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Level A1 – BeginnerCEFR A1
2 min
77 words
- Work started during the pandemic and shortages.
- The lab could not get an important gel.
- The student and adviser decided to make one.
- They used a gel made from tiny algae.
- The gel supports mammary cells that form ducts.
- Scientists can change gel stiffness and chemistry.
- This lets them direct how cells grow.
- Good cues make cells develop normally in gel.
- Wrong cues cause cells to make other proteins.
- Researchers hope to grow complex tissues from patients.
Difficult words
- pandemic — A disease that spreads across many countries.
- shortage — A time when there is not enough of something.shortages
- alga — A simple water plant often very small.algae
- stiffness — How hard or firm a material feels.
- chemistry — The study of substances and their changes.
- cue — A sign or signal that starts action.cues
- tissue — A group of cells that work together.tissues
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Have you seen algae before?
- Would you like to work in a lab?
- If there is a shortage, would you try to make what you need?
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