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Curry Can Kill Cancer Cells (3rd November, 2009)

Scientists believe a spice used to make curry can kill cancer cells. The spice is called turmeric and it is very common in Indian cooking. Scientists said something in this spice has healing powers. The lead researcher, Dr Sharon McKenna, found that a chemical in turmeric called curcumin killed cancer cells within 24 hours. She said: “Scientists have known for a long time that natural compounds have the potential to treat faulty cells”. Curcumin may also be good for treating other diseases. Researchers are testing it to fight arthritis and dementia.

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This is very good news for curry lovers and people who like spicy food. If the news is true, Indian restaurants might be really busy. Indian food is becoming more and more popular around the world. In Britain, fish and chips used to be the most popular fast food. Not any more. Nowadays, the favourite British takeaway is chicken tikka – an Indian dish. Spicy food might be even more common from now. People worried about cancer might pop in to their local Indian eatery and order a curry instead of going to the doctor.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.

a spice used

a.

Indian cooking

2

very common in

b.

other diseases

3.

this spice has healing

c.

testing it

4.

killed cancer cells within

d.

to make curry

5.

good for treating

e.

24 hours

6.

Researchers are

f.

powers

 

Paragraph 2

1.

very good news for

a.

popular fast food

2

people who

b.

more popular

3.

becoming more and

c.

from now

4.

the most

d.

curry lovers

5.

even more common

e.

a curry

6.

order

f.

like spicy food


LISTENING GAP FILL

Scientists believe a spice __________________ curry can kill cancer cells. The spice is called turmeric and __________________ in Indian cooking. Scientists said something in this spice has healing powers. The lead researcher, Dr Sharon McKenna, __________________ chemical in turmeric called curcumin killed cancer cells within 24 hours. She said: “Scientists have __________________ long time that natural compounds have the potential to treat faulty cells”. Curcumin __________________ for treating other diseases. Researchers are __________________ arthritis and dementia.

This is very __________________ curry lovers and people who like spicy food. If the news is true, Indian restaurants might be really busy. Indian food is becoming __________________ popular around the world. In Britain, fish and chips __________________ most popular fast food. Not any more. Nowadays, the favourite British takeaway is chicken tikka – an Indian dish. Spicy food __________________ more common from now. People worried about cancer __________________ their local Indian eatery and order a curry __________________ to the doctor.


MULTIPLE CHOICE

Scientists believe a (1) ____ used to make curry can kill cancer cells. The spice is called turmeric and it is very common in Indian cooking. Scientists said something in this spice has (2) ____ powers. The lead researcher, Dr Sharon McKenna, (3) ____ that a chemical in turmeric called curcumin killed cancer cells within 24 hours. She said: “Scientists have known for a long time that natural compounds have the potential to (4) ____ faulty cells”. Curcumin may also be good for treating other diseases. Researchers are testing it (5) ____ fight arthritis and dementia.

This is very good news for curry (6) ____ and people who like spicy food. If the news is (7) ____, Indian restaurants might be really busy. Indian food is becoming more and more popular around the world. In Britain, fish and chips (8) ____ to be the most popular fast food. Not any more. Nowadays, the favourite British takeaway is chicken tikka – an Indian dish. Spicy food might be even (9) ____ common from now. People worried about cancer might pop in to their local Indian eatery and order a curry instead of (10) ____ to the doctor.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.

(a)

spicy

(b)

spiced

(c)

spice

2.

(a)

healing

(b)

healer

(c)

heals

3.

(a)

funded

(b)

found

(c)

find

4.

(a)

treat

(b)

treatment

(c)

treats

5.

(a)

at

(b)

for

(c)

to

6.

(a)

lovers

(b)

loving

(c)

lovely

7.

(a)

truth

(b)

truly

(c)

true

8.

(a)

uses

(b)

used

(c)

useful

9.

(a)

most

(b)

more

(c)

many

10.

(a)

going

(b)

went

(c)

goes


SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1

1.

Scientists iebveel

2.

very moncmo

3.

healing erwpos

4.

killed cancer cells tiwinh 24 hours

5.

good for tigtnare other diseases

6.

testing it to tigfh arthritis

 

Paragraph 2

7.

good news for curry olvsre

8.

ypcsi food

9.

more and more oupalpr

10.

the most popular fast food

11.

their loalc Indian eatery

12.

entaisd of going to the doctor


PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

(    )

about cancer might pop in to their local Indian eatery and order a curry instead of going to the doctor.

(    )

cells”. Curcumin may also be good for treating other diseases. Researchers are testing it to fight arthritis and dementia.

(    )

and chips used to be the most popular fast food. Not any more. Nowadays, the favourite British takeaway is

1  )

Scientists believe a spice used to make curry can kill cancer cells. The spice is called turmeric and it is

(    )

Dr Sharon McKenna, found that a chemical in turmeric called curcumin killed cancer cells within 24 hours. She

(    )

restaurants might be really busy. Indian food is becoming more and more popular around the world. In Britain, fish

(    )

This is very good news for curry lovers and people who like spicy food. If the news is true, Indian

(    )

said: “Scientists have known for a long time that natural compounds have the potential to treat faulty

(    )

very common in Indian cooking. Scientists said something in this spice has healing powers. The lead researcher,

(    )

chicken tikka – an Indian dish. Spicy food might be even more common from now. People worried


THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.

curry    cancer    spice    make    kill    A    to    can    cells    used.

2.

common     very     is     It     cooking     Indian     in.    

3.

spice     in     powers     has     this     Something     healing.    

4.

treat     cells     The     to     faulty     potential.    

5.

diseases     other     treating     for     good     be     Also.    

6.

news     Very     lovers     for     good     curry.    

7.

be     busy     Indian     might     really     restaurants.    

8.

chicken     is     takeaway     British     favourite     The     tikka.    

9.

local     their     to     in     Pop     eatery     Indian.    

10.

to     curry     going     doctor     a     of     the     Order     instead.    


DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________


WRITING

Write about curry for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________


HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about curry. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about curry. Include imaginary interviews with two people who love curry. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

5. LETTER: Write a letter to Dr McKenna. Ask her three questions about curry. Give her three of your opinions on curry. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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