Is It Right To Eat Meat?

1) Answer the questions: Are you vegetarian? Do you eat meat? How often? Do you eat fish? How often? Do you know any vegetarians? Do you know why they are vegetarian? Are there many vegetarian restaurants where you live? How concerned are you? Do you buy genetically modified foods? Given the choice between organic and non-organic foods, what do you do? When you buy eggs, how often do you get free range eggs? What sort of fish do you buy? Do you grow your own vegetables? Where do you by most of your food? What sort of produce do you generally buy (fresh, tinned, frozen, ready to cook)?

2) How will you comment on the following?

1. I’ve got a few friends who are vegetarians and they drive me mad sometimes. For example, when I invite them round for a meal, I always make something which is vegetarian, but when they invite me back, they never cook meat for me!

2. I know all the arguments, but the way I look at it is this – it’s a symptom of the growing affluence of society. Ask someone who is starving in Africa which they would rather do – die or eat an animal. I know what their answer would be! Sure, but that’s understandable, we’re not in their situation and we have a choice.

3. Of course we need a balanced diet! It’s perfectly possible to be a vegetarian and eat healthily. I’m not so sure about a vegan diet, however. Vegans always seem to look pale and in need of a good steak!

4. I haven’t eaten meat for almost 40 years and what’s more I don’t intend changing my fundamental belief that it is cruel to eat another creature.

5. I always buy organic food. I just bear the thought of eating all the pesticides they spray on fruit and vegetables. – I agree with you. I hate the thought of what they do to our food. You’re absolutely right. Anyway, there’s not much I can do. I can’t actually afford to buy organic stuff, so in the end I don’t really have a choice.

3) Read the texts below and answer the questions:

Which person enjoys eating meat / has been a vegetarian for a long time/enjoys watching animals/ thinks the other is a hypocrite?

YES Some people think that in an ideal world we would all be vegetarians. A lot of poor unfortunate animals would therefore be able to enjoy their lives without the prospect of needless suffering and premature death. But the way I look at it is this. If we didn’t eat meat, no one would keep sheep, cows or any other animals that provide food. We would never be able to enjoy watching young lambs and calves playing in the fields. Instead of trying to encourage people to do something which seems rather unnatural, why don’t we try and make sure that food animals ate treated well? Being vegetarian really isn’t necessary. Let’s just treat our animals with a bit of kindness and respect.

NO It seems a bit hypocritical to preach for the better treatment of animals – only to kill them and eat them! Of course we don’t need to eat meat. I’m 82 years old and I’ve been a vegetarian since I was 25. What’s more, I’m extremely fit and active. In fact, I ran the London Marathon last year. Some people seem to think it’s natural to eat meat – but that’s not so. Sure, we used to eat meat in the past, but that was before we knew how to grow enough fruit and vegetables. Anyway, not even all animals are vegetarian. Look at elephants, for example, they live on grass and hay; they are enormously strong; and they live to a great age.