World News for Students of English

05-08-2022 07:00

Ukraine and Russia grow much of the world’s grain. Russia attacks Ukraine in February. Ukraine can’t sell its grain.

Ukraine also grows 16% of the world’s corn and 42% of sunflower oil. Russia blocks Ukrainian ports for five months. The world’s prices of food go up. In some countries, the food crisis gets worse. Foods like bread, pasta, or cooking oil cost more money.

On Monday, a ship with grain leaves the Ukrainian port of Odessa. The ship is the first to leave since the war starts. Russia and Ukraine make a deal. Russia won’t attack Ukraine’s ports. It will wait only if ships have food there. Officials hope that it will help the global market.

Difficult words: grain (wheat or corn which people grow for food), port (a place for ships to sell and buy things), food crisis (a time when people don’t have enough food or the food is too expensive).

You can watch the original video in the Level 3 section.