METU/SFL Spring 2022

DBE
RHO17
INTERMEDIATE GROUP
(Student Copy)
TEXT I
enes and a love of reading are to blame for short-sightedness.
tedness often start around puberty and get gradually worse until the eye is
many other things about the modern environment could be leading to poor
a few simple measures, our children may be prevented from the same blurry
ur own generation.
t is primarily genetic has always been a controversial issue. Without glasses,
rock from an animal. So, shouldn’t their ancestors have been removed from
ed and squinted their way through the savannah? Yet, short-sightedness is
Today, 30-40% of people in Europe and the US need glasses, and the figure
% in some Asian countries. If humankind had “short-sightedness” genes from
ave they survived the millennia regardless of their obvious disadvantage?
the Inuit in Canada should have settled that question nearly 50 years ago.
tion had next-to-no cases of short-sightedness, between 10-25% of their
That would never be possible with a genetic disease,” says Nina Jacobsen at
al in Copenhagen. Over that same period, the Inuit had started to leave their
ting and fishing for a more Western way of life – a far more likely cause of
dness is an industrial disease,” says Ian Flitcroft at Children’s University
s may still play a role in deciding who becomes short-sighted, but it was only
nment that the problems began to emerge.
have been education and literacy – one of the most common explanations for
the evidence seemed to be strong: just look at the sea of glinting spectacles
eatre or academic conference, and you would seem to find proof of a link.
s suggest the effects are much smaller than once believed. “The more we
he amount people read, the more the association seemed to vanish,” says
ollowing the progress of children in Ohio appeared to show no correlation at
e should not yet rule out the effect completely, says Jacobsen.
hat it is the time spent indoors, rather than reading, that matters most. Study
Australia, and Asia, have all found that people who spend more time outside
e short-sighted than people whose lives are mostly confined within four walls.
opular explanation is that sunlight somehow nourishes the eyes because
duction of Vitamin D, which is responsible for a healthy immune system and
ate eye health. A more widely accepted idea is that sunshine triggers the
tly in the eye itself. Short-sightedness is caused by excessive growth of the
fficult for the lens to focus an image on the retina, but dopamine seems to put
p it in a healthier shape.
question of colour. Green and blue wavelengths tend to be focused at the
ed light hits the back. Since indoor lighting tends to be redder than the sun’s
onfuse the eyeball’s control mechanisms. “It tells the eye that it’s not
ace, and so it has to grow and compensate for that,” says Chi Luu at the
ure enough, he has found that baby birds raised in red light are more likely to
e growing up with blue or green surroundings.

ere are promising trials of contact lenses that can reduce blur in the peripheral
that an eye drop, called atropine, could be helpful. The drug has long been
gnalling that triggers eyeball growth and short-sightedness. Its unwelcome
ng pupil dilation and generating halos around sources of light – meant that it
chance finding recently showed that it is equally effective at just 1:100 of the
els, the side effects should be minimal – a discovery that has now sparked

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e drops.

Mark the alternatives that best

answer the questions about the
text.
1. Which underlined sentence
does not fit in paragraph A?
a) a
b) b
c) c

2. Which of the following does

the writer support in
paragraph B?
a) Short-sightedness caused
numerous difficulties in the
lives of ancient people.
b) Short-sightedness has
affected large numbers of
people throughout history.
c) The short-sightedness gene
cannot have been present
from the very beginning.

3. Which of the following can be

concluded from paragraph C?
a) Although the Inuit have
been working on how to
cure short-sightedness for
about 50 years, they have
not been fully successful.
b) While genes might decide
whether a person has short-
sightedness to some extent,
environmental change is to
blame for its prevalence.
c) The underlying reason why
many people are short-
sighted might be the
traditional lifestyle that
they lead in their
communities.

4. How does the information in

paragraph D relate to
paragraph E?
a) Paragraph D explains that
individuals who spend

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 considerable time reading
may be more likely to
develop short-sightedness,
and paragraph E supports it
by referring to the studies
conducted in numerous
countries.
b) Paragraph D explains why
education and literacy are
the main underlying
reasons for short-
sightedness, and Paragraph
E states that environmental
factors can also contribute
to its prevalence.
c) Paragraph D explains the
misconception that
education and literacy are
the main causes of myopia,
and Paragraph E states that
when people spend more
time outside, myopia is not
prevalent.

5. What are the functions of

paragraph F and G?
a) They explain why spending
time outside may benefit eye
health.
b) They introduce the
importance of dopamine
release for eye health.
c) They introduce the factors
triggering the eye-control
mechanism.

