ANIMALS AND MEDICINE 6
THINK AND DISCUSS
1. Answers will vary. Possible answers: Yes, I was stung by a bee. It was very painful.
2. Answers will vary. Possible answers:
mice, rats, fruit flies, primates; to determine the effects of medicines on humans without putting humans at risk
EXPlORE THE THEME
A Answers will vary. Possible answers:
1. Animals can be used to test new drugs, and they can also be a source of a new drug.
2. Many people in the world have diabetes, so I think the Gila monster’s saliva is very important.
B knowledge; possibility; side effect
Reading 1
PREPARING TO READ
A 1. target
2. concerned
3. disease
4. cure
5. specific
6. resources
7. endangered
B Answers will vary. Possible answers:
1. panda bears; polar bears; rhinoceroses; orangutans
2. headaches; drowsiness; lack of/enhanced appetite; weakness; hair loss
3. cancer; diabetes; AIDS; Parkinson’s disease; Alzheimer’s disease
C Answers will vary. Possible answers: Scientists may have to travel to remote and dangerous places to collect samples; they might not know
the language spoken in the area; they might get bitten or stung themselves.
D b
UNDERSTANDING THE READING
A 1. b; 2. c; 3. a
B Answers will vary. Possible answers:
1. He wants to see if their venom can cure human diseases. (See Paragraph B.)
2. They can hit a single target, so they have fewer side effects. (See Paragraph C.)
3. Some endangered species can be sources of medicines. So if we lose a species, we could potentially lose a medicine that saves human
lives. (See Paragraphs E and F.)
4. They have a molecule that “disguises” the target and stops the toxin from making contact. (See “Why Doesn’t Snake Venom Affect the Snake?”)
C 1. b; 2. b; 3. a
D Answers will vary. Possible answers: Yes, I think this would be a great job because it’s exciting and you have the ability to help people all over
the world. OR No, because I’m terrified of snakes!
DEVElOPING READING SKIllS
A Answers will vary. Possible answers:
Pros: We could learn more about how viruses cause disease and how humans developed in the past. We could develop vaccines in case the
extinct viruses reappear.
Cons: The scientists and the public could become infected with the virus, and there would be no cure. Our immune systems probably wouldn’t have the ability to fight an extinct virus.
B Answers will vary. Possible answers:
I don’t think virologists should continue studying extinct viruses because it’s just too dangerous. If just one person becomes infected, it could lead
to an outbreak and many people could die.
Video
BEFORE VIEWING
A Answers will vary. Possible answer: Maybe this helps her determine whether the frog is poisonous. If the frog is very small, she might not
be affected by the poison.
B 1. by biting other creatures or by releasing toxins through their skin
2. Answers will vary. Possible answer: Hunters could coat their arrows or knives with the toxin to kill large animals.
3. A poison dart frog, because although a centipede can produce venom, it is not fatal to humans.
C 1. lead
2. source
3. primary forest
AFTER VIEWING
A If you eat healthy food, you will be healthy; and if you eat unhealthy food, you will be unhealthy.
B Answers will vary. Possible answers:
They both have difficult jobs, travel to faraway places, and have the goal of helping medical research. Zoltan’s job is more dangerous because
snakes are generally deadlier to humans than the frogs that Valerie works with.
Reading 2
PREPARING TO READ
A 1. mission
2. procedures
3. conduct
4. experiments; laboratories
5. invasive
6. advances
7. emotional
B Answers will vary. Possible answers:
1. I have conducted physics experiments, such as creating a model volcano. I like conducting these kinds of scientific experiments because we get to watch the effects of the experiment occur in front
of us.
2. Some important advances in medicine include organ transplants and treatments for diabetes.
C Answers will vary. Possible answers:
Chimpanzees have been used to learn more about HIV and hepatitis. They were injected with the viruses so that scientists could learn more about the effects of the viruses and how to cure disease.
UNDERSTANDING THE READING
A c
B 1. F (See Paragraph B.)
2. F (See Paragraph C.)
3. NG (Explanation: Paragraph C states that many lab chimps were intentionally given HIV and hepatitis viruses, but there is no mention in the reading passage of malaria or cancer.)
4. T (See Paragraphs C and E.)
5. NG
6. T (See Paragraph I.)
C 1. c
2. b
D Answers will vary. Possible answers:
Pros: can advance human health and medical research; help to find vaccines for humans; help to find cures for diseases that affect chimps, such as an Ebola vaccine for wild chimps
Cons: Chimps in the wild are captured and sold for research, leading to reduced populations in the wild; chimps live solitary lives, don’t get to go outside, and live in small cages; are infected with diseases; chimps are intelligent and emotional creatures, like humans, so they can feel pain and loneliness.
E Answers will vary. Possible answer: No, I don’t think scientists should continue using chimps in medical research because chimps are intelligent
and have feelings similar to those of humans. It is cruel to give chimpanzees diseases that will make them suffer.
Writing
EXPlORING WRITTEN ENGlISH
A 1. b (Even though)
2. b (Although)
3. a (even though)
4. b (Even though)
LANGUAGE FOR WRITING
B 1. Although a small amount of arsenic can be deadly, it is still used to treat certain diseases.
2. The poison dart frog is highly toxic even though it is just two inches long.
3. Even though chimpanzee experimentation can lead to advances in human health, invasive research on chimps has been largely banned.
C Answers will vary. Possible answers:
1. Although he used chimpanzees in medical research, he always treated them well.
2. I did all my homework even though I wasn’t feeling well.
WRITING SKILL
D 1. First, although zoos … and habits.
2. In addition, although keeping … the wild.
3. Finally, even though zoos … enforced.
E Answers will vary. Possible answers:
main Argument: It is wrong to keep animals in zoos.
Supporting Idea 1: Living in zoos negatively affects animals’ routines and habits.
Concession: Zoos allow people to see animals that they wouldn’t otherwise see.
Details: Lions in zoos aren’t able to hunt for food in their natural habitats and get aggressive.
Supporting Idea 2: Zoos don’t increase endangered animal populations in the wild.
Concession: Keeping animals in zoos helps protect endangered animals.
Details: Animals born in zoos usually stay in zoos their whole lives.
Supporting Idea 3: Animal welfare standards aren’t always enforced.
Concession: Zoos are supposed to meet minimum requirements for animal welfare by law.
Details: Zebras at a Washington zoo died because of insufficient food.
WRITING TASK
A Answers will vary. Possible answers:
Pros: Medicines made from animal venom have fewer side effects; some medical advances can help animals in the wild, too.
Cons: cruel to the animals; medicines may affect humans and animals differently.
B Answers will vary. Possible answers:
main Argument: Scientists should not be allowed to use animals for medical research because it is cruel and unnecessary.
Supporting Idea 1: Animals are often harmed.
Concession: Scientists don’t want to be cruel.
Details: Animals live in small cages; may be injured or in pain during testing.
Supporting Idea 2: Drugs don’t always have the same effect on animals and humans.
Concession: Experiments with animals can lead to advances in human health.
Details: Some drugs are safe for animals but not for humans.
EDITING PRACTICE
1. Even though she’s afraid of snakes, she wants to study snake venoms.
2. Although the golden poison dart frog is very small, it is very deadly.
3. Even though the NIH is retiring its research chimpanzees, it will continue to use other animals for medical research.
4. Although there are potentially millions of toxins in the wild, scientists have studied only a couple thousand.
5. Even though black widow spider bites can be deadly to small children, they are not usually strong enough to kill an adult human.
