Why read this: This article is about plant-based burgers — burgers made without meat. Students will know these from their supermarkets and restaurants. The article is interesting because it tells a simple, clear story: something was popular, then people stopped buying it, and now companies are trying new ideas. The topic is also good for vocabulary building. Students meet everyday words like 'burger', 'meat', 'price', 'healthy' and 'factory', and a few new food-industry words like 'plant-based', 'protein' and 'fibre'.
What to notice: Look for the three problems the writer names: the price is too high, the taste is not always good, and the food is made in a factory. Each problem has its own short paragraph, so students can see the structure easily. Then look for the three new ideas at the end: more protein and fibre, half-meat half-plant burgers, and meat grown in a lab. Numbers appear in simple forms: $7.43, $9.04, 10%, $4 billion. Students can read the numbers out loud in pairs.
Skills practised: Reading: understanding a short news article with clear structure; finding key facts and numbers; answering simple questions about the text. Writing: making short sentences to describe a problem; using 'because' to give a reason; listing ideas with 'first', 'second' and 'third'. Speaking: talking about food you like or do not like; comparing prices; explaining why something is popular or not popular.
Fewer People Are Buying Plant-Based Burgers
Plant-based burgers were popular. Now, not many people buy them. Companies are trying new ideas.
Tap any green word in the article to see its meaning.
A few years ago, plant-based: made from plants, not from animals — 植物做的 burgersburger: A flat round cake of minced meat or plant protein, usually served in a bun — 汉堡包 were very popular. In 2019, a company called Beyond Meat began selling its shares on the stockstock: A supply of goods kept for sale; shares in a company; an amount available for use. — 库存；股票；储备 market, and was worthworth: Having a value of; proper to be exchanged for — 值…的 almostalmost: Very nearly but not completely. — 几乎；差不多 $4 billion. Many other companies started making burgers without meat.
But now, not many people buy plant-based meat. Beyondbeyond: On the far side of; more than; outside the limits of. — 超越；在…之外 Meat is now worth less than $400 million. Less than 10% of American adults eat plant-based meat every week. Real meat is selling well. So what is the problem?
The first problem is money. A pound of real beef mince: small pieces of beef, used for burgers (UK word) — 牛肉末 costs $7.43 at Walmart. But a pound of plant-based meat costs $9.04. For a family, that is a lot of extra money every week.
The second problem is tastetaste: One of the sensations produced by the tongue in response to certain chemicals; the quality of giving this sensation — 味道. Some plant-based meat still does not taste good. One British company says that a bad burgerburger: A flat round cake of minced meat or plant protein, usually served in a bun — 汉堡包 can stop a person from trying plant-based meat again.
The third problem is that some people call plant-based meat an ultra-processed: food made in a factory with many added things — 超加工 food. This means the food is made in a factoryfactory: A building where goods are made by machines. — 工厂 with many different things in it. Some people think this is not healthy. They think plant-based burgers are like potato chipschip: A long thin piece of fried potato, or a small piece broken off something. — 薯条；碎片；芯片 or Oreo cookies.
Companies are trying new ideas. They put more protein: something in food that helps the body grow strong — 蛋白质 and more fibre: something in plants that is good for the stomach — 膳食纤维 in their food, because many people want this. Some companies make burgers that are half meat and half plants. This is good for parents who want their children to eat more vegetables.
Some companies are also trying something new called cultivated meat: meat grown in a lab from animal cells — 培育肉. This is real meat, but it is grown in a lablab: Short for laboratory; a room used for scientific work. — 实验室 from animal cellscell: The smallest structural unit of a living organism; a small room for a prisoner. — 细胞；牢房. No animals are killedkill: To cause something or someone to die. — 杀死；致死. In some parts of the United States, this is not allowedallow: To let someone do something or let something happen. — 允许；让. But in Britain, it is allowed as food for petspet: An animal you keep at home for company. — 宠物 like dogs and cats. Cultivated meat is still very expensive.
