Focused Free Write Activity

1. Copy the passage word-for-word.
2. Paraphrase it in your own words – at least two different ways
3. Explain it as if to a person who hasn’t read the DL. The context in which the quote makes sense. Explain words or examples you might expect a reader to find hard to understand. Give easier-to-understand examples of your own to help.
4. Play The Believing Game – pretend to agree with the quote and see what else you can say if you take the quote as a starting point.
5. Play The Doubting Game – pretend to disagree with the quote and see what you can say when you take disagreement as the starting point.

Choose one of the passages below to work on, or choose one from the reading that interests you. When choosing passages, choose chunky ones that feature conceptual material and make claims.

“I believe we must trust our instinctive feelings of revulsion, as these arise out of our basic humanity. Once we allow the exploitation of such hybrid semi-humans, what is to stop us from doing the same with our fellow human beings whom the whims of society may deem deficient in some way? The willingness to step across such natural thresholds is what often leads humanity to the commission of horrific atrocities” (65-66).

“Whatever inequalities there may be between individuals in their circumstances–such as wealth, class, health and so on–we are all born with a basic equality of our human nature, with certain potentialities; certain cognitive, emotional, and physical abilities; and the fundamental disposition–indeed the right–to seek happiness and overcome suffering. Given that genetic technology is bound to remain costly…for a long period it will be available only to…the rich. Thus society will find itself translating an inequality of circumstance (that is, relative wealth) into an inequality of nature through enhanced intelligence, strength and other faculties acquired through birth” (66-67).

“Given that the stakes for the world are so high, the decision about the course of research, what to do with our knowledge, and what technological possibilities should be developed cannot be left in the hands of scientists, business interests, or government officials. Clearly, as a society we need to draw some lines. But these deliberations cannot come solely from small committees, no matter how august or expert they may be. We need a much higher level of public involvement, especially in the form of debate and discussion, whether through the media, public consultation, or the actions of grassroots pressure groups” (69).