PRACTICE: WRITING A SUMMARY (20.

08)
Read the following extract and use your own words to summarize it. Your summary should be about 130
words long.
Cloning is the process of making an identical copy of something. It refers to processes used to create copies of
DNA fragments, be it molecular cloning or cell cloning or organisms. The term also covers when organisms
such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually.

The possibility of human cloning was raised when scientists at Roslin Institute created the much-celebrated sheep
called Dolly. It aroused worldwide interest and concern because of its scientific and ethical implications. The
immediate reaction was that humans would now be able to make brand-new copies of themselves. This
breakthrough in 1997 also generated uncertainty over the meaning of cloning'. There are three types of cloning.
They are DNA cloning, reproductive cloning and therapeutic cloning.

Recombinant DNA technology or DNA cloning involves the transfer of a DNA fragment from one organism to a
self-replicating genetic element. Scientists studying a particular gene often use bacterial plasmids to generate
multiple copies of the same gene. Plasmids are self-replicating extra-chromosomal circular DNA molecules.
When the fragment of the chromosomal DNA is joined with its cloning vector in the lab, it is called a recombinant
DNA molecule.

Reproductive cloning is a technology used to generate an animal that has the same nuclear DNA as another
currently or previously existing animal. Dolly was created by this type of cloning technology. In the process,
scientists transfer genetic material from the nucleus of a donor adult cell to an egg whose genetic material has
been removed. The reconstructed egg containing the DNA from a donor cell must be treated with chemicals or
'electric current to stimulate cell division. Once the cloned embryo reaches a suitable stage, it is transferred to the
uterus of a female host where it continues to develop until birth.

Therapeutic cloning is also called `embryo cloning'. It is the production of human embryos for use in research.
The goal of this process is not to create cloned human beings but rather to harvest stem cells that can be used to
treat disease. Stem cells are important to biomedical researchers because they can be used to generate virtually
any type of specialised cell in the human body.

Stem cells are extracted from the egg after it has divided for five days. The extraction process destroys the embryo,
which raises a variety of ethical concerns. It is hoped that one day, stem cells can be used to serve as replacement
cells to treat heart disease, Alzheimer's, cancer and other diseases.

Recombinant DNA technology is useful for learning about other related technologies such as gene therapy and
genetic engineering of organisms. Gene therapy can be used to treat certain genetic conditions by introducing
virus vectors that transfer corrected copies of faulty genes into the cells of a host organism. Similarly, genes from
different organisms can be used to improve taste and nutritional value or provide resistance to particular types of
disease or genetically engineer food crops.

YOUR ANSWER: Begin your summary as follow:

Cloning is the process of making identical DNA fragments or …………………………………………

molecules, cells and living creatures, which consists

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of three different kinds: DNA cloning, reproductive cloning, and therapeutic cloning. First, it is the DNA cloning which make use of plasmids to
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fabricates artificial versions of a chosen gene. When the gene creates a bond with its vector, the process terminates. Reproductive cloning,
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on the other hand, stimulates an alteration of the DNA within the core of an amatuer cell. This is subsequently contained in an egg until
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its stage of stability, and the fetus is nurtured in its mother's body. In addition, there is also an additional cloning method called therapeutic

cloning, taking advantages of stem cells to imitate any body's part. This, however, lead to great moral issue as the cells is extracted from
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young human fetus. The knowledge came from cell cloning makes great contribution to other fields like genetic studying, eradicating
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malnutrition or illness.

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 ACADEMIC READING

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