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Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. a craft
    • ex. The village is famous for its traditional craft of making colorful baskets from straw.
  2. a heritage
    • ex. The old temple is part of the town's heritage, showing the culture and traditions of the people who lived there long ago.
  3. mass-produce
    • ex. The company mass-produces toys every day to sell in stores around the world.
  4. an anchovy
    • ex. Hannah added some anchovies to her pizza for extra flavor.
  5. a condiment
    • ex. Ketchup is a popular condiment that many people like to add to their burgers and fries for extra flavor.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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In a small village in Vietnam, the traditional craft of making nuoc mam, or fish sauce, is at risk because of climate change and overfishing. Businessman Bui Van Phong and his family have been making fish sauce for many years. His son, Bui Van Phu, now runs the business. The fish sauce from their village is very important to Vietnam’s culture and heritage.

However, the future of this tradition is in danger from companies that mass-produce fish sauce because these companies catch too much fish, including anchovies, which are used to make the condiment. Climate change is also a threat because as oceans warm, it becomes harder to catch anchovies. Warmer oceans reduce oxygen levels and harm marine life. Scientists warn that fish may get smaller and harder to catch in the future.

Phu works hard to continue the family business. However, many families are thinking of stopping the business because of fewer anchovies available and higher prices. This could affect Vietnam’s goal to sell more fish sauce worldwide. Phu hopes to teach his son how to make fish sauce, but it will depend on whether there are enough anchovies in the future.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.
Photo Credits: The Associated Press

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Traditional Crafts and Climate Change

  • In your opinion, should traditional crafts be protected and preserved? Why do you think so? Discuss.
  • The traditional craft of making fish sauce in Vietnam is at risk because of climate change. What traditional crafts or businesses in your country are at risk because of climate change (ex. sake making, sushi making)? Discuss.
  • Some traditional crafts are affected by climate change. What do you think can be done to address this problem? Discuss.

Overfishing

  • Do you think overfishing is a huge problem? Why do you say so? Discuss.
  • Imagine that fishing companies keep overfishing. How can this affect the supply of fish in the future? Discuss.
  • Why do you think overfishing happens? Discuss.