Message to Teachers

ILEC Reading Task Practice

CH 11 Intellectual Property – Gene Patents

Part 1 Task 1 Focus: Vocabulary

Instructions:

The following text is a recent website news article about Intellectual Property and Patents.

Read the article then complete the gaps by underlining the best word from the four options in the table. The first example number (0) is done for you.

Cancer Gene Patents Upheld In Court

The ABC Online News 2013 (?)

A court in the US has again backed a (0)biotech company's (1)______to patent genes which have been isolated from the human body. Myriad Genetics has patents on the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, which are strongly linked to breast and ovarian cancer. Patents on genes have been repeatedly (2)______in the courts. The latest decision by the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals (3)______in favour of the company.

The patents are (4)______as they give the owners (5)______rights to diagnostic tests for the genes. One of the questions in the case was whether isolating a gene makes it different to one still in the body. Circuit Judge Alan Lourie said: "Everything and everyone comes from nature, following its laws, but the compositions here are not natural products. "They are the products of man, albeit following, as all (6)______do, laws of nature."

The decision was welcomed in a statement from the president of Myriad Genetics Peter Meldrum: "We are very pleased with the favourable decision the court (7)______today which again confirmed that isolated DNA is patentable. "Importantly, the court agreed with Myriad that isolated DNA is a new chemical matter with important (8)______which can only exist as the product of human (9)______." However the American Civil Liberties Union, which contested the patents, argued: "Human DNA is a natural (10)______like air or water. It does not belong to any one company. "This ruling prevents doctors and scientists from exchanging their ideas and research freely."

Student Answer Sheet Task 1

Instructions: Underline the best choice for each question. Number 0 is an example.

Gap# / (A) / (B) / (C) / (D)
0 / IT / biotech / medical / pharmaceutical
1 / ability / capability / capacity / right
2 / debated / appealed / contested / discussed
3 / sided / landed / took / fell
4 / beneficial / advantageous / viable / valuable
5 / unlimited / exclusive / restrictive / controlling
6 / matters / chemicals / materials / compounds
7 / rendered / reasoned / determined / conceded
8 / materials / utilities / abilities / characteristics
9 / genius / intellect / ingenuity / wisdom
10 / entity / element / organism / constituent

Part 2 - Task Focus: Structure

Instructions:

The following text is a recent website news article about Intellectual Property and gene patents.

Read the article then complete the gaps by filling in ONE word in each gap. The first example number (0) is done for you.

Cancer Gene Patents Upheld In Court

The ABC Online News 2013 (?)

A court in the US (0)has again backed a biotech company's right to patent genes (1)______have been isolated from the human body. Myriad Genetics has patents on the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, which are strongly linked to breast and ovarian cancer. Patents on genes have been repeatedly contested in the courts. The latest decision by the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals sided (2)_____ favour of the company.

The patents are valuable as (3)______give the owners exclusive rights to diagnostic tests (4)_____ the genes. One of the questions in the case was (5) ______isolating a gene makes it different to (6)______still in the body. Circuit Judge Alan Lourie said: "Everything and everyone comes from nature, following (7)______laws, but the compositions here are not natural products. "They are the products of man, albeit following, as all materials do, laws of nature."

The decision was welcomed in a statement from the president of Myriad Genetics Peter Meldrum: "We are very pleased with the favourable decision the court rendered today which again confirmed that isolated DNA is patentable. "Importantly, the court agreed with Myriad (8)_____ isolated DNA is a new chemical matter with important utilities which can (9)_____ exist as the product of human ingenuity." However the American Civil Liberties Union, which contested the patents, argued: "Human DNA is a natural entity (10)______air or water. It does (11)______belong to any one company. "This ruling prevents doctors and scientists from exchanging (12)______ideas and research freely."

Student Answer Sheet Task 2

Gap# / Answer / Gap# / Answer
0 / has
1 / 7
2 / 8
3 / 9
4 / 10
5 / 11
6 / 12

WEBSITES
Private Rights Vs Public Benefit

http://www.councilforresponsiblegenetics.org/ViewPage.aspx?pageId=167

Word Intellectual Property Organisation http://www.wipo.int/portal/en/

Transgenic mice decisions – decided differently in different jurisdictions

http://www.wipo.int/wipo_magazine/en/2006/03/article_0006.html
Part 3 - Task Focus: Word Formation

Instructions: The following text is a recent website news article about Intellectual Property and gene patents. Read the article then complete the gaps by completing the right word form from the single word given in the table. The first example number (0) is done for you.

