Scientists say dinosaur cloning possible from DNA

1
Scientists say dinosaur cloning possible from DNA

• Gapped Summary
• RLS 2006

2
Scientists say dinosaur cloning possible from DNA

• This passage may seem difficult because there is
  a lot of technical language.
• This makes it quite difficult to fill the blanks
  without referring to version 1.
• However, most of the answers are easy to find as
  long as you scan the passage for the names of the
  scientists, etc.

3
In 2003, in Montana in the US, the (47) of a
Tyrannosaurus rex was discovered.

• Paragraph 1 The well-preserved fossil skeleton
  of a T-rex was unearthed in 2003

• Dinosaurs have been extinct for a long time, so
  the only thing belonging to them that we can
  discover is their
• 47 fossil skeleton

4
Tests carried out on the well-preserved, 70
million-year-old samples found a flexible,
stretchy material which appears to contain (48)
of the T -rex.

• We need a noun.
• 48 blood vessels

• Paragraph 3 When the researchers analysed one
  of the thigh bones, they found a flexible,
  stretchy material containing what appeared to be
  transparent and hollow blood vessels.

5
However, what the scientists really hope to
extract eventually is (49), which might allow
them to clone a dinosaur.

• Paragraph 1 Tests continue, and scientists
  have not ruled out the possibility of extracting
  DNA, which might eventually lead to the cloning
  of dinosaurs.

• It is common knowledge that you need DNA to clone
  something.
• 49DNA

6
Mary Schweitzer of North Carolina State
University is the (50) of the team of scientists
who analysed material from the T-rex.

• the and team are good hints.
• We know that she is the most important person of
  this group of scientists
• We need a noun.
• led is the past tense of the verb lead.
• What is the noun form?
• 50 leader

• Paragraph 3 Mary Schweitzer, who led the team
  from North Carolina State University ,

7
She explained in an interview with a journalist
that she was (51) when she first saw the samples.

• This is describing her reaction/feeling when she
  first saw the samples.
• It was shocking so she was
• 51 shocked

• Paragraph 3 It was totally shocking. I didnt
  believe it until wed done the analysis 17 times.

8
The vessels are (52) those found in the bones of
present-day ostriches.

• We are comparing the vessels of the T-rex with
  those of present-day ostriches.
• Which preposition follows similar, to or
  in?
• 52 similar to

• Paragraph 3 The vessels are similar in all
  respects to blood vessels recovered from the
  bones of modern ostriches.

9
The next stage for the researchers is to analyse
the (53) inside the bone to find out whether this
is really from a T-rex.

• What did they find inside the bone that they
  need to analyse?
• 53soft tissue

• Paragraph 4 The researchers next step is to
  determine whether the soft tissue found inside
  the bone might be original T-rex material.

10
However, it is possible that other chemicals may
have replaced the original (54) .

• Version 1 is in the active voice.
• Version 2 is in the passive voice.
• 54proteins

• Paragraph 4 However, this may not be easy as
  the proteins in the tissue could have been
  replaced by other chemicals over the centuries,

11
David Martill, who works as a specialist in (55)
at a UK university, believes that the (56) of DNA
from the samples might be possible.

• Job biochemist
• Subject ?
• 55biochemistry

• Paragraph 4 David Martill, a biochemist at the
  University of Portsmouth, said

12
David Martill, who works as a specialist in (55)
at a UK university, believes that the (56) of DNA
from the samples might be possible.

• We need a noun.
• Extract Verb
• 56 extraction

• Paragraph 4 David Martill, , said Theres a
  reasonable chance that there may be intact
  proteins. He speculated that it might even be
  possible to extract DNA.

13
Lawrence Witmer of Ohio University agrees with
him, but points out that it will be necessary to
obtain tissue that is not (57).

• Just copy.
• 57 fossilised

• Paragraph 4 Lawrence Witmer, , agreed If we
  have tissue thats not fossilised, then we can
  potentially extract DNA.

14
Scientists think that provided the (58) contained
in the cells is original, they would be able to
investigate many features of the dinosaurs, such
as learning about dinosaur physiology and
studying the creatures' (59) into birds.

• Paragraph 5 If the cells do contain original
  biological material ...

• provided (in this context) as long as
• 58 biological material

15
Scientists think that .provided the (58)
contained in the cells is original, they would be
able to investigate many features of the
dinosaurs, such as learning about dinosaur
physiology and studying the creatures' (59) into
birds.

• We need a noun.
• Evolved is a verb.
• The noun form is
• 59 evolution

• Paragraph 5 If the cells do contain original
  biological material, the scientists claim that
  they would be able to investigate everything from
  dinosaur physiology to how the creatures evolved
  into birds.

16
However, they admit that it would be much more
difficult to (60) a dinosaur.

• We need a verb (infinitive).
• Cloning gerund
• The infinitive is
• 60 clone

• Paragraph 5 However, they believe the cloning
  of one of the creatures would be far more
  difficult.

17
Duane Kraemer, who works at Texas AM University
which stores tissue samples from animals that are
(61), explained that modern cloning techniques
required large numbers of (62) from living cells.

• There are only 2 blanks.
• Close to ?
• 61 near extinction/ nearly extinct

• Paragraph 5 As pointed out by Duane Kraemer, a
  cloning expert who leads a project called Noahs
  Ark at Texas AM University where tissue samples
  from animals close to extinction are stored,

18
Duane Kraemer, who works at Texas AM University
which stores tissue samples from animals that are
(61), explained that modern cloning techniques
required large numbers of (62) from living cells.

• Just copy.
• 62 nuclei

• Paragraph 5 As pointed out by Duane Kraemer, ,
  current cloning techniques need hundreds of
  nuclei from living cells.

19
In the story of Jurassic Park, scientists
repaired damaged dinosaur DNA using DNA from
(63).

• Sometimes nouns are used as adjectives.
• We are speaking generally, so we need the plural
  form.
• 63 frogs

• Last paragraph In the fictional Jurassic Park,
  scientists repaired damaged genetic material
  using frog DNA.

20
However, in practice it is necessary to know the
complete (64) of a dinosaur in order to clone it.

• 64 genome
• Genome the complete set of genetic material of
  a human, animal, plant or other living thing

• Last paragraph In reality, they would need to
  know the complete dinosaur genome.

21
So far, no attempt to re-create extinct animals
has been (65) because the available genetic
material is (66).

• Later the passage mentions unsuccessful attempts
  to clone mammoths, which are also extinct.
• We need an adjective.
• If it is impossible, we can assume that no
  attempt has been
• 65 successful

• Paragraph 5 Any dinosaur DNA remaining in the
  cells would probably be damaged or degraded,
  making it impossible to use for cloning.

22
So far, no attempt to re-create extinct animals
has been (65) because the available genetic
material is (66).

• The genetic material is in the cells.
• 66 damaged/ degraded

• Paragraph 5 Any dinosaur DNA remaining in the
  cells would probably be damaged or degraded,
  making it impossible to use for cloning.