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5
Week 6 Day 1
Animals
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1
2
▾ Turritopsis dohrnii, the immortal jellyfish
31 G
Forever Young
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live forever? Most people
consider this an impossible dream, but for one species of jellyfish, immortality
is just another part of life. It's been called "the immortal jellyfish," and it is only
about five millimeters long, smaller than your fingernail.
What's special about this kind of jellyfish is that it can reverse its life cycle
by changing its cells in a process called transdifferentiation. After it becomes
sexually mature, it can force its cells to become those of a progressively younger
version of itself. Its umbrella and tentacles are absorbed back into its body, and
it sinks to the ocean floor to become an immature pod, or polyp. This polyp can
then produce new jellyfish identical to the adult.
One of the benefits of reversing its life cycle is that the jellyfish can survive
periods when food is scarce or conditions are dangerous. By returning to its
immature stage, it can wait out these harsh conditions as a polyp and emerge
again when conditions are more stable.
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Though it can still be killed by other sea creatures, this remarkable ability
to survive against all odds has allowed the tiny jellyfish to spread around the
world. Scientists suspect that these immortal animals are being accidentally
ferried around the world by long-distance cargo ships. The jellyfish get sucked
into the ships and are then transported thousands of miles away from their
original habitats. There are now so many in the world's oceans that some are
calling it an invasion.
The species was discovered over a century ago, but its amazing ability was
not noticed until fairly recently. This power to dramatically alter its cells has
been of great interest to scientists who are trying to find ways to cure illnesses
like cancer and heart disease. These currently incurable conditions could be
eliminated by the discovery of how to change one kind of cell into another.
BROO
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Although it might take a while for
scientists to figure out how we humans
can permanently avoid dying of old
age, there is no doubt that the immortal
ab jellyfish ho
holds the key to immortality. T
life cycle of a jellyfish: polypoid stage (bottom),
budding stage (left), and medusa stage (right)
Questions
mi Insions n
1. Which of the following is the main idea of this article?
Main Idea
avia The immortal jellyfish is found all over the world.
Gol b The immortal jellyfish was discovered in the 1800s.qemi 2A 291igms
The immortal jellyfish holds the secret to immortality. 163
092 20506A odr
MARY 000 S Den
The immortal jellyfish fights for survival.in
mont
2. What does this article focus on?
a An interesting creature.
Scientific discoveries.
b An impossible dream.
Ship and boat building
3. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
de a The immortal jellyfish can theoretically live forever.
The immortal jellyfish has spread all over the world.
&
of folto The immortal jellyfish can alter its cells.
ad61A sm60
The immortal jellyfish's ability was known a century age.
bhoW 191A
awel art of bsd
Subject Matter
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bn alevins
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*Supporting Details
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Inference.
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4. Which of the following statements is probably true?
a Studying the immortal jellyfish will result in a medical breakthrough. hinuos
b The immortal jellyfish population will begin to shrink rapidly
ni insy pais
Scientists will not find anything useful by studying the immortal jellyfish.
196123 herw
Human beings will become immortal within the next decade.
03 art
5. What does the word ferried in paragraph four man? Words in context
Lost. Bord Transported.qu adr
b Destroyed.
of amilzuM 19rito
ds1A ynsm bazus za zid yllelonenit
a Hunted.
B
6. Which of the following could this article also be used as?
a A pamphlet advertising skin cream.
bA script for a short nature documentary.
GAn article in a diving magazine.
The preface to a book about sea creatures.
Week Day
6
Forever Young
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