Pre-reading questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- What does it mean for an animal to adapt to its environment? Can you think of an example?
- Do you know what genes are? If yes, what do you know about them? If not, can you think of one word that comes to mind when you hear the word “genes”?
Vocabulary:
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
- freshwater /FRESH-wot-er/
- entire /en-TAHYUHR/
- survive /ser-VAHYV/
- clue /kloo/
- lung /luhng/
[adjective] – water that is not salty, typically found in rivers, lakes, and streams
The lake is a source of freshwater for the nearby towns.
[adjective] – whole or complete
She read the entire book in one day.
[verb] – to continue to live or exist, especially in difficult conditions
The plant can survive without much sunlight.
[noun] – pieces of information or evidence that help to solve a problem or mystery
The detective found several clues at the crime scene.
[noun] – either of the two organs in the chest with which people and some animals breathe
We need to keep our lungs healthy by avoiding smoking.
Article reading:
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
Scientists have mapped the DNA of the South American lungfish, a freshwater fish found in Brazil, Argentina, Peru, and other parts of South America. This fish, known scientifically as Lepidosiren paradoxa, is interesting because its DNA is similar to the first land animals that lived over 400 million years ago. The South American lungfish has the largest DNA of any animal, with its genetic material being about 30 times bigger than that of humans. According to a study published in the journal Nature, the lungfish’s DNA has grown a lot over the past 100 million years, increasing by the size of one human genome every 10 million years.
The lungfish’s DNA has 18 chromosomes, each larger than the entire human genome. Around 90% of this DNA is made up of repeated sections, which researchers think grew because the systems that usually control such repetition became less effective. The lungfish can reach up to 1.25 meters in length and can breathe through both gills and lung-like organs. This ability allows it to survive in places with little oxygen, such as the swampy areas of the Amazon and Parana-Paraguay River basins. This research helps us understand the evolution of early animals that moved from water to land by studying the lungfish’s genetic blueprint. It provides clues about how early animals developed features like limbs and lungs necessary for life on land.
The lungfish’s DNA has 18 chromosomes, each larger than the entire human genome. Around 90% of this DNA is made up of repeated sections, which researchers think grew because the systems that usually control such repetition became less effective. The lungfish can reach up to 1.25 meters in length and can breathe through both gills and lung-like organs. This ability allows it to survive in places with little oxygen, such as the swampy areas of the Amazon and Parana-Paraguay River basins. This research helps us understand the evolution of early animals that moved from water to land by studying the lungfish’s genetic blueprint. It provides clues about how early animals developed features like limbs and lungs necessary for life on land.
Comprehension questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them based on the article.
- What is the scientific name of the South American lungfish?
- Why is the DNA of the South American lungfish considered interesting?
- How much larger is the lungfish’s DNA compared to human DNA?
- How many chromosomes does the lungfish’s DNA have?
- What does the study of the lungfish’s DNA help scientists understand?
Discussion questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- Have you ever seen a fish that can breathe both in water and on land? If so, what kind of fish was it, and where did you see it? If not, would you be interested in learning more about such fish? Why or why not?
- Have you ever studied or learned about animals that lived millions of years ago? If so, what did you find most interesting about them? If not, what kinds of ancient animals would you like to explore, and what aspects of ancient animals would you like to explore?
- Do you believe that having a large amount of repeated DNA might help the lungfish adapt to different environments?
- What do you think might be challenging about studying animals from a long time ago?
- How could learning about old animals help us understand new animals today?