1. Organic food is very popular these days. It can also be very expensive. Some organic food costs twice as much as non-organic food. Parents of young children and even some pet owners, will pay high prices for organic food if they think it is healthier. But many others think organic food is just a waste of money.
2. There is one main difference between organic and non-organic food. Organic farms do not use agricultural chemicals such as pesticides that stop insects from damaging crops. In many countries, foods that claim to be organic must have special labels that guarantee they were grown organically.
3. Some people thought this was indeed true. But over a period of time organic farming has become a big business, with many organic foods now being grown by large agricultural companies that sell their products far from where they are grown. Organic beauty products have also become more popular. At first, only small companies produced these products. But as demand overtook supply, big food companies that had been selling non-organic products for many years also began selling organic products.
4. Is organic food safer and more nutritious? This is an important part of the debate. Many farmers and consumers believe it is safer and more nutritious. They think agricultural chemicals can cause serious illnesses. However, recent studies have shown that eating organically-grown produce reduces your chances of developing heart diseases. Many doctors think it is more important to stop dangerous bacteria from contaminating foods. These bacteria can contaminate both organic and non-organic fruits and vegetables, and doctors recommend washing produce carefully before eating it. Meat, fish and chicken can also become contaminated so washing your hands before handling these foods is also very important.
Read the following passage carefully. Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the questions given below:
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 07:10 · grounding stimulus
Model Answer
(i) (d) it does not contain agricultural chemicals.
(ii) (c) caution
(iii) Reason: demand overtook supply (big food companies that had been selling non-organic products for many years also began selling organic products because demand overtook supply).
(iv) Organic farms do not use agricultural chemicals such as pesticides, whereas non-organic farms do use them to protect crops from insects.
(v) Eating organically-grown produce reduces your chances of developing heart diseases.
(vi) The writer states that meat, fish, and chicken can become contaminated; therefore, washing hands before handling these foods is important to control the spread of dangerous bacteria.
(vii) (b) there is no confirmed evidence
(viii) Some people think organic also means environment-friendly / naturally grown / produced without harmful chemicals, i.e., grown in a way that is closer to nature and free from artificial pesticides.
(ix) Doctors recommend washing produce carefully before eating it to control contamination of both organic and non-organic food.
(x) In many countries, foods must carry special labels that guarantee they were grown organically — this certification certifies food to be organic.
Source: Reading Comprehension Passage on Organic Food, Paragraphs 1–4
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Explanation
- (i): The passage directly says parents pay high prices if they think it is healthier — linked to no agricultural chemicals (option d).
- (ii): The writer raises the question without confirming either side — this signals caution, not confirmation or denial.
- (iii): The exact phrase "demand overtook supply" from paragraph 3 is the expected answer.
- (iv): The passage states the one main difference — use vs. non-use of pesticides/agricultural chemicals.
- (v): Pick the one benefit explicitly stated — reduced risk of heart disease (paragraph 4).
- (vi): Focus on the cause-effect link: contamination of meat/fish/chicken → wash hands before handling.
- (vii): The writer presents the debate without proof, saying "many believe" but not confirming — hence no confirmed evidence.
- (viii): The passage implies organic = naturally grown without chemicals; "environment-friendly" is an acceptable inference.
- (ix): Stick to the passage's own recommendation — washing produce carefully.
- (x): The passage clearly states special labels/certification is the marker of organic food.