Umami: the fifth taste that science ignored for a century
A feature on how a Japanese chemist identified umami in 1908, why Western science took decades to accept it and how a food scare damaged the reputation of MSG; students read for argument and detail and discuss evidence and prejudice.
C1Adults55 minArticle
About this lesson
A C1 reading lesson (article). Graded texts with key words, comprehension questions and printable versions.
- Level
- C1
- Skill
- Reading
- Type
- Article
- Students
- Adults
- Time
- About 55 minutes
- Topic
- Food & drink
- Activities
- Key words, Speaking / writing task, Reading text, Multiple choice, True / False, Matching
- Key words
- savoury, compound, receptor, anecdotal, controlled study, reputation
- Access
- Premium
By the end, students can
- Follow a complex narrative about the history of a scientific idea
- Understand how writers present evidence, doubt and bias
- Discuss how culture and prejudice can influence what people accept as true