Imagine being face-to-face with a woolly mammoth(猛犸). It would be quite a sight. Scientists believe it would tower at 11 feet tall. The woolly mammoth would have a powerful trunk and sharp tusks that stretch up to 10 feet. Its thick hair would be up to three feet long. It would weigh six tons—about as much as a bus.
You’ve probably never seen a giant furry elephant before. Actually, you definitely haven’t. The species has been extinct for thousands of years.
But a few years from now, you might be able to see a woolly mammoth for yourself. Scientists believe they have the technology to recreate one.
A team of South Korean and Russian scientists plan to clone a woolly mammoth. How will they do it? Several woolly mammoth bodies have already been discovered in Siberia, an icy region in Russia. The scientists plan to take cells from these frozen mammoths.
The scientists believe the whole process will take five years. Many scientists and animal lovers can’t wait. It will be so exciting, they think, to be able to bring back to life a creature that has been extinct fro thousands of years. People would travel from around the world for the chance to see a woolly mammoth. By observing the way the creature looks and acts, scientists might make brand-new discoveries about the history of animal life.
Other experts aren’t so sure about the woolly mammoth project. One big question is what to do with a mammoth. The Earth has changed in the thousands of years since these animals roamed the planet. Where would the creature live, and would it be able to survive in today’s climate?
Then there’s the cost: some believe that the money being spent on the experiment could be better spent on other important scientific projects, such as fighting diseases.
But the South Korean and Russian scientists are sticking to their plan. They admit they have a big challenge ahead. There is no guarantee that they will succeed, but they’re hopeful.
1. What do we know about a woolly mammoth?
A. It has short hair. B. It has a heavy build.
C. It has six-foot-long legs. D. It has a three-foot-long trunk.
2. The woolly mammoth project refers to the plan to ______.
A. search for the animal B. clone the extinct animal
C. exhibit the extinct animal D. study the animal’s living habits
3. What’s the South Korean scientists’ attitude towards carrying on the woolly mammoth project?
A. Unbelievable. B. Doubtful. C. Hopeful. D. Cautious.
4. The author’s main purpose in writing this text is to _____.
A. describe what cloning technology is B. introduce a new scientific project
C. call on people to protect animals D. report a discovery in Siberia