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4 tháng 1 2022

1. => We were informed about the meeting at the last minute. 

2=> The company closes the contract by the end of the day.

3=> Some delays have been occurred in the application process.

4=> The error caused by an inept employee.

5.=>The restaurant has too many people in it so it was noisy.

4 tháng 1 2022

1. were informed

2. might finish

3. have been

4. was caused

5. had 

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.   Millions of people are using cellphones today. In many places, it is actually considered unusual not to use one. In many countries, cellphones are very popular with young people. They find that the phones are more than a means of communication - having a mobile phone shows that they are cool and connected.   The explosion in mobile phone use around the...
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Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

   Millions of people are using cellphones today. In many places, it is actually considered unusual not to use one. In many countries, cellphones are very popular with young people. They find that the phones are more than a means of communication - having a mobile phone shows that they are cool and connected.

   The explosion in mobile phone use around the world has made some health professionals worried. Some doctors are concerned that in the future many people may suffer health problems from the use of mobile phones. In England, there has been a serious debate about this issue. Mobile phone companies are worried about the negative publicity of such ideas. They say that there is no proof that mobile phones are bad for your health.

   On the other hand, medical studies have shown changes in the brain cells of some people who use mobile phones. Signs of change in the tissues of the brain and head can be detected with modern scanning equipment. In one case, a traveling salesman had to retire at young age because of serious memory loss. He couldn't remember even simple tasks. He would often forget the name of his own son. This man used to talk on his mobile phone for about six hours a day, every day of his working week, for a couple of years. His family doctor blamed his mobile phone use, but his employer's doctor didn't agree.

   What is it that makes mobile phones potentially harmful? The answer is radiation. High-tech machines can detect very small amounts of radiation from mobile phones. Mobile phone companies agree that there is some radiation, but they say the amount is too small to worry about.

   As the discussion about their safety continues, it appears that it's best to use mobile phones less often. Use your regular phone if you want to talk for a long time. Use your mobile phone only when you really need it. Mobile phones can be very useful and convenient, especially in emergencies. In the future, mobile phones may have a warning label that says they are bad for your health. So for now, it's wise not to use your mobile phone too often.

Question: The word “potentially” in paragraph 4 is closet in meaning to _______.

A. possibly

B. privately

C. obviously

D. certainly

1
4 tháng 2 2017

Đáp án A.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.   Millions of people are using cellphones today. In many places, it is actually considered unusual not to use one. In many countries, cellphones are very popular with young people. They find that the phones are more than a means of communication - having a mobile phone shows that they are cool and connected.   The explosion in mobile phone use around the...
Đọc tiếp

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

   Millions of people are using cellphones today. In many places, it is actually considered unusual not to use one. In many countries, cellphones are very popular with young people. They find that the phones are more than a means of communication - having a mobile phone shows that they are cool and connected.

   The explosion in mobile phone use around the world has made some health professionals worried. Some doctors are concerned that in the future many people may suffer health problems from the use of mobile phones. In England, there has been a serious debate about this issue. Mobile phone companies are worried about the negative publicity of such ideas. They say that there is no proof that mobile phones are bad for your health.

   On the other hand, medical studies have shown changes in the brain cells of some people who use mobile phones. Signs of change in the tissues of the brain and head can be detected with modern scanning equipment. In one case, a traveling salesman had to retire at young age because of serious memory loss. He couldn't remember even simple tasks. He would often forget the name of his own son. This man used to talk on his mobile phone for about six hours a day, every day of his working week, for a couple of years. His family doctor blamed his mobile phone use, but his employer's doctor didn't agree.

   What is it that makes mobile phones potentially harmful? The answer is radiation. High-tech machines can detect very small amounts of radiation from mobile phones. Mobile phone companies agree that there is some radiation, but they say the amount is too small to worry about.

   As the discussion about their safety continues, it appears that it's best to use mobile phones less often. Use your regular phone if you want to talk for a long time. Use your mobile phone only when you really need it. Mobile phones can be very useful and convenient, especially in emergencies. In the future, mobile phones may have a warning label that says they are bad for your health. So for now, it's wise not to use your mobile phone too often.

