Listening
Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
- import / ˈɪm pɔrt / (n.) – a product brought into one country from another country to be sold
Example:These clothes are imports from Italy.
- detection / dɪˈtɛk ʃən / (n.) – the act of discovering something that is not easy to see, hear, etc.
Example:The early detection of the fire helped save the building.
- offset / ˌɔfˈsɛt / (v.) – to reduce or balance the effect of something
Example:The company tried to offset the higher fuel costs by reducing other expenses.
- blow / bloʊ / (n.) – an unexpected or sudden event that causes damage, difficulty, or disappointment to someone or something
Example:Many companies suffered a financial blow during the pandemic.
- advancement / ædˈvæns mənt / (n.) – the development or progress of something
Example:The invention of the internet was a major advancement for communication.
Article
Read the text below.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum described as “unfair” the decision by the Trump administration to suspend imports of Mexican beef cattle for 15 days due to the detection of screwworm in shipments.
Sheinbaum, who has spent the past few months scrambling to offset tariff threats by U.S. President Donald Trump, said she hoped the suspension would not result in another economic blow for her country.
“We do not agree with this measure,” she said at her press conference. “The Mexican government has been working on all fronts from the very first moment we were alerted to the screwworm.”
The U.S. restricted Mexican cattle shipments in late November following the detection of the pest, but lifted the ban in February after protocols were put in place to evaluate the animals prior to entry into the country. But there has been an “unacceptable northward advancement” of the screwworm, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a statement.
“The last time this devastating pest invaded the U.S., it took our livestock industry 30 years to recover,” U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said on the X social media platform. “This can never happen again.”
The screwworm is a larva of the Cochliomyia hominivorax fly that can invade the tissues of any warm-blooded animal, including humans. The parasite enters the skin, causing serious and life-threatening damage and lesions.
Mexico’s Health Ministry issued an epidemiological warning this month after the first human case of screwworm myiasis, or parasitic infestation, was confirmed on April 17 in a 77-year-old woman living in the southern state of Chiapas.
This article was provided by The Associated Press.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
- The U.S. government stopped Mexican cattle imports for 15 days to protect against a dangerous parasite called screwworm. Do you think it is fair to ban food imports because of health risks, even if it hurts the other country’s economy? Why or why not? Discuss.
- What would you do if food from another country had safety problems, but your government continued to allow it in your country? Discuss.
Discussion B
- Mexico confirmed its first human screwworm case in April and gave a health warning. In your country, do you think people take government health warnings seriously? Why or why not? What do you do when there are public health warnings? Discuss.
- If a disease spreads in your area, what actions would you expect from the health authorities? Discuss.
