2. Answer the questions:

1. Is nanotechnology the science of tiny objects?

2. How do you imagine a minute level?

3. The goal of nanotechnology is to produce tiny objects, isn’t it?

4. What products, which rely on nanotechnology do scientists dream about in the next 20-30 years?

5. What nanotech products are already being used in medicine at the moment?

6. How have computer scientists used nanotechnology?

7. Are all substances (life and non-life) the same at the nanoscale?

8. What could the control of events allow on the macro-scale?

9. What medical application are there?

10. Why does the USA allocate large amounts of money to nanotech research and development?

3. Complete the sentences according to the text:

1. Nanotechnology is the term … .

2. The ultimate goal of nanotechnology is to produce … .

3. In medicine, nanoceramics are already … .

4. Nanorobots could also be … .

5. There is serious commitment to … .

UNIT 10

Does Mother Nature Know Best?

I. Vocabulary focus

1. Useful words for learning:

tissue -ткань

breakthrough -великое достижение

to alter -изменять(ся), менять(ся)

to eliminate -устранять, уничтожать

repulsive -отвергающий, отталкивающий

II. Reading

1. Read the text and complete it with these linking words:

although in spite of however despite on the other hand whereas even though

A Cloning- using genetic engineering to make exact copies of living plants and animals-has been in science fiction for years. Since 1997, with the cloning of sheep, Dolly, it has become part of real life and the subject of public debate.

B For some people, human cloning is acceptable in medicine (1) _________the criticism that it is unnatural. For example, human tissue can be cloned for use in organ replacement or gene therapy. Also, organs could be provided by human clones. When a child is suffering from a fatal disease and needs an organ donor, its parents could have younger cloned brother or sister – effectively an identical twin. This would provide 100% donor compatibility (2) ___________an organ donated from another brother or sister would only stand a 25% chance of being successful. Moreover, couples who can’t have children may wish to clone a child from themselves. Finally, endangered animals could be cloned to increase their numbers.

C (3) __________, there are many arguments against cloning.(4)__________many people saw the cloning of Dolly as major breakthrough, it is just another step towards ‘playing with nature’. Firstly, (5) __________what they say, scientists have no idea of the long-term effects of genetic engineering. More and more genetically altered plants are being produced, and cloned farm animals are next. (6) _______________, creating ‘perfect’ plants and animals could eliminate the great variety of species on our planet. Furthermore, some scientists say we could transplant organs from cloned animals into humans, (7) ___________the risks to health are enormous and many people find the idea repulsive.

D All things considered, I am against cloning. It is clear that we need to regulate genetic engineering and stop experiments now, before it is too late!