Question: According to the passage, cellphones are very popular with young people because _______.

A. they make them look more stylish

B. they are worrying

C. they are a means of communication

D. they are considered unusual

1
30 tháng 1 2019

Đáp án A.

DỊCH HỘ MÌNH NHÉ POPPY DAY POPPY DAY , 11 November, is the day when people in Britain remember the soldiers that died in the First World War (1914 – 1918), the Second World War (1939 – 1945) and all other wars since. The first Poppy Day was in 1921. The First World War had ended three years earlier, but it was still very difficult, even impossible, for ex-soldiers in Britain to find employment. So some of them started making and selling red paper poppies. They gave the money that...
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DỊCH HỘ MÌNH NHÉ

POPPY DAY
POPPY DAY , 11 November, is the day when people in Britain remember the soldiers that died in the First World War (1914 – 1918), the Second World War (1939 – 1945) and all other wars since. The first Poppy Day was in 1921. The First World War had ended three years earlier, but it was still very difficult, even impossible, for ex-soldiers in Britain to find employment. So some of them started making and selling red paper poppies. They gave the money that they raised to ex-soldiers who were disabled or unemployed, and to the families of soldiers who had died. The choice of flower was significant. During the war, the soldiers had noticed poppies growing every year on the battlefields in Belgium and the north of France. A well – known poem from that time, written by a Canadian soldier, begin with the lines:
In Flanders* fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place*; …
In the days leading up to Poppy Day, about 32 million people in Britain buy and wear small poppies. Some people choose to wear white poppies because they think that white symbolizes peace. Then, at 11 a.m. on 11 November (at the moment when the First World War ended) there’s a two – minute silence. Many people stop and think quietly about the soldiers who died. There are ceremonies at war memorials in towns and villages all over the country. The most important ceremony is in London, when the Queen and the Prime Minister lay wreaths of poppies at the Cenotaph, a monument to soldiers who died in battle.

*(Flanders ­= the north of Belgium; our place = our graves)

1
18 tháng 2 2020

NGÀY TƯỞNG NIỆM NGÀY NAY, 11 tháng 11, là ngày mà người dân Anh nhớ đến những người lính đã chết trong Thế chiến thứ nhất (1914 - 1918), Chiến tranh thế giới thứ hai (1939 - 1945) và tất cả các cuộc chiến khác kể từ đó. Ngày Poppy đầu tiên là vào năm 1921. Chiến tranh thế giới thứ nhất đã kết thúc ba năm trước đó, nhưng vẫn rất khó khăn, thậm chí là không thể đối với các cựu binh ở Anh để tìm việc làm. Vì vậy, một số trong số họ bắt đầu làm và bán anh túc giấy đỏ. Họ đã đưa số tiền mà họ quyên góp cho những cựu binh bị tàn tật hoặc thất nghiệp, và cho gia đình của những người lính đã chết. Sự lựa chọn của hoa là rất quan trọng. Trong chiến tranh, những người lính đã nhận thấy cây anh túc mọc hàng năm trên các chiến trường ở Bỉ và phía bắc nước Pháp. Một bài thơ nổi tiếng từ thời đó, được viết bởi một người lính Canada, bắt đầu bằng những dòng: Trong cánh đồng Flanders * anh túc thổi Giữa các thập giá, hàng trên hàng, Điều đó đánh dấu vị trí của chúng tôi *; Giáo dục Trong những ngày trước Ngày Poppy, khoảng 32 triệu người ở Anh mua và mặc những cây anh túc nhỏ. Một số người chọn mặc anh túc trắng vì họ nghĩ rằng màu trắng tượng trưng cho hòa bình. Sau đó, vào lúc 11 giờ sáng ngày 11 tháng 11 (tại thời điểm Thế chiến thứ nhất kết thúc), có một khoảng lặng hai phút. Nhiều người dừng lại và suy nghĩ lặng lẽ về những người lính đã chết. Có những nghi lễ tại đài tưởng niệm chiến tranh ở các thị trấn và làng mạc trên cả nước. Buổi lễ quan trọng nhất là ở London, khi Nữ hoàng và Thủ tướng đặt vòng hoa anh túc tại Cenotaph, một tượng đài cho những người lính đã chết trong trận chiến. * (Flanders = phía bắc của Bỉ; vị trí của chúng tôi = ngôi mộ của chúng tôi)

