activity of text interpretation, aimed at students in the fifth year of elementary school, about ruppy – a bitch with her own light. Ever heard of Ruppy? No? How about meeting this unusual dog? So, read the text carefully! Then answer the various interpretative questions proposed!
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SCHOOL: DATE:
PROF: CLASS:
NAME:
Read:
Have you ever imagined a dog capable of glowing in the dark? You no longer need to wonder. Because the world's first transgenic dog is capable of this incredible feat. Ruppy – short for Ruby Puppy (or ruby puppy) – is a beagle dog cloned by the team of scientists led by Byeong-Chun Lee from Seoul National University, in South Korea.
During his cloning, Ruppy received genes from sea anemones. This enables the dog to produce a fluorescent protein. The result is that, under ultraviolet light, it takes on a reddish glow. But apart from that surreal trait, she's a normal beagle.
The aim was not to create a different pet, but to study human diseases. As dogs are closer to humans than mice – normally used in experiments –, Ruppy represents another step towards the study of human diseases.
There is no forecast for the commercialization of transgenic dogs. But if you liked Ruppy, don't give up hope for an enlightened companion. Fluorescent fish – or GloFish – have been sold in the United States since 2003. Who knows, maybe a company is interested in the subject? So in the future you can have your own Ruby Puppy.
Meanwhile, Ruppy leads a normal life – or almost, after all, she shines. Time passed, the fluorescent dog grew up and got a boyfriend – a non-transgenic beagle. They mated and had three puppies. Two of them inherited their mother's reddish glow. When these dogs have puppies of their own, there is a high possibility that they will also inherit the fluorescence.
Bruno Delecave.
Available in: .
Question 1 – In “For the first transgenic dog in the world is capable of this incredible feat.”, what incredible feat does the text refer to?
Question 2 – Identify the passage in the text that introduces Ruppy:
Question 3 – In the excerpt "But, apart from this surreal characteristic, she is a normal beagle.”, the underlined word could be replaced by:
( ) "Although".
( ) "That's why".
( ) "Therefore".
Question 4 – According to the text, the purpose of cloning Ruppy was to:
( ) “studying human diseases”.
( ) “produce a fluorescent protein”.
( ) “create a different pet”.
Question 5 – In the sentence “Gluorescent fish – or GloFish – are sold in the United States since 2003.”, the highlighted expression indicates:
( ) place.
( ) mode.
( ) time.
Question 6 – In the segment “While that doesn’t happen, Ruppy leads a normal life – or almost, after all, she shines.”, the term underlined:
( ) corrects information.
( ) retrieves information.
( ) announces information.
Question 7 – Watch:
“[…] the fluorescent dog grew up and got a boyfriend – a non-GMO beagle.”
In this part, the text reveals facts about the dog Ruppy, who:
( ) add up.
( ) alternate.
( ) contrast.
Question 8 – In some fragments throughout the text, the author addresses the reader directly. Point to one of these fragments:
( ) “During his cloning, Ruppy received genes from sea anemones.”
( ) “So, in the future, you can have your own Ruby Puppy.”
( ) “Two of them inherited their mother’s reddish glow.”
By Denyse Lage Fonseca
Graduated in Letters and specialist in distance education.
