Passive Voice

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Read & Identify

 
Genome Announcement a Milestone -- But Only a Beginning

 

 microscopic gene view
Leaders say discovery must be linked to responsible use.  
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These are excerpts from the article above.

"Mapping the human genome has been compared with putting a man on the moon, but I believe it is more than that," said Dr. Michael Dexter, the director of the Wellcome Trust, which funded the British part of the Human Genome Project.

The medical benefits of genome science, scientists agree, must be used to benefit all people, not only a privileged few. Individual privacy must be protected as science moves forward with the project, and the information must not be used to discriminate against any group or person.

"This is the most important, most wondrous map ever produced by humankind," Clinton said in Washington. "Humankind is on the verge of gaining immense new power to heal. Genome science       will revolutionize the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of most, if not all, human diseases."

All the researchers involved praised the high level of international cooperation that enabled them to reach this stage, and they pledged to keep that momentum going.

Mapping the chemical sequences for human DNA -- the chemical "letters" that make up the recipe of human life -- is a breakthrough that is expected to revolutionize the practice of medicine by paving the way for new drugs and medical therapies.

Ninety-nine percent of the human genome has been sequenced and 3.21 billion letters of genetic code have been assembled by Celera.

In the final step, each gene and its function must be identified. Scientists will look for the genetic variations in people -- variations that could be the cause of countless diseases.

That step is expected to take several years to complete. However, scientists said doctors one day would be able to study a person's genetic profile, determine his susceptibility to various diseases, and design a course of treatment to prevent illness.

Despite the potential for medical advancements, many Americans are divided over the implications of the genome project.

 

 

 
 

Practice

 

Recognizing Verb Forms in Context

1.    What are the tenses of these passive sentences?

 

# PASSIVE PHRASE              CHECK ANSWER           
1a
1b
1c
1d

 

# PASSIVE SENTENCE   YOUR RESPONSE HINT

2.
What is the time indicated by this tense?

Mapping the human genome has been compared with putting a man on the moon

a continuing activity

 
3. Is the verb active or passive?

"This is the most important, most wondrous map ever produced by humankind"

 

 
4. Who is or who are the individuals doing the indentifying?

In the final step, each gene and its function must be identified. Scientists will look for the genetic variations in people -- variations that could be the cause of countless diseases.

 

 
5. Is this verb active of passive?

All the researchers involved praised the high level of international cooperation that enabled them to reach this stage, and they pledged to keep that momentum going.

 

 
6. Who is doing the "expecting" (Who is the agent?)

That step is expected to take several years to complete. However, scientists said doctors one day would be able to study a person's genetic profile, determine his susceptibility to various diseases, and design a course of treatment to prevent illness.  

 

     

 

 

 
 

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Julie Sevastopoulos - ESL Department - College of San Mateo - San Mateo, CA 94402 USA