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.   Millions of people are using cellphones today. In many places, it is actually considered unusual not to use one. In many countries, cellphones are very popular with young people. They find that the phones are more than a means of communication - having a mobile phone shows that they are cool and connected.   The explosion in mobile phone use around the...
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Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

   Millions of people are using cellphones today. In many places, it is actually considered unusual not to use one. In many countries, cellphones are very popular with young people. They find that the phones are more than a means of communication - having a mobile phone shows that they are cool and connected.

   The explosion in mobile phone use around the world has made some health professionals worried. Some doctors are concerned that in the future many people may suffer health problems from the use of mobile phones. In England, there has been a serious debate about this issue. Mobile phone companies are worried about the negative publicity of such ideas. They say that there is no proof that mobile phones are bad for your health.

   On the other hand, medical studies have shown changes in the brain cells of some people who use mobile phones. Signs of change in the tissues of the brain and head can be detected with modern scanning equipment. In one case, a traveling salesman had to retire at young age because of serious memory loss. He couldn't remember even simple tasks. He would often forget the name of his own son. This man used to talk on his mobile phone for about six hours a day, every day of his working week, for a couple of years. His family doctor blamed his mobile phone use, but his employer's doctor didn't agree.

   What is it that makes mobile phones potentially harmful? The answer is radiation. High-tech machines can detect very small amounts of radiation from mobile phones. Mobile phone companies agree that there is some radiation, but they say the amount is too small to worry about.

   As the discussion about their safety continues, it appears that it's best to use mobile phones less often. Use your regular phone if you want to talk for a long time. Use your mobile phone only when you really need it. Mobile phones can be very useful and convenient, especially in emergencies. In the future, mobile phones may have a warning label that says they are bad for your health. So for now, it's wise not to use your mobile phone too often.

Question: What could be the most suitable title for the passage?

A. Technological Innovations and Their Price

B. The Way Mobile Phones Work

C. Mobile Phones: A Must of Our Time

D. The Reasons Why Mobile Phones Are Popular

1
13 tháng 4 2019

Đáp án A.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.   Millions of people are using cellphones today. In many places, it is actually considered unusual not to use one. In many countries, cellphones are very popular with young people. They find that the phones are more than a means of communication - having a mobile phone shows that they are cool and connected.   The explosion in mobile phone use around the...
Đọc tiếp

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

   Millions of people are using cellphones today. In many places, it is actually considered unusual not to use one. In many countries, cellphones are very popular with young people. They find that the phones are more than a means of communication - having a mobile phone shows that they are cool and connected.

   The explosion in mobile phone use around the world has made some health professionals worried. Some doctors are concerned that in the future many people may suffer health problems from the use of mobile phones. In England, there has been a serious debate about this issue. Mobile phone companies are worried about the negative publicity of such ideas. They say that there is no proof that mobile phones are bad for your health.

   On the other hand, medical studies have shown changes in the brain cells of some people who use mobile phones. Signs of change in the tissues of the brain and head can be detected with modern scanning equipment. In one case, a traveling salesman had to retire at young age because of serious memory loss. He couldn't remember even simple tasks. He would often forget the name of his own son. This man used to talk on his mobile phone for about six hours a day, every day of his working week, for a couple of years. His family doctor blamed his mobile phone use, but his employer's doctor didn't agree.

   What is it that makes mobile phones potentially harmful? The answer is radiation. High-tech machines can detect very small amounts of radiation from mobile phones. Mobile phone companies agree that there is some radiation, but they say the amount is too small to worry about.

   As the discussion about their safety continues, it appears that it's best to use mobile phones less often. Use your regular phone if you want to talk for a long time. Use your mobile phone only when you really need it. Mobile phones can be very useful and convenient, especially in emergencies. In the future, mobile phones may have a warning label that says they are bad for your health. So for now, it's wise not to use your mobile phone too often.

