(I) The sentence “This structure has novel features which are of considerable biological interest” may be one of 
science’s most famous understatements. It appeared in April 1963 in the scientific paper where James Watson 
and Francis Crick presented the structure of the DNA-helix, the molecule that carries genetic information from 
one generation to the other. But nine years later, in 1962, they shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 
with Maurice Wilkins, for solving one of the most important of all biological riddles. Half a century later, important 
new implications of this contribution to science are still coming to light.
(II) The common appreciation is that American biologist James Watson and English physicist Francis Crick 
discovered DNA in the 1950s. In reality this is not the case. Actually, DNA was first identified in the late 1860s 
by Swiss chemist Friedrich Miescher. Then, in the decades following Miescher’s discovery, other scientistsnotably, Phoebus Levene and Erwin Chargaff-carried out a series of research efforts that revealed additional 
details about the DNA molecule, including its primary chemical components and the ways in which they joined 
with one another. Without the scientific foundation provided by these pioneers, Watson and Crick may never 
have reached their groundbreaking conclusion of 1953.
(III) The discovery of DNA, its structure, and function was probably the most significant biological discovery of 
the 20th century. It has had a tremendous impact on science and medicine. From identifying genes that lead to 
the development of diseases, to producing pharmaceuticals to treat them, identifying and analyzing genes has 
led to extraordinary breakthroughs that have changed the face of the future of science forever.
(IV) The effects that discovery of DNA has especially had on medicine are truly remarkable, but the impact 
crosses over into all aspects of our society. From cloning, to paternity cases, to determining the guilt or 
innocents of a suspect in a crime, to identifying victims, to breeding disease-resistant farm animals and growing 
more nutritious produce, the classification, analysis and manipulation of genes has transformed our world.
1. implications (para.1, line 6) means ----------
A) complications B) embellishments C) effects D) accompaniments
2. groundbreaking (para.2, line 13) means ----------
A) effective B) revolutionary C) significant D) marvelous
3. breakthroughs (para.3, line 17) means ----------
A) developments B) obligations C) impacts D) limitations
4. they (para.2, line 11) refers to ----------
A) the DNA molecule B) Phoebus Levene and Erwin Chargaff
C) James Watson and Francis Crick D) chemical components
5. It (para. 3, line 15) refers to ----------
A) discovery of DNA B) structure C) function D) biology
6. We gather from the text that the DNA helix ----------
A) is a complex that it took centuries to discover the chain.
B) was first uttered by European scientists in the 19th century.
C) was discovered by J. Watson and F. Crick.
D) has not been fully discovered yet.
1 / 5
7. As asserted in the passage, in the late 19th century ----------
A) some scientist already worked on the human genome.
B) technological devices and knowledge was not sufficient to conduct research on the human 
 genome.
C) scientific interest was largely determined by ethical issues.
D) it was almost impossible to perform studies on the DNA.
8. We can understand from the passage that many people ----------
A) have benefitted from what the DNA technology has brought in.
B) never heard of the DNA until Watson and Crick.
C) consider Watson and Crick to be the first to discover the DNA.
D) have concerns about where human genome technology is heading towards.
9. We learn from the passage that while the discovery of DNA has helped medicine ----------,
A) still there is a long way to go until we see its overall benefits.
B) it also led other fields to benefit from the technology.
C) scientist still seem not satisfied with the latest advances.
D) it should also be used in other fields of science.
10. The “best title” for the paragraph two could be ----------
A) Earlier Studies on the DNA
B) The Impact of the Discovery of DNA
C) J. Watson and F. Crick Receives Public Appreciation
D) The Usefulness of the DNA Technology