Genetic Research

  1.      Human genetic engineering. What will it be like in 2021? Think about pros and cons.

   

   

  2.      Read the text ‘Fixing Genes’ and check with your ideas.

         http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/sci_tech/features/essentialguide/theme_health.shtml

  3.      There is a group of words. Put them in order to make a meaningful sentence out of it.

   The              the             be              beginning             in              new
                21^st              dominated              with              gene,            
    medicine              century              by              gen-
                genetic,              of              will              words              and
                as              genome

   

  4.      Your class will be divided into two groups A and B. You will be working individually,
  however, in case you need any help, you can discuss the problem with the partner having the same
  letter (A or B).

  5.      Read the text (A/B) and complete the tasks. When finished, check against the answer sheet.

  6.      Student A/B prepares a summary of their text to be able to present it to  Student  B/A.

  7.      On the basis of this information As/Bs should complete the tasks (B/A) correctly, then
  check with As/Bs.

  8.      a) Fill in the gaps with the following verbs: analyse, make up, read.

   The key to the new molecular medicine lies in the ability to learn to
   ........................... the human blueprint, to ................................ the
   sequence of the inherited molecular building blocks which .........................DNA, the
   raw material of the genes.    

       b) Finish the sentence with the expressions in the brackets (print-out, to, a, 
       complete, genetic, inheritance, compile, our, of)  

        The aim of the internationally funded Human Genome Project is

     ...........................................................................................................

       c)  Now listen to the BBC recording  and check your answers. The timing is:

            ad a) 0:00-0:10

            ad b) 1:15-1:37

         
      http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/sci_tech/features/essentialguide/theme_health.shtml

   

  9.      Role-play:

  Work in pairs. Choose one of the topics for discussion (below). Write as many questions  as
  possible to be able to take part in a controversial debate:

   

   Student A: Identify yourself with the opinion that patients must be kept alive in all 
                     circumstances, regardless the quality of their lives.

   Student B: Identify yourself with the opinion that incurably ill patients have the right
                     to ask for their treatment to be stopped.

   

   Student C: Identify yourself with the opinion that women should have the right to
                      choose abortion for the termination of an unwanted child.

   Student D: Identify yourself with the opinion that favours strict limits on abortion.

   

   

      Be ready to:

   §         answer the questions fired at you by your opponent or at least to react in a way

   §         bombard your opponent with your questions

   

                          



   

   

   

   

   Scanning

   1)      decide what information is needed

   2)      draw up a list of possible key words (including synonyms) which may occur in the text
   referring to question topic

   3)      scan for instances of key words

   4)      read carefully those sentences and/or paragraphs where the keywords occur and decide
   if the information is relevant

   5)      repeat steps  3) and 4) until all relevant information is available

   

   

   

   

   

   Sources:  

   Pakenham, J., Making Connections, CUP, 1998
              http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/sci_tech/features/essentialguide/theme_health.shtml