6. Which of the following can be

inferred from paragraph H?
a) Contact lenses have shown
more promising results
compared to eye drops.
b) Future generations might be
able to enjoy crystal-clear
vision with an eye drop.
c) While some eye-drop
products have encouraging
results, they have severe side
effects.

7. What is the best title for this

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 text?
a) Causes of Myopia Redefined
b) Myopia on the Rise
c) Short-sightedness and
Genetic Inheritance

ACTIVE VOCABULARY LIST

 puberty (n)
 plague (v) our generation/the
new business partners
 a controversial (adj)
issue/decision/regulations
 ancestors (n)
 regardless of the
disadvantage/ethnic
origin/religion/what they want
to hear
 associate (v)
 association (n) between
reading and myopia/ smoking
and lung cancer/ poverty and
crime
 the association vanishes (v)
 correlation (n) between
reading and myopia/ smoking
and lung cancer/ poverty and
crime
 nourish (v) the
eyes/plants/the baby
 stimulate (v) the production of
Vitamin D/public interest/the
economy
 regulate (v) eye health/body

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 temperature/competition/the
flow of information
 trigger (v) the release of
dopamine/headaches/the
outbreak of war
 release (v)
dopamine/hormones into the
bloodstream/sulphur dioxide
into the atmosphere
the release (n) of dopamine
 compensate (v) for the
loss/the lack of coal
 promising (adj) trials of
contact
lenses/projects/athletes/music
ians

TEXT II
A Whenever a great new advancement is made in technology, such as cloning, the transferring of genes
between species, or even the simple voluntary sale of one's own kidneys over the Internet,
many "bio-ethicists" and Greenpeace members claim that this is unethical, because it is
"manipulating Mother Nature" or "playing God." Yet, it is precisely because we have manipulated
nature that we have survived as a species.
B When man first evolved, unlike the other members of the animal kingdom, he had no claws, sharp
teeth, scales, or any adequate form of defense.
an advantage it possessed and continues to possess over all competing life forms — intelligence.
b) ■ This is our unique ability as humans to think, reason, and reshape our environment to suit our
own needs with knowledge from the past. In the harsh wilderness, humans survived by using their
natural surroundings for their own benefit.
fires to cook their food and provide light in the darkness. All of this was accomplished by using nature
for their own purposes, or "manipulating nature," and thereby "playing God."
C The reason why we have so many breeds, or types, of dogs and domestic cats is because people
chose to "play God." (a) We re-engineered living wild animals through selective breeding, that is,
mating the individual dogs and cats possessing physical traits we wished to preserve
engineered research animals to make them more susceptible to particular diseases, such as cancer, in
order to gain a better basic understanding of diseases
evolved wolves into St. Bernards, poodles, Chihuahuas, and many others.
these different breeds?
D Though some environmentalists criticize us for "arrogantly" believing that man is superior to nature,
many environmentalists themselves display a belief in man's dominance. Because of our power, we
have caused many species to become extinct or endangered. Actually, this itself is natural, because,
in natural selection, the species that cannot compete die. If we did not believe we were above
nature, we would accept this. However, we are convinced that it is in our power to save these
species, in spite of these natural laws. We think that it is up to us to decide which animals live and

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 which ones die. We have used our intellect to save Hawaii's Nene goose from extinction, even though
its inability to compete should have ensured its dying off. Is this not "playing God"?
E Occasionally, when humans "manipulate nature," terrible accidents can occur. The artificial creation
of killer bees, for example, was a disaster. However, while these mishaps have killed several people,
they did not bring an end to the human race. What we must ask ourselves is this: Are these rare
mistakes so bad that further technological innovation should be banned, when it could save and
prolong millions of lives in the future? If geneticists wish to use a bio-engineered organism to
produce a vaccine for cancer, should we ban this, out of fear that they may accidentally create some
sort of "Frankenstein monster?" Though dangerous scientific errors sometimes occur, the overall
benefits of progress to our lives far outweigh the losses.
F Cloning, altering genes, and even kidney transplants are examples of manipulating nature for our
own benefit. At the moment, bio-engineers are putting human genes into pigs in order to produce
human blood. This is helpful, because pigs produce more blood than we do, and this will reduce the
need for blood donations from people. Science and industry plan to use this human blood from pigs
in blood transfusions. In the case of kidney transplants, what has made them more widely available
to those who need them is that people are now in favor of the idea of selling their own kidneys.
These practices have been criticized for being new, unusual, and "upsetting," and, in the case of
kidney sales, for rewarding kidney donors for their effort. Yet, such acts will save and prolong lives in
the future. Is that unethical?
G We may believe that, with our current dominance, it is no longer necessary to continue
advancement. That is far from true. Viruses and bacteria are our natural predators, and they evolve
at an alarming rate, faster than that of any other sort of life form. They constantly form new methods
to protect themselves from our antibiotics, changing into strains which are even more difficult to
treat. If we refused to find new ways to stop them, it would mean our death in the long run. If we did
not have the ability to use the natural world for our own convenience, our species might not even
have survived as long as it has, and many more lives would be lost, both in the present and in the
future. Contrary to what some people claim, technological progress is not unethical. Rather, it is a
moral necessity.
H When we look at the genetic engineers and kidney sellers, they may change "nature," but all those
forms of nature happen to be their own property. What about the "bio-ethicists," who impose their
own irrational standards through legislation, slowing the progress of medical science and telling
people what they can and cannot do with their own internal organs? As philosopher-novelist Ayn
Rand said, "The creator's concern is the conquest of nature. The parasite's concern is the conquest of
men." By interfering with the lives of others, it is the "bio-ethicists" who are really the ones playing
God!

