The Reading / Listening - Body Repairs - Level 5

There is another example of medical science fiction coming true. Scientists have revealed a "breakthrough" that successfully repaired cells and organs in mice and pigs. Researchers in the USA developed a device a centimeter wide that is full of nanochips. The device is a pad that is put on the skin. It starts the process of repairing damaged organs and healing wounds. The nanochips "reprogramme" damaged cells to restore them to a functioning state. A researcher said: "With this technology, we can convert skin cells into elements of any organ with just one touch."

The technology is called tissue nano-transfection (TNT). It is non-invasive, which means doctors do not have to cut the body. The pad of nanochips is put over a damaged area of the body. A small electric current then injects DNA into the skin in less than a second. This changes the cells into building blocks that regenerate nearby damaged tissue, such as skin, arteries, or organs like the liver and heart. It could replace the need for reconstructive surgery. It could also revitalize aging organs. It could even help repair the brain. Testing will begin on humans next year.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Body Repairs - Level 4 or  Body Repairs - Level 6

Sources
  • http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2017/08/07/penny-sized-nanochip-pad-regrow-organs-heal-injuries/
  • https://www.news-medical.net/news/20170807/Nanotechnology-wonders-Organ-healing-with-a-single-touch!.aspx
  • http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318841.php


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. science
  2. repaired cells and organs in
  3. developed a
  4. a pad that is put
  5. the process of repairing damaged
  6. healing
  7. restore them to a
  8. convert skin cells into elements
  1. organs
  2. device
  3. of any organ
  4. fiction
  5. functioning state
  6. mice and pigs
  7. on the skin
  8. wounds

Paragraph 2

  1. The technology is called tissue
  2. It is non-
  3. doctors do not have
  4. A small electric current then injects
  5. building
  6. replace the need for reconstructive
  7. It could also revitalize aging
  8. Testing will begin
  1. blocks
  2. on humans
  3. organs
  4. to cut the body
  5. nano-transfection
  6. DNA into the skin
  7. invasive
  8. surgery

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

There (1) ___________________ of medical science fiction coming true. Scientists (2) ___________________ "breakthrough" that successfully repaired cells and (3) ___________________ and pigs. Researchers in the USA developed a device a centimeter wide (4) ___________________ nanochips. The device is a pad that is put on the skin. It starts the process of repairing (5) ___________________ and healing wounds. The nanochips "reprogramme" damaged cells to restore them to a functioning state. A researcher said: "With this technology, we can convert skin cells into (6) ___________________ with just one touch."

The (7) ___________________ tissue nano-transfection (TNT). It is non-invasive, which means doctors do not have to cut the body. The pad of nanochips (8) ___________________ damaged area of the body. A small electric current then injects (9) ___________________ in less than a second. This changes (10) ___________________ building blocks that regenerate nearby damaged tissue, such as skin, arteries, or organs like the liver and heart. It could replace the need (11) ___________________ surgery. It could also revitalize aging organs. It could even help repair the brain. Testing will (12) ___________________ next year.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Thereisanotherexampleofmedicalsciencefictioncomingtrue.Scientis
tshaverevealeda"breakthrough"thatsuccessfullyrepairedcellsandor
gansinmiceandpigs.ResearchersintheUSAdevelopedadeviceacenti
meterwidethatisfullofnanochips.Thedeviceisapadthatisputontheski
n.Itstartstheprocessofrepairingdamagedorgansandhealingwounds.
Thenanochips"reprogramme"damagedcellstorestorethemtoafuncti
oningstate.Aresearchersaid:"Withthistechnology,wecanconvertski
ncellsintoelementsofanyorganwithjustonetouch."Thetechnologyisc
alledtissuenano-transfection(TNT).Itisnon-invasive,whichmeansd
octorsdonothavetocutthebody.Thepadofnanochipsisputoveradama
gedareaofthebody.AsmallelectriccurrenttheninjectsDNAintotheskin
inlessthanasecond.Thischangesthecellsintobuildingblocksthatregen
eratenearbydamagedtissue,suchasskin,arteries,ororgansliketheliv
erandheart.Itcouldreplacetheneedforreconstructivesurgery.Itcould
alsorevitalizeagingorgans.Itcouldevenhelprepairthebrain.Testingwi
llbeginonhumansnextyear.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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