GENETIC ENGINEERING

Genetic engineering is a technique used to change the genetic material of living cell, so that they
produce substances that are useful. Living cells are like tiny chemical factories, Thousands of chemical
reactions are happening all the time in cell: reactions to make energy, to build new cell parts or to repair
existing ones. And the activities of these tiny chemical factories are controlled by DNA, the genetic
material that is found in the nucleus of the cell.
Many of the substances that cell make are very useful to people. For instance, some digestive
cells make the hormone insulin, which can be used to treat people with diabetes, while white blood cells
can make many different antibodies, each one tailor-made to combat a particular illness. But these
substances are all made inside the living body in very tiny quantities. Genetic engineering artificially
modifies living cells so that they produce large quantities of these useful substances.
How genetic engineering works.
To make modified cells, pieces of AND containing instructions for making a useful substance
such as insulin or a particular antibody, are carefully inserted into living cells- usually into simple, singlecelled micro-organisms like bacteria or yeasts. The cell then begins to produce the substance. The
modified micro-organisms can now be grown. They multiply millions of times to produce whole colonies
of cell, all making the insulin or other useful material.
Pieces of AND containing instructions for a particular gene are sometimes extracted from the
genetic material of a living cell, using special chemicals called enzymes. Other AND parts are made from
scratch in the laboratory.
Uses of genetic engineering
Uses modified micro-organisms, scientists have been able to produce vaccines, hormones such
as human insulin and growth hormone, and a special substance called interferon, which combats
illnesses caused by viruses. They have also been able to produce plants that can resist certain diseases,
and they have even made new types of mouse and sheep.
Scientist believe that in the future it may be possible to use genetic engineering to cure some
painful and dangerous diseases that are caused faulty genes. However, many people are worried by
such uses of genetic engineering, because they do not like the idea that one day babies may be
designed to have specially chosen characteristics.
New DNA is often added to micro-organisms using plasmids: tiny rings of DNA that are found
naturally in some micro-organisms. In larger animals, the AND is often injected directly into the cells of a
very young embryo, using a hollow glass tube with a very fine end.

1.- Decide whether the following statements are TRUE (T) or FALSE (F).
1. Genetic engineering is used to cure cells. ______________________
2. Insulin can be produced using genetic engineering. ________________________
3. Bacteria are used in the process of producing useful substances. _____________________
4. Pieces of AND are extracted using a substance called polymers. ______________________
5. In the future it will be possible to cure diseases caused by damaged genes. ______________
2.- Circle the right option.
1. How many paragraphs are there in the article?
a.) 6
B.) 8
C.) 7
2. The main idea in paragraph 2 is:
a.) Useful substances made by cells.

B.) Different uses of substances made by cells.

3. The topic of paragraph 6 is:

a.) Future uses of genetic engineering.

B.) How to design babies.

4. The main idea of paragraph 5 is:

a.) The importance of insulin to the human.
B.) Show what scientists have been able to create using modified microorganisms.
5. Write 3 details the author mentions to support the main idea in paragraph 5:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

3.- Write the correct anwer.

1. THEY in line (02) refers to ______________________________________________________________
2. ONES in line (04) refers to _____________________________________________________________
3. WHICH in line (07) refers to ____________________________________________________________
4. EACH in line (08) refers to _____________________________________________________________
5. THESE SUBSTANCES in line (09) refers to __________________________________________________
6. THEY in line (16) refers to ______________________________________________________________
7. WHICH in line (23) refers to ____________________________________________________________
8. THEY in line (24) refers to ______________________________________________________________

9. THEY in line (25) refers to ______________________________________________________________

10. THEY in line (28) refers to _____________________________________________________________

4.- ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONES IN SPANISH.

1. How are seen cells from the genetic engineering approach?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
2. What kinds of substances are produced by cells?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
3. How are pieces of DNA containing instructions of a particular gene extracted?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
4. What kinds of substances have scientists been able to produce using micro-organisms
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
5. What will be the uses of genetic engineering in the future?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

5.-Write an 100 word summary of the text in Spanish.

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________