2 Octopus

Octopus
It is common knowledge that sea creatures like dolphins have a high
level of intelligence. Scientists have now discovered that octopuses also
have "remarkable" intelligence. A team of Italian marine biologists have
revealed that octopi have a gene that also determines the intelligence of
humans. The eight-tentacled sea creature has short sequences of DNA
called "jumping genes". These same genes make up 45 per cent of the
human genome. The researchers said the DNA sequences are important
for learning and for creating and storing memories in the brain. The
scientists say the DNA may give octopuses cognitive abilities that are
similar to those humans have.
The scientists say their research findings are important as they give an
insight into how octopuses amend their behaviour in response to different
stimuli. Scientists describe this process as "behavioural plasticity".
Biologist Graziano Fiorito suggested that the research could help us
understand more about intelligence in humans. He said: "The brain of the
octopus is functionally analogous in many of its characteristics to that of
mammals....For this reason [the DNA] represents a very interesting
candidate to study to improve our knowledge of the evolution of
intelligence." He says the brain structure of octopuses may mean the
creatures are more similar to mammals than invertebrates and other sea
life.
VOCABULARY MATCHING
Paragraph 1
1. common knowledge a. An animal, rather than a human being.
2. creature b. A thin, flexible leg on a creature like an

octopus or squid.
3. remarkable c. Relating to or found in the sea.
4. marine d. Worthy of attention; impressive.
5. tentacle e. Something known by most people.
6. genome f. Relating to the mental action of getting

knowledge and understanding through
thought, experience, and the senses.
7. cognitive g. The complete set of genes or genetic

material in a cell or organism.
Paragraph 2
8. amend h. The process by which life is believed to have

developed from earlier forms during the
history of the earth.
9. stimuli i. Make small changes to something.
10. plasticity j. A warm-blooded animal with a backbone,

hair or fur, milk, and the birth of live young.
11. analogous k. An animal without a backbone.
12. mammal l. The adaptability of an organism to changes

in its environment.
13. evolution m. Comparable in many ways.
14. invertebrate n. Things that arouse activity or energy in

someone or something.
1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if a-h below are true (T) or false (F).
1. Not many people know about the intelligence of dolphins. T/F

2. Scientists said octopuses are remarkably intelligent. T/F
3. Humans and octopuses share the same intelligence genes. T/F
4. Human and octopus cognitive abilities are incredibly different. T/F
5. The research gives an insight into what octopuses like and dislike. T/F
6. Adapting behaviour to stimuli is called behavioural plasticity. T/F
7. The scientist said an octopuses brain was similar to a mammal brain. T/F
8. The scientists said octopus brains are identical to those of invertebrates. T / F
2. SYNONYM MATCH: (The words in bold are from the news article.)
1. creatures a. action
2. remarkable b. alike
3. determines c. amazing
4. sequences d. conclusion
5. similar e. shape
6. findings f. regulates
7. process g. development
8. analogous h. animals
9. evolution i. comparable
10. structure j. cycles
3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)
1. common a. amend their behaviour

2. dolphins have a high b. tentacled sea creature
3. The eight- c. of intelligence
4. 45 per cent of the human d. abilities
5. the DNA may give octopuses cognitive e. sea life
6. an insight into how octopuses f. level of intelligence
7. Scientists describe this process as g. of octopuses
8. the evolution h. knowledge
9. the brain structure i. genome
10. invertebrates and other j. "behavioural plasticity"
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. What does the article say has a high level of intelligence?
2. Where are the scientists from who conducted the research?
3. What are the DNA sequences called that were part of this research?
4. What did scientists say the DNA was important for creating in the brain?
5. What similar ability do octopuses and humans have?
6. What did the octopuses respond to?
7. Who is Graziano Fiorito?
8. What did scientists say was analogous to mammal characteristics?
9. What might octopus brains help us to understand the evolution of?
10. What do the researchers say octopus brains are similar to?
MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ
1) What does the article say has a 6) What did the octopuses respond
high level of intelligence? to?
a) apes a) different stimuli
b) dolphins b) music
c) jelly fish c) colour
d) whales d) flashes
2) Where are the scientists from 7) Who is Graziano Fiorito?

who conducted the research? a) am octopus breeder
a) Egypt b) an octopus expert
b) Fiji c) a biologist
c) Australia d) a journalist
d) Italy
8) What did scientists say was
3) What are the DNA sequences analogous to mammal
called that were part of this characteristics?
research? a) the octopus brain
a) jumping genes b) octopus tentacles
b) jumping jacks c) human charcateristics
c) jumping Jennies d) dolphins
d) jamming jacks
9) What might octopus brains help us
4) What did scientists say the DNA to understand the evolution of?
was important for creating in the a) intelligence
brain? b) fish
a) connections c) molluscs
b) neurons d) sea life
c) memories
d) protein 10) What do the researchers say
octopus brains are similar to?
5) What similar ability do octopuses a) apes
and humans have? b) dolphins
a) predicting soccer match results c) lobster
b) cognitive ability d) mammals
c) touching
d) fishing
ACADEMIC WRITING
Research on intelligence will make us more intelligent. Discuss.
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Octopus

It is common knowledge that sea creatures like dolphins have a high

level of intelligence. Scientists have now discovered that octopuses also

have "remarkable" intelligence. A team of Italian marine biologists have

humans. The eight-tentacled sea creature has short sequences of DNA

similar to those humans have.

insight into how octopuses amend their behaviour in response to different

stimuli. Scientists describe this process as "behavioural plasticity".

Biologist Graziano Fiorito suggested that the research could help us

understand more about intelligence in humans. He said: "The brain of the

octopus is functionally analogous in many of its characteristics to that of

mammals....For this reason [the DNA] represents a very interesting

candidate to study to improve our knowledge of the evolution of

intelligence." He says the brain structure of octopuses may mean the

1. common knowledge a. An animal, rather than a human being.

2. creature b. A thin, flexible leg on a creature like an

3. remarkable c. Relating to or found in the sea.

4. marine d. Worthy of attention; impressive.

5. tentacle e. Something known by most people.

6. genome f. Relating to the mental action of getting

7. cognitive g. The complete set of genes or genetic

8. amend h. The process by which life is believed to have

9. stimuli i. Make small changes to something.

10. plasticity j. A warm-blooded animal with a backbone,

11. analogous k. An animal without a backbone.

12. mammal l. The adaptability of an organism to changes

13. evolution m. Comparable in many ways.

14. invertebrate n. Things that arouse activity or energy in

1. Not many people know about the intelligence of dolphins. T/F

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

1. common a. amend their behaviour

1. What does the article say has a high level of intelligence?

2. Where are the scientists from who conducted the research?

5. What similar ability do octopuses and humans have?

6. What did the octopuses respond to?

7. Who is Graziano Fiorito?

8. What did scientists say was analogous to mammal characteristics?

9. What might octopus brains help us to understand the evolution of?

2) Where are the scientists from 7) Who is Graziano Fiorito?

Research on intelligence will make us more intelligent. Discuss.

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