Mark the alternatives that best

answer the questions or
complete the statements about
the text.
1. Choose the statement that
best summarizes paragraph A.
a) Although some groups
advocate technological
progress, human beings had
better stop manipulating
Mother Nature.
b) Although some groups
perceive technological
progress as evil, human
beings have continued to
exist thanks to their control
over nature.
c) Despite criticisms, human
beings have not stopped

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 working on controversial
issues such as cloning.

2. Where in paragraph B does the

following sentence belong?
In a world where only the most
physically powerful survived,
humans would have died out.
a) a
b) b
c) c

3. It can be concluded from

paragraph B that ____.
a) man’s control over his
environment is so strong that
nature does not have any
impact on him
b) the first humans survived
because they changed their
needs according to the
environment
c) mankind has been able to
continue to exist because of
his ability to manipulate
nature

4. Which underlined sentence

does not fit in paragraph C?
a) a
b) b
c) c
5. What is the main idea of
paragraph D?

a) Although they say they are

against it, environmentalists
are "playing God" by trying
to save endangered species.
b) It is natural for man to try
to save species close to
extinction, especially the
ones they want to preserve.
c) Because of the laws of
nature, there will always be
species that cannot survive
and hence, will die off.
6. Which of the following is NOT
true according to the writer?
a) There have been no
disastrous consequences of

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 bio-engineers’ work.
b) Society should be allowed
to benefit from the results of
“playing God”.
c) With the help of bio-
engineering, the need for
blood donations will decrease.

7. The writer supports all of the

following except for ____.
a) cross-breeding animals to
create an offspring with
desired traits
b) kidney transplants to save
lives
c) new methods protecting
ourselves from antibiotics

8. The tone of the author towards

“bio-ethicists” in paragraph H
is mostly ____.
a) neutral
b) disapproving
c) sympathetic

ACTIVE VOCABULARY LIST

 manipulate (v) nature/the
statistics/the data/the media
 an adequate (adj) form of
defense/food/time/oil
supplies
 preserve (v) physical traits/the
character of the town/the
planet for future generations
 susceptible (adj) to
injury/disease/frost
 arrogant (adj)
criticize people arrogantly
(adv)
 benefits outweigh (v)
losses/risks
advantages outweigh
disadvantages
 predator (n)
 impose (v) their own standards
on us
parents imposing their own

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 tastes on their children
 interfere (v) with the lives of
others

