Tuesday, March 14, 2017

HOW TIBETANS SURVIVE LIFE ON THE ROOF OF THE WORLD


How the indigenous Tibetan population evolved to live with so little oxygen has been a mystery. Now we are beginning to understand that another species may lie behind their survival.
By: Alex Riley
Level of difficulty: **
BEFORE YOU READ
·        Adaptation to high altitude | Cynthia Beall | CEM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4db074zXKQ
·        High-altitude adaptation to understand complex phenotypes | Abigail Bigham | CEM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy5wUcCnCQo&t=1s
Note to the students: This task involves extensive practice with paraphrasing and has been prepared in response to popular demand
QUESTIONS
1.       Read the story of the Chusang people. This family of six had a lifestyle that was radically different from other Tibetan’s in that they lived…………………
2.       The reason it is harder to breath at high altitudes is the fact that …
3.       Evolution helped the people of the Andes by providing them with…
4.       What solution to the problem of living at high altitudes does the rest of humanity share with the Andean peoples?
5.       Beall was amazed by her findings concerning the Tibetan people because… Mark True or False
·        They seemed to lack the evolutionary safeguards the Andean people had
·        The Tibetan response to high altitudes seems to run counter to basic scientific fact
·        She had measured regular Tibetans living at sea level not the nomads
6.       We understand from the text that the evolutionary safeguard the Tibetans have been gifted is greatly advantageous because ………and makes…….less likely
7.       The second biological advantage of the Tibetans over Andean population is the fact that…………………………
8.       The conclusion Nielsen reached as a result of her research was that...............What was the implication of her conclusion?
9.       Watch the following video before you continue:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0R-4OiQVVpc  Now answer the question. It was fortunate that the ancient Tibetans mated with Denisovans rather the Neanderthals because otherwise….Use your own words
WRITING TASK
Write an essay telling the story of human adaptation to high altitudes
HOW TIBETANS SURVIVE LIFE ON THE ROOF OF THE WORLD
This task is based on an anthropological detective story; a quest to run down the source of a unique characteristic Tibetans seem to share. This fascinating text allowed for certain specific types of questions: those involving the drawing of conclusions and making evaluations. Further, I have focused extensively on paraphrasing which students seem to have the most trouble with.
1.       In isolation (On the Tibetan Plateau won’t do; what makes this group special is the fact that they stayed there the year round)
2.       Oxygen molecules spread out in all directions (and a lung…)
3.       Barrel Shaped chests that increase the volume of each of their breaths
4.       The hematopoietic response (OR the explanation)
5.       T,T,F
6.       It reduces wear and tear on the blood vessels and the heart/ CMS
7.       They exhale more nitric oxide and this gas leads to a widening of blood vessels
8.       The EPAS1 gene from the Tibetan genomes was unique / The Tibetans had inherited the gene from other species
9.       Possible answer: They wouldn’t have been able to live at high altitudes


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