Explain the meaning of the following expressions connected with genetic engineering.
Tissue repair; replacement organ; eliminate host rejection; regenerate human tissue
Look at the title of the article and comment on the interplay of words.
Answer the following questions.
- Why does the claim “Chances are, someday you will need replacement tissue” sound quite well-grounded?
- What are the specialists’ predictions concerning this market?
- What is the situation like in “rapidly emerging field of biomaterials”?
- What causes the writer’s disgust and why?
- What might “Charlotte’s Web” be about?
- What is “Dolly the sheep”?
- What are the two advantages of adult stem cells?
- Do you think that the second mentioned by the writer ranks higher than the first?
- Why isn’t investing in genetic engineering for the faint of heart?
Discuss the following questions.
● How do you feel about genetic engineering?
● Do you think that it is possible to limit scientific researches by growing human tissues and creating genetically modified products?
C. Listening and Watching
² Watch multimedia programs “Stem cells 1”, “Stem cells 2”, “Human cloning” and be ready to discuss them.
D. Creative Consolidation
Make a synthetic review of the article and multimedia programs, supporting it with the information from other sources.
Write an essay about the future of the human race. Speak about social consequences of human cloning.
E. Vocabulary in Focus
Revise the active vocabulary. Complete the text with the following words.
| Mitigating, denunciation, facilitate, subversive, impending, holistic, extricated, vindicate, attrition, annihilate, atrophy, sanctions, rejuvenating, tenuous, analogy, yen, precipitates, proficiently |
Little short of 30 years ago 24 countries signed the Montreal Protocol, agreeing to curb and eventually ……………….the production and use of ozone-munching, i.e. ozone-absorbing, chemicals as the depletion of the ozone layer which shades the earth is worrying. The ……….. between ozone cover and book cover suffices to understand the gravity of the situation. On average it’s about as thick as the cover of a hardback book, but in places it has become as thin as a paperback cover.
If too much ultra-violet radiation gets through, it reduces farm yields and …………….skin cancer and eye damage and in the long run (which in fact won’t be so long) grievous …………of the mankind.
The Montreal Protocol ……………..whipping the layer back into shape by reducing the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCS) and other ozone-eating compounds. The number of …………….supporters of the urgent measures to improve the situation is constantly growing. The coalition of the countries advocating a …………..approach to ……………….the depleted ozone layer has reached 163.
Though their joint actions haven’t ………………our planet from the ………………doom completely they ……………the decline in the accumulation of ozone-consuming compounds in the lower atmosphere. If the situation is dealt with……………the ozone layer might eventually heal itself, perhaps by 2050.
However problems persist.
Manufacturers aren’t quick to forfeit their profits and replace CFCs in their models of refrigerators with cleaner-and greener alternatives.
Moreover though the Protocol introduced restrictions, man’s ingenuity quickly got round them. Smugglers’ …………………acts undermine the efficiency of the attempts – though still …………..- aimed at …………….possible consequences. Their ………..for possession is certainly worth ………………and no reasoning can……………….them. But CFCs are a smuggler’s dream: odourless and colourless – they can be used in everything from air-conditioners to foam.
Last but not least is ozone fatigue.
Governments tend to think of the ozone hole as yesterday’s problem and their zeal and commitment to solve the problem seem to …………..especially in the face of new challenges such as climate change.
(Based on “Phew, the ozone layer may be saved”, the Economist, September 13th, 1997)