IELTS FIRST STEPS

Reading Practice
Getting the picture from DNA
Working out what someone looks like from only a DNA sample is
no longer science fiction. You’d be surprised what forensics
experts can already do, says Clare Wilson.
A At present, if police find DNA which could be that of the criminal at the scene of a crime (for
example in blood or hair), standard forensic techniques can help in two ways. If there’s a suspect in
custody, the police can see if their DNA matches the “crime stain”, as it is called. Or in the absence of a
suspect, they can see if it matches the DNA of any known criminal held in their archives.
B Both techniques have proved their worth in criminal investigations. But what if there’s no suspect
and no match in the archive? Even since DNA testing was introduced, forensic scientists have wondered
how much a DNA sample on its own could tell them about what a criminal might look like. .
C Scientists have already had some success with predicting hair color from DNA samples. For example,
researchers at Britain’s Forensic Science Service (FSS) have developed a DNA test which will tell with 98%
accuracy whether or not someone has red hair. However, the red-hair test is of limited use in Britain, where
only 6% of the population are red-haired. What about blonde, brown and black-haired criminals? Hair color
is usually determined by the cumulative effect of several genes, so unfortunately there’s no such thing as a
single gene for blonde hair that could be turned into a simple test, for example. It’s the same with eye
color.
D But biotechnology firm DNA Print Genomics of Florida, USA, is having a crack at both problems. As a
starting point, research was carried out using mice to discover the genes that controlled eye color. Similar
sequences in human DNA were then investigated, and ten possible genes were found. Next, the DNA Print
researchers took DNA samples from 500 volunteers and recorded their eye colors. They then applied a
technique called SNP mapping to see if they could discover any correlations between the two. (SNP stands
for “single nucleotide polymorphism’ – a single ‘letter’ change in the genetic code. These variations account
for most of the genetic differences between individuals.) The researchers sequenced the ten possible genes
from each volunteer, then sifted through the sequences looking for SNPs. They found 50 in total. Then they
set computers to work out how the SNPs correlated with eye color. Of the ten genes, they found that only
four really matter. By looking at these, they can classify someone as having dark eyes (blue and grey), or
hazel eyes (greenish-brown) – with 97% certainty.

E DNA Print is now applying exactly the same technique to hair color, identifying possible genes and
looking for SNPs. Representatives say they have made some headway and can classify people into one of
three groups – blonde, brown or black-haired- with some accuracy, from their DNA alone.
 

F Back in Britain, the Forensic Science Service has also been pursuing the genetic basis of facial
features. A few years ago it helped fund a major project carried out by scientists at University College
London (UCL). Over several months, an exhibit at a London museum invited visitors to leave DNA samples
and have their faces scanned using 3D surface mapping. About 600 people volunteered. The UCL
researchers tried to break down this data on overall facial nose curvature or chin clefts, and correlate them
to DNA sequences. But they made little progress. Just as with eye color, there is no one gene for a big nose,
so the enormous complexity of the task defeated the researchers. When the lead scientists retired, the
project was wound down without drawing any firm conclusions.
G But the idea of finding genes for facial features isn’t dead. Many of the genes involved are common
to most mammals. So a gene for a large jaw in mice, for example, might very well be found in humans, too.
One promising project has found that mice show significant variation in jaw shape and size, and has begun
to unravel the genetics behind the variation. Project leader Chris Klingenberg of the University of Konstanz
in Germany cautions that, as with humans, the genetics controlling jaw shape in mice is making some
progress. In one study of 535 mice, it has identified genes for jaw shape, jaw size and jaw symmetry and
found two basic patterns resulting from the combination of these genes.
H The UK-based human rights group known as ‘Liberty’ has concerns, saying that the existing tests are
not yet sufficiently conclusive to be used as a basis for arresting suspects. Certainly, genes never tell the
whole story with physical characteristics – environment plays a key role too. Kevin Sullivan, for the Forensic
Science Service, points out that when it comes to someone’s facial characteristics, ‘playing ruby might have
more of an effect on your ear and nose shape than your genes’. But he is optimistic about the future of the
research. ‘Law-abiding citizens don’t have anything to worry about,’ he says. ‘But criminals do’.
Questions 1-3: Choose the correct letter A, B, C or D.
1. What is meant by a ‘crime stain’?
A. trace of blood left at the scene of a crime.
B. DNA belonging to know criminal
C. samples of blood or hair in criminal archive
D. DNA sample left at the scene of a crime
2. Forensic scientists are interested in finding out
A. if the genes responsible for criminal tendencies can be identified.
B. how far personal appearance can be predicted from DNA
C. if hair color could be linked to criminal behavior
D. whether or not DNA can be used to identify a suspected criminal
3. What problem do scientists face in developing DNA tests for hair and eye color?
A. the fact that these characteristics are not generally determined by one gene.
B. the variation in test procedures required for these characteristics
C. the fact that these characteristics are not necessarily related
D. the variation in distribution of these characteristics from one country to another.
Questions 4-7: Complete the flow chart below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the text for each answer.
Research into the genetic basis of eye color
Identification of genes determining eye color in (4) _________

Identification of ten possible genes in human

SNP mapping of these ten genes to find (5) __________

Identification of (6) ____________ SNPs

Analysis of relationship between SNPs and eye color

Identification of the (7) _________genes that determine eye color.

Questions 8-13: Answer the questions below using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER
for each answer.
8. Which American company is doing research on the genetic basis of hair and eye color?
9. How many groups of eye color can now be identified by SNP mapping?
10. Which Britain institution unsuccessfully researched data from humans on the genetic basis of facial
features?
11. In which country is research being done on mice to find out about genes for facial features?
12. Which association is concerned about the possible applications of the research described in this
text?
13. Which environmental factor could be important in determining your facial characteristics,
according to Kevin Sullivan?
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 List of synonym / antonym
Keywords in question Similar/opposite words in the passage
determining eye color
to find
is doing research on
be identified
unsuccessfully researched
find out about genes
could be important in determining
 Vocabulary and structures should be learned:
- forensic techniques (n): khoa học pháp y (trong điều tra hình sự)
- single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP): xét nghiệm đa hình đơn(y khoa)  xác định gien
- characteristics (n): đặc tính
- correlation (n): sự tương quan

* when it comes to (n): khi đề cập (nói đến) cái gì