The Reading / Listening - Night Vision - Level 2

Do you want to see in the dark? This might be possible. Scientists gave mice the ability to see near-infrared light. This is a kind of light that mice cannot usually see. Researchers from universities in China and the USA changed the vision of the mice they tested. They injected special nanoparticles into their eyes. These nanoparticles let the mice see better in the dark. The injections meant the mice could see in the dark for about 10 weeks. The scientists said the injections did not damage the eyesight of the mice. The eyes of the mice did not suffer from any side effects.

The research is published in the journal 'Cell'. The researchers hope their tests could be done on humans. Researcher Dr Tian Xue said: "Human beings have been trying to develop new technology to enable abilities that are beyond our natural abilities." He said tests in the future could let humans see in the dark. Dr Tian added: "Another cool thing about this potential technology is that it wouldn't require a person to wear heavy and energy-intensive equipment, such as night-vision goggles." He also said the military might be interested in his research.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Night Vision - Level 0 Night Vision - Level 1   or  Night Vision - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2019/03/incredible-experiment-gives-infrared-vision-to-miceand-humans-could-be-next/
  • https://www.geek.com/news/nanotechnology-gives-mice-night-
  • https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(19)30101-1


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. the ability to see near-infrared
  2. This is a kind
  3. changed the vision of the
  4. They injected special
  5. These nanoparticles
  6. see in the dark for
  7. damage the eyesight
  8. suffer from any
  1. about 10 weeks
  2. nanoparticles
  3. of light
  4. side effects
  5. mice they tested
  6. of the mice
  7. let the mice see
  8. light

Paragraph 2

  1. published in the
  2. develop new
  3. beyond our natural
  4. let humans see
  5. Another cool thing
  6. wear heavy and energy-
  7. night-vision
  8. the military might
  1. goggles
  2. in the dark
  3. be interested
  4. journal 'Cell'
  5. intensive equipment
  6. abilities
  7. about this
  8. technology

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Do you (1) ___________________ in the dark? This might be possible. Scientists gave (2) ___________________ to see near-infrared light. This is a kind of light that mice cannot usually see. Researchers from universities in China and the USA changed the vision of the mice they tested. (3) ___________________ nanoparticles into their eyes. These nanoparticles let the mice see better in the dark. The injections (4) ___________________ could see in the dark for (5) ___________________. The scientists said the injections did not damage the eyesight of the mice. The eyes of the mice did not suffer from (6) ___________________.

The research is published (7) ___________________ 'Cell'. The researchers hope their tests could be done on humans. Researcher Dr Tian Xue said: "Human beings (8) ___________________ to develop new technology to enable abilities that are beyond our natural abilities." He said tests (9) ___________________ could let humans see in the dark. Dr Tian added: "Another cool thing about this potential technology is that it wouldn't (10) ___________________ to wear heavy and energy-intensive equipment, (11) ___________________-vision goggles." He also said the military might be interested (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Doyouwanttoseeinthedark?Thismightbepossible.Scientistsgavemic
etheabilitytoseenear-infraredlight.Thisisakindoflightthatmicecann
otusuallysee.ResearchersfromuniversitiesinChinaandtheUSAchang
edthevisionofthemicetheytested.Theyinjectedspecialnanoparticlesi
ntotheireyes.Thesenanoparticlesletthemiceseebetterinthedark.The
injectionsmeantthemicecouldseeinthedarkforabout10weeks.Thesci
entistssaidtheinjectionsdidnotdamagetheeyesightofthemice.Theey
esofthemicedidnotsufferfromanysideeffects.Theresearchispublishe
dinthejournal'Cell'.Theresearchershopetheirtestscouldbedoneonhu
mans.ResearcherDrTianXuesaid:"Humanbeingshavebeentryingtod
evelopnewtechnologytoenableabilitiesthatarebeyondournaturalabil
ities."Hesaidtestsinthefuturecouldlethumansseeinthedark.DrTiana
dded:"Anothercoolthingaboutthispotentialtechnologyisthatitwould
n'trequireapersontowearheavyandenergy-intensiveequipment,s
uchasnight-visiongoggles."Healsosaidthemilitarymightbeintereste
dinhisresearch.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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