Japan's Farmers Grow New Heat-Resistant Rice
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Japan is getting hotter. This is bad news for rice, Japan's most important food. Heat can damage rice plants and make crops smaller.
Now, farmers have new hope. Scientists have made new kinds of rice. These new plants can handle hot weather better than old rice types.
In a town called Shiroishi, schoolchildren helped plant rice in June. Local priests also came to bless the fields. They asked for a good harvest.
One farmer in Shiroishi is named Haruki Kawasaki. His rice fields look very healthy. It seems the prayers worked, and the new rice is growing well.
Many farmers in Japan are worried about climate change. Hot summers can hurt crops every year. New heat-resistant rice could help farmers keep growing enough rice for everyone.
This story shows how people are trying to solve problems caused by a warmer world. Science and tradition both play a part in protecting Japan's food.
Vocabulary15 words
- harvest
- the crop that farmers collect from their fields
- climate change
- the world's weather becoming different, often hotter
- heat-resistant
- able to survive hot temperatures
- variety
- a different type of the same plant
- staple crop
- a main food that many people eat
- seedling
- a very young plant
- bless
- to ask for good luck or protection
- deity
- a god or goddess
- priest
- a religious leader
- swelter
- to feel very hot
- bountiful
- large and plentiful
- crop
- plants grown for food
- field
- an area of land for growing plants
- farmer
- a person who grows crops or keeps animals
- emergency
- a serious and dangerous situation
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Quiz
Answer key
1. Because of hotter weather 2. Schoolchildren planted rice seedlings 3. True
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Japan is getting _____. This is bad news for rice, Japan's most important food.
Heat can _____ rice plants and make crops smaller.
Now, farmers have new _____.
Scientists have made new kinds of _____.
In a town called Shiroishi, schoolchildren helped plant rice in _____.
Local priests also came to _____ the fields.
One farmer in Shiroishi is named Haruki _____.
His rice fields look very _____.
Many farmers in Japan are worried about climate _____.
New heat-resistant rice could help farmers keep growing enough rice for _____.
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