TEXT III.
A Today there are around 90,000 patients in America registered and waiting for organ transplants. It
sounds frightening as they are actually waiting for a genetically suitable, organ donor within a few hundred
kilometers to die and provide a replacement for a terminally damaged heart, kidney, liver, pancreas
or another organ. Yet, even those patients lucky enough to undergo a transplant surgery, face more
misery. Some will reject the new organ, and will be put back on the waiting list. Those who receive an
organ transplant successfully will spend the rest of their lives on drugs that are likely to cause side-effects
and will suppress their immune systems, preventing rejection but leaving them prone to infections and
other problems.
B Most patients, however, never get even that far. Although most Americans support organ donation,
very few go through the complicated process of formally giving permission for it. Of those that do, not all
are able to donate, either because their organs are unsuitable, or because their families decide to overrule
their wishes, which is allowed under American law.
C Thus, the idea of being able to create replacement organs from scratch, using a patient’s own tissue —
and hence preventing rejection—has considerable appeal. Researchers including Robert Langer of the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Anthony Atala of the Wake Forest University Institute of
Regenerative Medicine in North Carolina, are trying to grow organs from a person’s own tissue. Dr. Atala, a
pioneer in the field, is now working with Tengion, a biotech firm based in Pennsylvania. It is one of the
several firms pursuing the idea of making organs to order, which seems to have made the most progress.
Already, a number of patients in America have been quietly fitted with new bladders made by using
Dr. Atala’s technology.
D The approach has taken decades to refine. Healthy progenitor cells (the basic form of all cell types) are
extracted from the patient, isolated and multiplied in the laboratory. They are then placed into a frame
structure, made of collagen, which is shaped to resemble the required organ. This is then placed into a
soup of nutrients in an incubator, which resembles an aquarium and generates the conditions found
inside the human body. “Four to six weeks later, you have a ‘neo-bladder’ that can then be placed into the
patient,” says Dr. Atala. The immune system doesn’t sense anything problematic, allowing the body to
stimulate the remaining growth necessary for full functionality. The collagen frame is gradually absorbed
into the body.
E Building body parts on a scaffold made of collagen by using a patient’s own cells is not new.
Genzyme, a biotech firm based in Boston, makes a product called Carticel, for example, which allows
cartilage* to be grown in the laboratory from a patient’s own cells, and then implanted into the patient’s
knee to repair cartilage defects. Since its introduction in 1997, this product has been used to treat more
than 10,000 patients successfully.
F But Tengion, which plans to put its neo-bladder into clinical trials later this year, has higher ambitions. It
has the funds to pursue them as well, as it raised $40 million in initial funding late last year. While there
is a lot of research in the field—dating back to a series of animal studies, co-written by Dr. Atala, which
appeared in the journal Nature Biotechnology in 1999—no other commercial institution than Tengion has
yet got as far as developing a neo-bladder, let alone other, more complex organs.
G The field is now moving fast. “Ten years ago, they said organs couldn’t be built. Now the challenge is
finding ways to produce solid organs like the liver, pancreas, heart, and lungs,” says Christopher Thomas

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 Scott, a bioethicist at Stanford University. Although the prospects for organs to order seem promising,
there is no guarantee that what works in animals will also work in humans. Patients, doctors and
investors should not get their hopes up until trials of Tengion’s neo-bladder demonstrate that the new
technology really works.
* cartilage: a strong, flexible substance inside the body, for example, in your nose or knee

Mark the alternatives that best answer the questions or complete the statements about the text.
1. In paragraph A, which of the following is not mentioned as a factor complicating organ transplants?
a) The distance between the donor and the recipient
b) The complications during the transplant surgery
c) The risk of the transplanted organ being rejected

2. After a transplant operation, patients are given medication to prevent ______.

a) side effects
b) infection
c) rejection

3. From paragraph B, we understand that organ donation ______.

a) is a very simple process for Americans
b) is supported by very few Americans
c) can be prevented by the relatives of the donor

4. According to paragraph C, what is true about creating replacement organs from a patient’s own tissue?
a) It has already been successfully performed.
b) It has received little attention.
c) It has been researched in only one institution.

5. It can be understood from paragraph D that______.

a) The collagen frame has the shape of the required organ.
b) The organ is fully functioning when it is placed into the body.
c) The body is likely to develop a reaction to the implanted organ.

6. What is the function of paragraph E?

a) It states that creating organs using a patient’s own tissues is not a recent method.
b) It stresses that using a patient’s own tissues is ineffective in curing certain diseases.
c) It emphasizes the importance of cartilage in creating organs using a patient’s own tissues.

7. According to paragraph F, the biotech firm Tengion ______.

a) faces financial difficulties
b) is the only institution to produce neo-bladders
c) has already started clinical trials on its neo-bladder

8. The writer’s attitude towards the future of organs to order in paragraph G is ______.
a) disapproving
b) optimistic
c) cautious

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ACTIVE VOCABULARY LIST

 donate (v) organs/blood/food

organ/blood donation (n)
organ donor (n)
 reject (v) the new organ/the kidney
rejection (n)
 suppress (v) the immunity system/the growth of cancerous cells
 prone (adj) to infections/diseases/ headaches/vandalism
 pursue (v) the idea of making organs to order/economic reform/a career
 extract (v) healthy cells/juice from fruits/coal
 isolate (v) healthy cells/the gene/chemical/protein
 multiply (v) healthy cells
 resemble (v) the required organ
 generate (v) the conditions inside the human body/electricity/power
 stimulate (v) growth/the production of hormones/the digestive system
stimulation (n)
 absorb (v) the collagen frame/carbon dioxide/water/light
 prospects (n) for organs to order
 promising (adj) prospects/athletes/students

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