Question: The word “they” in paragraph 2 refers to _______.

A. doctors

B. ideas

C. professionals

D. companies

1
19 tháng 7 2017

Đáp án D.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.   Millions of people are using cellphones today. In many places, it is actually considered unusual not to use one. In many countries, cellphones are very popular with young people. They find that the phones are more than a means of communication - having a mobile phone shows that they are cool and connected.   The explosion in mobile phone use around the...
Đọc tiếp

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

   Millions of people are using cellphones today. In many places, it is actually considered unusual not to use one. In many countries, cellphones are very popular with young people. They find that the phones are more than a means of communication - having a mobile phone shows that they are cool and connected.

   The explosion in mobile phone use around the world has made some health professionals worried. Some doctors are concerned that in the future many people may suffer health problems from the use of mobile phones. In England, there has been a serious debate about this issue. Mobile phone companies are worried about the negative publicity of such ideas. They say that there is no proof that mobile phones are bad for your health.

   On the other hand, medical studies have shown changes in the brain cells of some people who use mobile phones. Signs of change in the tissues of the brain and head can be detected with modern scanning equipment. In one case, a traveling salesman had to retire at young age because of serious memory loss. He couldn't remember even simple tasks. He would often forget the name of his own son. This man used to talk on his mobile phone for about six hours a day, every day of his working week, for a couple of years. His family doctor blamed his mobile phone use, but his employer's doctor didn't agree.

   What is it that makes mobile phones potentially harmful? The answer is radiation. High-tech machines can detect very small amounts of radiation from mobile phones. Mobile phone companies agree that there is some radiation, but they say the amount is too small to worry about.

   As the discussion about their safety continues, it appears that it's best to use mobile phones less often. Use your regular phone if you want to talk for a long time. Use your mobile phone only when you really need it. Mobile phones can be very useful and convenient, especially in emergencies. In the future, mobile phones may have a warning label that says they are bad for your health. So for now, it's wise not to use your mobile phone too often.

Question: The phrase “negative publicity” in paragraph 2 most likely means _______.

A. poor ideas about the effects of cellphones

B. information on the lethal effects of cellphones

C. the negative public use of cellphones

D. widespread opinion about bad effect of cellphones

1
22 tháng 8 2018

Đáp án B.

Underline the most suitable coniunction in each sentence. l. Even though/ When/ Becouse the New Year's Eve is a very important moment of the year, the whole family stays awake to experience it 2. We have finished the preparations on time for the party while/ even though/ however we had a lot of things to do. 3. While/ When/ Since you come to the Lantern Festival in Hoi An, you may be surprised about the beauty of the floating lanterns. 4. You can get there by airplane, but/ and/ so it is a...
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Underline the most suitable coniunction in each sentence. l. Even though/ When/ Becouse the New Year's Eve is a very important moment of the year, the whole family stays awake to experience it 2. We have finished the preparations on time for the party while/ even though/ however we had a lot of things to do.

3. While/ When/ Since you come to the Lantern Festival in Hoi An, you may be surprised about the beauty of the floating lanterns.

4. You can get there by airplane, but/ and/ so it is a bit costly

5. Chung coke is very tasly, but/ however/ additionally, it is a type of coke for festivals more than for a daily life.

Fill in the blank with the correct form of the given word.

1. Participating in the Lim Festival is one the most ......events in (memory)

2. This is a.... festival in vietnam( year) 3. When do the...... for the festival begin( prepare) 4. Among many traditional activities at the Hung King Temple Festival, I was ....festival in Vietnam year .for the festival begin? prepare perform the most interested in the Xoan singing......(perform )

5 At the beginning of the festival, people have to do a welcome.......(rite)

1
30 tháng 10 2018

Underline the most suitable coniunction in each sentence.

l. Even though/ When/ Becouse the New Year's Eve is a very important moment of the year, the whole family stays awake to experience it

2. We have finished the preparations on time for the party while/ even though/ however we had a lot of things to do.

3. While/ When/ Since you come to the Lantern Festival in Hoi An, you may be surprised about the beauty of the floating lanterns.

