My 1,000
Ideas
e-Book

Breaking News English

HOME  |  HELP MY SITE  |  000s MORE FREE LESSONS
 
My 1,000
Ideas
e-Book
 
 
 LEVEL 2  LISTEN  READ  MATCH  SPELL  WORDS

 See also...
   Level 0
   Level 1
   Level 3

 * MP3

* Speed Reading
    (3 speeds)

*  PRINT / GET
    the handout

* Text jumble 1

* Text jumble 2

* Sentence match

* Consonants

* Vowels

* Missing letters

* Initials only

* No letters

* Missing words

* No spaces

* Gap-fill

Scientists find gene that erases memories (25th September, 2013)

Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have found a special gene in mice. It could help people with painful memories forget bad experiences. It could help soldiers, crime victims and people who survived natural disasters. Many of these people have memories that make them very stressed. They have an illness called post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Scientists hope to use their research to erase painful memories in humans. They want to replace stressful memories with positive thoughts and feelings. This would help millions of people with PTSD.


 
 

Scientists did tests to make mice forget their fear. They put the mice into a cage and gave them electric shocks. After many shocks, the mice were stressed and afraid of the cage. After the mice had "cage shock," the scientists put the mice in the cage again but with no electric shock. After some time, the mice no longer feared the cage. Their stress and fear changed to good feelings. The scientists looked at the brain activity of the mice. They were surprised to find the gene that replaced old memories with new ones. They will now try to find this gene in human brains.


 
 
 

 
 

 
 

Sources:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/266368.php
http://news.sky.com/story/1145178/memory-erasing-gene-discovered-in-mice

Try Level 0 or Level 1 (easier) or Level 3 (one level higher)

MATCHING


 
 
 

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

a special gene

a.

forget bad experiences

2.

help people with painful memories

b.

to erase painful memories

3.

crime

c.

in mice

4.

natural

d.

with PTSD

5.

an illness called post-traumatic

e.

disasters

6.

use their research

f.

thoughts and feelings

7.

positive

g.

stress disorder (PTSD)

8.

help millions of people

h.

victims

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

tests to make mice

a.

in the cage again

2.

electric

b.

with new ones

3.

stressed and afraid

c.

forget their fear

4.

the scientists put the mice

d.

brains

5.

brain

e.

shocks

6.

They were surprised

f.

activity

7.

replaced old memories

g.

to find the gene

8.

human

h.

of the cage

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Researchers from the Massachusetts (1) ___________________ have found a special gene in mice. It could help people with painful memories forget bad experiences. (2) ___________________, crime victims and (3) ___________________ natural disasters. Many of these people have memories that make them very stressed. They have an illness called post-traumatic (4) ___________________. Scientists hope to use their research to (5) ___________________ in humans. They want to replace stressful memories with positive thoughts and feelings. This (6) ___________________ people with PTSD.

Scientists did tests to (7) ___________________ their fear. They put the (8) ___________________ and gave them electric shocks. After many shocks, the mice were stressed and (9) ___________________. After the mice had "cage shock," the scientists put the mice in the cage again but with no electric shock. After some time, the mice (10) ___________________ the cage. Their stress and fear changed to good feelings. The scientists looked at (11) ___________________ the mice. They were surprised to find the gene that replaced old memories with new ones. They will now try to (12) ___________________ human brains.

PUT A SLASH ( / )WHERE THE SPACES ARE

ResearchersfromtheMassachusettsInstituteofTechnologyhavefoundaspecialg
eneinmice.Itcouldhelppeoplewithpainfulmemoriesforgetbadexperiences.Itco
uldhelpsoldiers,crimevictimsandpeoplewhosurvivednaturaldisasters.Manyoft
hesepeoplehavememoriesthatmakethemverystressed.Theyhaveanillnesscall
edpost-traumaticstressdisorder(PTSD).Scientistshopetousetheirresearch
toerasepainfulmemoriesinhumans.Theywanttoreplacestressfulmemorieswith
positivethoughtsandfeelings.ThiswouldhelpmillionsofpeoplewithPTSD.Scienti
stsdidteststomakemiceforgettheirfear.Theyputthemiceintoacageandgavethe
melectricshocks.Aftermanyshocks,themicewerestressedandafraidofthecage.
Afterthemicehad"cageshock,"thescientistsputthemiceinthecageagainbutwith
noelectricshock.Aftersometime,themicenolongerfearedthecage.Theirstressa
ndfearchangedtogoodfeelings.Thescientistslookedatthebrainactivityofthemic
e.Theyweresurprisedtofindthegenethatreplacedoldmemorieswithnewones.Th
eywillnowtrytofindthisgeneinhumanbrains.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about bad memories for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

 

Back to the top

Help Support This Web Site

  • Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

Sean Banville's Book

Thank You

Copyright © 2004-2023 by Sean Banville | Links | About | Privacy Policy