Japan Puffer Fish

Kindly click on the link below to see the video.
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/places/countries-places/japan/japan_pufferfish.html

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VOCABULARY 1
Fill the gaps in the sentences using the following words from the video. Check you understand the meaning of these words.

poisonous
anti-toxin
scraps (of food)
taboo
gills
chrysanthemum
respirator
fatality
cyanide

1. Fish use _______________ to breathe under water.
2. The _______________ is a type of flower.
3. If you eat something _______________, you will become sick or possibly die.
4. Something avoided for religious or social reasons is _______________.
5. An _______________ is like a medicine; it will neutralize the effects of a toxin.
6. _______________ means somebody died.
7. _______________ is a poisonous chemical.
8. A _______________ is a machine that helps people to breathe.
9. Small pieces of something, which are often unwanted, are called _____________.

Comprehension Questions
Listen again and try to answer these questions.
1. Which is the most expensive fish at Tsukiji market?
2. Why is Matsumoto restaurant famous?
3. What effect did the war have on the number of fatalities caused by eating fugu?
4. What did General Macarthur do about the situation?
5. How many people died between 1945 and 1985 as a result of eating fugu?
6. What should you do if someone eats the poison in fugu?
7. Why is the chrysanthemum a special flower in Japan? (two reasons)
8. How does Tom feel about eating fugu?
9. What are the main reasons for the reduction in fatalities from fugu?
10. What happens to the body when fugu poison enters the bloodstream?

Vocabulary 2
Match the phrases on the left with the definitions on the right.
a. to beat (sth/sb)
b. to spoil (sth), especially food or blood
c. to like (sth) very much
d. to be able to kill someone or keep them safe
e. to increase dramatically
______1. (sth) to sky rocket
______2. to be crazy for (sth)
______3. to triumph over (sth)
______4. to taint (sth)
______5. to have (somebody’s) life in (your) hands

Now use these phrases in the sentences below.
1. The number of deaths due to fugu poisoning _________________ after the end of the war.
2. Japan is simply _________________ fish.
3. Having a dinner which could kill you is probably the ultimate food taboo, but this time Tom has _________________ the puffer fish.
4. About half of the meat is _________________ by the toxin.
5. Chef Hayashi _________________ Tom’s _____________________________.

Explain the meaning of the following phrases.
Fugu is so ugly that it’s cute.
The chef slices the fugu meat paper thin.
Despite the danger, millions of people still eat fugu.
Fugu is the food version of Russian roulette.
A fugu palace.

Discussion
What other ‘controversial’ or dangerous world delicacies do you know?
Should dangerous foods be banned?


Source: ONESTOENGLISH