to importing sugar from other countries.

Fill in the blanks:

Choose the correct word from the table then fill in the blanks.

適切な言葉を選んで空欄を埋めましょう。

drop

crop

raise

government

predict

Economists __________ a rise in inflation due to increased consumer spending.
Citizens elected a new __________ in the recent elections to lead the country.
There was a significant __________ in the stock market, causing investors to worry about their investments.
Farmers grow different __________ like wheat and rice.
The government’s decision to __________ taxes might result in higher prices for consumers.