4. You can get there by airplane, but/ and/ so it is a bit costly

5. Chung coke is very tasly, but/ however/ additionally, it is a type of coke for festivals more than for a daily life.

Fill in the blank with the correct form of the given word.

1. Participating in the Lim Festival is one the most ...MEMORIAL...events in (memory)

2. This is a..YEARLY.. festival in vietnam( year)

3. When do the...PREPARATIONS... for the festival begin( prepare)

4. Among many traditional activities at the Hung King Temple Festival, I was ....festival in Vietnam year .for the festival begin? prepare perform =>0 the most interested in the Xoan singing...PERFORMANCES...(perform )

5 At the beginning of the festival, people have to do a welcome...RITUAL....(rite)

ead the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions. Last week I made the mistake of visiting the village where I grew up. It was a small, friendly community with two farms and a number of old cottages round the village green. I realized very quickly that although in many ways it appears unchanged, in reality hardly anything is the same. All the pretty cottages are there, of course, and both the picturesque farmhouses. But...
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ead the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions. Last week I made the mistake of visiting the village where I grew up. It was a small, friendly community with two farms and a number of old cottages round the village green. I realized very quickly that although in many ways it appears unchanged, in reality hardly anything is the same. All the pretty cottages are there, of course, and both the picturesque farmhouses. But none of the inhabitants are country people. All of them are commuters, who leave early every morning for the nearby town. Neither of the farmhouses is attached to a farm these days; the land has been sold and is managed by somebody in an office somewhere who has little interest in the village itself. There are a few new houses, but they have no local character; you can see the same style anywhere in the country. The whole of the village, in fact, has been tidied up so much that it has become nothing more than just another suburb. 1. When the writer revisited his village, he quickly realized that _____________. A. the village changed a lot in appearance B. everything has almost changed C. all the pretty cottages as well as the farmhouses have been built D. the residents of the village are all commuters 2. Neither of the farmhouses _______________ A. has a connection with a farm B. has been sold C. is attached to the farmers. D. is managed by the commuters 3. The word “managed” in the line 8 can be best replaced by ______________. A. controlled B. spent C. used D. taken 4. According to the writer, __________________. A. the village now has no local character B. all the new houses are the same style C. the village is tidier than it used to D. the village has become nothing but a suburb 5. Which of the following is NOT MENTIONED in the passage? A. The writer has visited the village several times before. B. The writer revisited his village last week. C. In fact, the village has changed much. D. The village nowadays has become another suburb.
0
Nowadays in the news you can read a lot about biotechnology and the controversies about it and perhaps you ask yourself what it is exactly. Well, this article is going to give you a brief history of the field of biotechnology and show you that, although the word “biotechnology” was first used in 1919, we have been using biotechnology for many thousands of years in ways that are completely uncontroversial. It will also look at the more modern developments which have started intense debate. ...
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Nowadays in the news you can read a lot about biotechnology and the controversies about it and perhaps you ask yourself what it is exactly. Well, this article is going to give you a brief history of the field of biotechnology and show you that, although the word “biotechnology” was first used in 1919, we have been using biotechnology for many thousands of years in ways that are completely uncontroversial. It will also look at the more modern developments which have started intense debate. When you are drinking a cold beer on a hot day, or eating a delicious cheese sandwich, you can thank biotechnology for the pleasure you are experiencing. That’s right! Beer, bread and cheese are all produced using biotechnology. Perhaps a definition will be useful to understand how. A standard definition is that biotechnology (or biotech for short) is the application of science and engineering to the direct or indirect use of living organisms. And as you know, the food and drink above are all produced by the fermentation of micro-organisms. In beer, the yeast multiplies as it eats the sugars in the mixture and turns them into alcohol and CO2. This ancient technique was first