CRISPR | HTX Engelsk A | 18. maj 2017

This study guide will help you focus on the topic of CRISPR technology. We will show you examples from three texts that cover the topic and focus on the most significant elements that will be relevant for a discussion about CRISPR technology. In these notes, we will focus on the outlines of the four texts presented in your source material and on a discussion about the pros and cons of CRISPR, as well as on the future of CRISPR.

Exam question

This study guide is based on the written exam in English A on HTX from 18th of May, 2017:

You are expected to choose one of the following four assignments. Write between 800 and 1200 words. Feel free to find additional material on the Internet. List your sources.

1. Essay
Using the given material as your starting point, write an essay in which you discuss the CRISPR technology.
2. Report from the future
Write a report from the future in which you describe and discuss the CRISPR technology.
Include aspects from the given material in your report.
3. Contribution to a debate
Using the given material as your starting point, write a contribution to an ongoing debate about the CRISPR technology, either as a manuscript for a speech or as a letter to the editor (reader’s letter).
4. News article
Write a news article about the CRISPR technology. Include aspects from the given material in your article.

Texts

I: Promise and peril of gene-editing technology CRISPR (video)
II: Critics of 'designer babies' speak out (related) (video)
III: Many Americans are wary of using gene editing for human enhancement (text)
IV: China Has Launched the First-Ever CRISPR Gene-Editing Trial in Humans (text)

Presentation of the topic

CRISPR technology is a system that can edit genetic problems, by replacing the sick genes with healthy genes. In the past years, there has been a debate about the use of CRISPR on human embryos. For some scientists, this crosses ethical boundaries, while for others it represents a breaking point in science and medicine. The four texts in your source material discuss the pros and cons of CRISPR and provide relevant information regarding the use of CRISPR on human embryos and its consequences further on.

Further help

Do you want additional help with analysis of non-fiction? See our general guide to non-fiction analysis.