Biotechnology — Reading Comprehension Lesson

Reading Passage

Biotechnology

Biotechnology is the use of living organisms or biological systems to develop products, processes, and technologies that benefit people. Scientists have used basic forms of biotechnology for thousands of years — fermenting grapes into wine and using yeast to bake bread are early examples.

Modern biotechnology involves working with DNA, the molecule that carries genetic information inside living cells. Scientists can now identify, copy, and even change specific genes — the segments of DNA that control traits in organisms.

Genetic engineering is one powerful branch of biotechnology. By inserting genes from one organism into another, scientists have developed crops that resist pests, medicines like insulin produced by bacteria, and vaccines that protect against disease.

Biotechnology also plays a role in medicine through techniques like gene therapy, which aims to treat genetic disorders by correcting faulty DNA. Researchers use biotechnology to study diseases, design drugs, and develop diagnostic tests.

As biotechnology advances, it raises important ethical questions. Society must consider how far genetic modification should go, who controls these technologies, and how to ensure their benefits are shared fairly.

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