Cancer Gene Patents Upheld In Court
The ABC Online News 2013 (?)
A court in the US has again (0)backed a biotech company's right to patent genes which have been isolated from the human body. Myriad Genetics has patents on the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, which are (1)______linked to breast and ovarian cancer. Patents on genes have been (2)______contested in the courts. The latest decision by the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals sided in favour of the company.
The patents are valuable as they give the owners (3)______rights to (4)______tests for the genes. One of the questions in the case was whether isolating a gene makes it different to one still in the body. Circuit Judge Alan Lourie said: "Everything and everyone comes from nature, following its laws, but the (5)______here are not natural products. "They are the products of man, albeit following, as all materials do, laws of nature."
The (6)______was welcomed in a statement from the president of Myriad Genetics Peter Meldrum: "We are very pleased with the (7)______decision the court rendered today which again confirmed that isolated DNA is (8)______. "Importantly, the court agreed with Myriad that isolated DNA is a new chemical matter with important utilities which can only exist as the product of human ingenuity." However the American Civil Liberties Union, which contested the patents, argued: "Human DNA is a natural entity like air or water. It does not belong to any one company. "This (9)______prevents doctors and scientists from exchanging their ideas and research (10)______." / Q / Word
0 / back
backed
1 / strong
2 / repeat
3 / exclude
4 / diagnose
5 / compose
6 / decide
7 / favour
8 / patent
9 / rule
10 / free

Student Answer Sheet Task 3

Gap# / Word / Form / Gap# / Word / Form
0 / back / backed
1 / strong / 6 / decide
2 / repeat / 7 / favour
3 / exclude / 8 / patent
4 / diagnose / 9 / rule
5 / compose / 10 / free

WEBSITES
Private Rights Vs Public Benefit

http://www.councilforresponsiblegenetics.org/ViewPage.aspx?pageId=167

Word Intellectual Property Organisation http://www.wipo.int/portal/en/

Transgenic mice decisions – decided differently in different jurisdictions

http://www.wipo.int/wipo_magazine/en/2006/03/article_0006.html
Teacher Answer Key Task 1

Teacher Answer Key Task 2

Gap# / Answer / Gap# / Answer
0 / has
1 / which/that / 7 / its
2 / in / 8 / that
3 / they / 9 / only
4 / for / 10 / like
5 / whether (if) / 11 / not
6 / one / 12 / their

Teacher Answer Key Task 3

Gap# / Word / Form / Gap# / Word / Form
0 / back / backed
1 / strong / strongly / 6 / decide / decision
2 / repeat / repeatedly / 7 / favour / favourable
3 / exclude / exclusive / 8 / patent / patentable
4 / diagnose / diagnostic / 9 / rule / ruling
5 / compose / compositions / 10 / free / freely

ORIGINAL TEXT (PASTE HERE)

Myriad Genetics BRCA1 And BRCA2 Patents Upheld In Court

A court in the US has again backed a biotech company's right to patent genes which have been isolated from the human body. Myriad Genetics has patents on the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, which are strongly linked to breast and ovarian cancer. Patents on genes have been repeatedly contested in the courts. The latest decision by the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals sided in favour of the company.

The patents are valuable as they give the owners exclusive rights to diagnostic tests for the genes. One of the questions in the case was whether isolating a gene makes it different to one still in the body. Circuit Judge Alan Lourie said: "Everything and everyone comes from nature, following its laws, but the compositions here are not natural products. "They are the products of man, albeit following, as all materials do, laws of nature."

The decision was welcomed in a statement from the president of Myriad Genetics Peter Meldrum: "We are very pleased with the favourable decision the court rendered today which again confirmed that isolated DNA is patentable. "Importantly, the court agreed with Myriad that isolated DNA is a new chemical matter with important utilities which can only exist as the product of human ingenuity." However the American Civil Liberties Union, which contested the patents, argued: "Human DNA is a natural entity like air or water. It does not belong to any one company. "This ruling prevents doctors and scientists from exchanging their ideas and research freely."

Created by Keith Liddicoat ILEC CH 11 IP mini Gene Patents Pts 1-2-3.doc