used in Egypt to make bread and wine around 4000BC! Antibiotics are used to prevent and treat diseases, especially those caused by bacteria. They are natural substances that are created by bacteria and fungi. The first antibiotic was made in China in about 500BC – to cure boils. In 1928 Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin and it was considered a medical miracle. Modern research is looking at the creation of super-antibodies which can kill bacteria and viruses inside the cells that house them. Our modern consumer society produces a lot of waste which needs to be disposed of safely and without harmful end products. Environmental biotechnology can help. Indeed, the use of bacteria to treat sewage was first practiced in 1914 in Manchester, England. Vermiculture or using worms to treat waste is another environmentally-friendly practice and the end product is a natural fertiliser. Bacteria have even been developed to help with problems such as oil spills. They convert crude oil and gasoline into non-toxic substances such as carbon dioxide, water and oxygen and help create a cleaner, healthier environment. These examples of biotechnology are accepted by most people. However, the discovery of the DNA structure by Watson and Crick in 1953 was the beginning of the modern era of genetics and the following areas of biotech are very controversial. Read on… The genetic modification of plants and crops has been in practice for many years. This involves changing the genetic code of these plants so that they are more resistant to bad conditions like drought, floods and frost. Supporters of GM food say that it can offer the consumer better quality, safety and taste and for over a decade Americans have been eating GM food. However, things are very different in Europe where genetically modified food is very strictly regulated and regarded with deep suspicion by the public. GM food has even been called “Frankenfood” in the press, a term inspired by the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. There is a great cultural divide between America and Europe over whether such food is safe to eat and will not harm the environment and the discussion is still in progress. 1997 saw the birth of Dolly the sheep, the first animal cloned from an adult cell. This was a remarkable achievement which created world-wide debate on the ethical issues surrounding cloning. International organisations such as the European parliament, UNESCO and WHO all declared that human cloning is both morally and legally wrong. However, we need to make a distinction between reproductive cloning and therapeutic cloning. Nowadays the idea of reproductive cloning – creating a copy of another person - is no longer interesting for researchers. Instead therapeutic cloning is creating excitement in the biotech world. Key to this technique is stem cells, which are master cells that have the potential to become any other kind of cell in the body e.g. nerve cells, blood, heart muscle or even brain cells. Stem cells themselves have generated a lot of controversy as it was believed that only human embryos could provide them. However, it now appears that adult stem cells offer the same possibility. This would mean that a patient who suffered a heart attack could provide doctors with his adult stem cells which could then be implanted back into his heart and used to create heart muscle, replacing the muscle that was damaged. As the genetic code is identical, there would be no problem of the body rejecting the implant as, unfortunately, happens with organ transplants. In the future, biotechnologists hope that stem cells could be used to grow entire organs. In this way biotechnology offers the hope of revolutionising medical treatment. In this brief overview of the history of biotechnology we have jumped from making bread to making human organs - an enormous leap- and it is clear that these modern practices raise many controversial issues. However, despite the debate, we can imagine that as biotechnology has been around for many years, it will still be around for some time to come - but who knows where it will take us? Questions: After reading, choose the best answer for the following questions 1. What is the main topic of the article? Brief history and modern developments of biotechnology Benefit of biotechnology Modern research in biotechnology 2. What does the pronoun "IT" in the first paragraph refer to? Biotechnology The article The word "Biotechnology" 3. Which products were first made with fermentation of micro-organisms? Beer, bread and cheese Bread and wine Beer and cheese Decide whether the statement below is True or False. 4. Alexander Fleming discovered super-antibodies which can kill bacteria and viruses inside the cells that house them. TrueFalse 5. GM food is easily available in the U.S. and Europe. TrueFalse 6.Researchers believe that adult stem cells could be used to create body parts. TrueFalse
1
28 tháng 7 2017

