PASSAGE 1: Read this passage to answer questions 2-6 Skin:…
Questions
PASSAGE 1: Reаd this pаssаge tо answer questiоns 2-6 Skin: The Bоdy's Canvas [A] If you could take off your skin and lay it flat, it would cover an area of about 1.9 square meters. Skin is, by far, the body's largest organ. Covering almost the entire body, skin protects us from a variety of external forces. For example, it protects us from extremes of temperature, damaging sunlight, harmful chemicals, and dangerous infections. Skin is also packed with nerves, which keeps the brain in touch with the outside world. The health of our skin and its ability to perform its protective functions are crucial to our well-being. However, the appearance of our skin is equally - if not more - important to many people on this planet. [B] Take skin color, for example. Your genes determine your skin's color, but for centuries, humans have tried to lighten or darken their skin in an attempt to be more attractive. In the 1800s, white skin was desirable for many Europeans. Skin this color meant that its owner was a member of the upper class and did not have to work in the sun. Among darker-skinned people in some parts of the world, products used to lighten skin are still popular today. During the 20th century, attitudes toward light skin shifted in the opposite direction in other cultures, as cities grew and work moved indoors. Tanned skin began to indicate leisure time and health. In many places today, tanning on the beach or in a salon remains popular, even though people are more aware of the dangers of UV rays. Identity and Status [C] Just as people have altered their skin's color to denote wealth and beauty, so too have cultures around the globe marked their skin to indicate cultural identity or community status. Tattooing, for example, has been carried out for thousands of years. Leaders in places including ancient Egypt, Britain, and Peru wore tattoos to mark their status, or their bravery. Today, among the Maori people of New Zealand as well as in cultures in Samoa, Tahiti, and Borneo, full-facial tattoos are still used to identify the wearer as a member of a certain family. These tattoos can also symbolize the person's achievements in life. [D] In Japan, tattooing has been practiced for thousands of years, but was outlawed in the 19th century. Although there are no laws against it today, tattoos are still strongly associated with criminals - particularly the yakuza, or the Japanese mafia, who are known for their full-body tattoos. The complex design of a yakuza member's tattoo usually includes symbols of character traits that the wearer wants to have. The process of getting a full-body tattoo is both slow and painful and can take two years or more to complete. [E] In some cultures, scarring - a marking caused by cutting or burning the skin - is practiced, usually among people who have darker skin on which a tattoo would be difficult to see. For many men in West Africa, for instance, scarring is a rite of passage - an act that symbolizes that a male has matured from a child into an adult. In Australia, among some native peoples, cuts are made on the skin of both men and women when they reach age 16 or 17. Without these, they were traditionally not permitted to trade, sing ceremonial songs, or participate in other activities. [F] Not all skin markings are permanent, though. In countries such as Morocco and India, women decorate their skin with colorful henna designs for celebrations such as weddings and important religious holidays. The henna coloring, which comes from a plant, fades and disappears over time. [G] In recent years in many industrialized nations, tattooing, henna body art, and, to a lesser degree, scarring have been gaining in popularity. What makes these practices appealing to those living in modern cities? According to photographer Chris Rainier, whose book Ancient Marks examines body markings around the globe, people are looking for a connection with the traditional world. "There is a whole sector of modern society - people in search of identity, people in search of meaning ...," says Rainier. "Hence, [there has been] a huge explosion of tattooing and body marking." Rainier reasons that it's "mankind wanting identity, wanting a sense of place ... and a sense of culture within their community." QUESTION: In paragraph E, what is a rite of passage?
Yоu аre develоping аn experiment tо determining the quаntity of DNA target molecules in a sample. Which of the three PCR techniques ("Regular" PCR, RT-PCR, qPCR) would be most appropriate for this?