One businessmanbusinessman: A man who works in business, especially at a high level. — 商人；企业家 says that plant-based meat has a problem: people think it is "fakefake: Not genuine; made to look real in order to deceive. — 假的；伪造的". Cultivated meat is real meat, so it may not have the same problem. Companies now have ten years to show that cultivated meat can be cheap and popular.
A few years ago, plant-based: made from plants, not from animals — 植物做的 burgersburger: A flat round cake of minced meat or plant protein, usually served in a bun — 汉堡包 were very popular. In 2019, a company called Beyond Meat began selling its shares on the stockstock: A supply of goods kept for sale; shares in a company; an amount available for use. — 库存；股票；储备 market, and was worthworth: Having a value of; proper to be exchanged for — 值…的 almostalmost: Very nearly but not completely. — 几乎；差不多 $4 billion. Many other companies started making burgers without meat.
But now, not many people buy plant-based meat. Beyondbeyond: On the far side of; more than; outside the limits of. — 超越；在…之外 Meat is now worth less than $400 million. Less than 10% of American adults eat plant-based meat every week. Real meat is selling well. So what is the problem?
The first problem is money. A pound of real beef mince: small pieces of beef, used for burgers (UK word) — 牛肉末 costs $7.43 at Walmart. But a pound of plant-based meat costs $9.04. For a family, that is a lot of extra money every week.
The second problem is tastetaste: One of the sensations produced by the tongue in response to certain chemicals; the quality of giving this sensation — 味道. Some plant-based meat still does not taste good. One British company says that a bad burgerburger: A flat round cake of minced meat or plant protein, usually served in a bun — 汉堡包 can stop a person from trying plant-based meat again.
The third problem is that some people call plant-based meat an ultra-processed: food made in a factory with many added things — 超加工 food. This means the food is made in a factoryfactory: A building where goods are made by machines. — 工厂 with many different things in it. Some people think this is not healthy. They think plant-based burgers are like potato chipschip: A long thin piece of fried potato, or a small piece broken off something. — 薯条；碎片；芯片 or Oreo cookies.
Companies are trying new ideas. They put more protein: something in food that helps the body grow strong — 蛋白质 and more fibre: something in plants that is good for the stomach — 膳食纤维 in their food, because many people want this. Some companies make burgers that are half meat and half plants. This is good for parents who want their children to eat more vegetables.
Some companies are also trying something new called cultivated meat: meat grown in a lab from animal cells — 培育肉. This is real meat, but it is grown in a lablab: Short for laboratory; a room used for scientific work. — 实验室 from animal cellscell: The smallest structural unit of a living organism; a small room for a prisoner. — 细胞；牢房. No animals are killedkill: To cause something or someone to die. — 杀死；致死. In some parts of the United States, this is not allowedallow: To let someone do something or let something happen. — 允许；让. But in Britain, it is allowed as food for petspet: An animal you keep at home for company. — 宠物 like dogs and cats. Cultivated meat is still very expensive.
One businessmanbusinessman: A man who works in business, especially at a high level. — 商人；企业家 says that plant-based meat has a problem: people think it is "fakefake: Not genuine; made to look real in order to deceive. — 假的；伪造的". Cultivated meat is real meat, so it may not have the same problem. Companies now have ten years to show that cultivated meat can be cheap and popular.
Questions
Check your understanding
- 01
How much is Beyond Meat worth now, according to the article?
- 02
Why do some people think plant-based burgers are not healthy?
- 03
What is 'cultivated meat'?
- 04
Describe three problems for plant-based meat companies. Use information from the article.
Suggested length: ~50 words
- 05
Name two new ideas that plant-based meat companies are trying.
Suggested length: ~50 words
Questions
Check your understanding
- 01
How much is Beyond Meat worth now, according to the article?
- 02
Why do some people think plant-based burgers are not healthy?
- 03
What is 'cultivated meat'?
- 04
Describe three problems for plant-based meat companies. Use information from the article.
Suggested length: ~50 words
- 05
Name two new ideas that plant-based meat companies are trying.
Suggested length: ~50 words