Nowadays in the news you can read a lot about biotechnology and the controversies about it and perhaps you ask yourself what it is exactly. Well, this article is going to give you a brief history of the field of biotechnology and show you that, although the word “biotechnology” was first used in 1919, we have been using biotechnology for many thousands of years in ways that are completely uncontroversial. It will also look at the more modern developments which have started intense debate. When you are drinking a cold beer on a hot day, or eating a delicious cheese sandwich, you can thank biotechnology for the pleasure you are experiencing. That’s right! Beer, bread and cheese are all produced using biotechnology. Perhaps a definition will be useful to understand how. A standard definition is that biotechnology (or biotech for short) is the application of science and engineering to the direct or indirect use of living organisms. And as you know, the food and drink above are all produced by the fermentation of micro-organisms. In beer, the yeast multiplies as it eats the sugars in the mixture and turns them into alcohol and CO2. This ancient technique was first used in Egypt to make bread and wine around 4000BC! Antibiotics are used to prevent and treat diseases, especially those caused by bacteria. They are natural substances that are created by bacteria and fungi. The first antibiotic was made in China in about 500BC – to cure boils. In 1928 Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin and it was considered a medical miracle. Modern research is looking at the creation of super-antibodies which can kill bacteria and viruses inside the cells that house them. Our modern consumer society produces a lot of waste which needs to be disposed of safely and without harmful end products. Environmental biotechnology can help. Indeed, the use of bacteria to treat sewage was first practiced in 1914 in Manchester, England. Vermiculture or using worms to treat waste is another environmentally-friendly practice and the end product is a natural fertiliser. Bacteria have even been developed to help with problems such as oil spills. They convert crude oil and gasoline into non-toxic substances such as carbon dioxide, water and oxygen and help create a cleaner, healthier environment. These examples of biotechnology are accepted by most people. However, the discovery of the DNA structure by Watson and Crick in 1953 was the beginning of the modern era of genetics and the following areas of biotech are very controversial. Read on… The genetic modification of plants and crops has been in practice for many years. This involves changing the genetic code of these plants so that they are more resistant to bad conditions like drought, floods and frost. Supporters of GM food say that it can offer the consumer better quality, safety and taste and for over a decade Americans have been eating GM food. However, things are very different in Europe where genetically modified food is very strictly regulated and regarded with deep suspicion by the public. GM food has even been called “Frankenfood” in the press, a term inspired by the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. There is a great cultural divide between America and Europe over whether such food is safe to eat and will not harm the environment and the discussion is still in progress. 1997 saw the birth of Dolly the sheep, the first animal cloned from an adult cell. This was a remarkable achievement which created world-wide debate on the ethical issues surrounding cloning. International organisations such as the European parliament, UNESCO and WHO all declared that human cloning is both morally and legally wrong. However, we need to make a distinction between reproductive cloning and therapeutic cloning. Nowadays the idea of reproductive cloning – creating a copy of another person - is no longer interesting for researchers. Instead therapeutic cloning is creating excitement in the biotech world. Key to this technique is stem cells, which are master cells that have the potential to become any other kind of cell in the body e.g. nerve cells, blood, heart muscle or even brain cells. Stem cells themselves have generated a lot of controversy as it was believed that only human embryos could provide them. However, it now appears that adult stem cells offer the same possibility. This would mean that a patient who suffered a heart attack could provide doctors with his adult stem cells which could then be implanted back into his heart and used to create heart muscle, replacing the muscle that was damaged. As the genetic code is identical, there would be no problem of the body rejecting the implant as, unfortunately, happens with organ transplants. In the future, biotechnologists hope that stem cells could be used to grow entire organs. In this way biotechnology offers the hope of revolutionising medical treatment. In this brief overview of the history of biotechnology we have jumped from making bread to making human organs - an enormous leap- and it is clear that these modern practices raise many controversial issues. However, despite the debate, we can imagine that as biotechnology has been around for many years, it will still be around for some time to come - but who knows where it will take us?

Questions:

After reading, choose the best answer for the following questions

1. What is the main topic of the article?

Brief history and modern developments of biotechnology

Benefit of biotechnology

Modern research in biotechnology

2. What does the pronoun "IT" in the first paragraph refer to?

Biotechnology

The article

The word "Biotechnology"

3. Which products were first made with fermentation of micro-organisms?

Beer, bread and cheese

Bread and wine

Beer and cheese

Decide whether the statement below is True or False.

4. Alexander Fleming discovered super-antibodies which can kill bacteria and viruses inside the cells that house them.

TrueFalse

5. GM food is easily available in the U.S. and Europe.

TrueFalse

6.Researchers believe that adult stem cells could be used to create body parts.

TrueFalse