Scientists from Japan and the US have discovered why ginger cats have their special color. They found out that ginger cats have a missing piece of DNA in a gene called ARHGAP36. This makes the cells that give color to skin, fur, and eyes work more. Cat lovers helped fund this study, hoping to learn more about any health issues ginger cats might have.

Most ginger cats are male because of where the gene is on the X chromosome. Male cats have one X and one Y chromosome, so they only need one copy of the gene to be ginger. Female cats have two X chromosomes and need the gene to be missing in both to be ginger. This is why female cats often have mixed colors like calico or tortoiseshell.

Professor Hiroyuki Sasaki, who loves cats, led this research after he retired. Cat fans from all over the world helped pay for the study. The gene they studied does more than just color fur; it might also affect cat health and behavior. Scientists are curious if a cat’s color is linked to its personality, but they haven’t proven it yet.

Original news source: Decades-long mystery of ginger cats revealed (BBC)

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– CHARADES
Instructions: Divide the students into small groups. Each student will take turns acting out a word or phrase related to cats (e.g., “ginger cat,” “playful,” “sleeping cat”) without speaking. The other group members will guess what it is.

– OPINION POLL
Instructions: Ask students to walk around the classroom and ask their classmates questions like “Do you like cats?” or “What color cat do you prefer?” They will write down their classmates’ answers and share the results with the class.

– SKETCH IT
Instructions: Provide students with a piece of paper and colored pencils. Ask them to draw a ginger cat and label different parts (e.g., fur, eyes) in English. Afterward, they can share their drawings with the class, describing their cat using simple sentences.

– HEADLINE CREATION
Instructions: In pairs, students will create a catchy headline for the article about ginger cats. They should use key concepts like “ginger,” “DNA,” “cats,” and “health.” After creating their headlines, they will share them with the class.

– MIND MAP
Instructions: On the board, write “Ginger Cats” in the center. In small groups, students will brainstorm related words and ideas (like “color,” “DNA,” “behavior”) and add them to the mind map. Each group will present their ideas to the class.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What did scientists discover about ginger cats?
2. What is the name of the gene that is missing a piece in ginger cats?
3. Why are most ginger cats male?
4. How many X chromosomes do female cats have?
5. What colors do female cats often have if they are not ginger?
6. Who led the research on ginger cats after he retired?
7. What are scientists curious about regarding a cat’s color and its personality?
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🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Scientists from (1)______ and the US (2)______ discovered why ginger cats have their special (3)______. They found out that ginger cats have a missing piece of DNA in a gene called ARHGAP36. This makes the cells that give color to skin, fur, and eyes work more. Cat lovers helped (4)______ this study, (5)______ to learn more about any health issues ginger cats might have.

Most ginger cats are male because of where the gene is on the X chromosome. (6)______ cats have one X and one Y chromosome, so they only need one copy of the gene to be ginger. Female cats have two X (7)______ and (8)______ the (9)______ to be missing in both to be ginger. This is why female cats often have mixed colors like calico or tortoiseshell.

Professor Hiroyuki Sasaki, who loves cats, led this research after he retired. Cat fans from all over the (10)______ helped pay for the study. The gene they (11)______ does more than just color fur; it might also affect cat health and behavior. Scientists are curious if a cat’s color is (12)______ to its personality, but they haven’t proven it yet.
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💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is your favorite color of cat?

2. Do you think cats have different personalities because of their color? Why or why not?

3. How would you feel if you had a ginger cat?

4. Do you like to learn about animals? Why or why not?

5. What is a special thing you know about cats?

6. Do you think it is important to study animals like cats? Why?

7. Have you ever seen a ginger cat? What did it look like?

8. How would you feel if you found out a pet you had was very special?

9. Do you think male and female cats act differently? Why or why not?

10. What do you think is the best thing about having a cat?

11. Do you like to help animals? How do you help them?

12. What is a fun fact you know about cats that you can share?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. discovered
2. missing
3. chromosome
4. calico
5. tortoiseshell
6. retired
7. behavior
8. personality
9. proven
10. gene
11. affect
12. linked

Meanings:
(A) A part of DNA that decides traits
(B) Stopped working, usually because of age
(C) Connected or related to something else
(D) A part of cells that carries information from parents
(E) The way someone usually thinks, feels, and acts
(F) A type of cat with three colors
(G) Not there or lost
(H) The way someone or something acts
(I) To change or influence something
(J) A type of cat with a mix of colors, often black, orange, and brown
(K) Shown to be true
(L) Found out something new
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What color are the cats that scientists studied?
(a) Black
(b) White
(c) Gray
(d) Ginger

2. What is the name of the gene that is missing a piece in ginger cats?
(a) DNA123
(b) ARHGAP36
(c) CATGENE
(d) FURCOLOR

3. Why do most ginger cats tend to be male?
(a) They are bigger
(b) They are faster
(c) They have one X chromosome
(d) They have more fur

4. What do female ginger cats need to be ginger?
(a) They need to be fed more
(b) They must be older
(c) They must be trained
(d) The gene must be missing in both X chromosomes

5. Who led the research on ginger cats?
(a) Professor Hiroyuki Sasaki
(b) Dr. Jane Smith
(c) Mr. Tom Brown
(d) Ms. Lucy White

6. What did cat lovers help pay for?
(a) The study about ginger cats
(b) Cat food
(c) Cat toys
(d) Cat houses

7. What might the gene affect besides the color of the fur?
(a) Cat size
(b) Cat speed
(c) Cat health and behavior
(d) Cat age

8. Are scientists sure if a cat’s color is linked to its personality?
(a) Yes, they are sure
(b) No, they haven’t proven it yet
(c) Yes, it is very clear
(d) No, it is impossible to know

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Professor Hiroyuki Sasaki led the research after he retired.
2. Most ginger cats are female because of their X and Y chromosomes.
3. Cat lovers helped pay for the study to learn more about ginger cats.
4. The gene that affects calico cats is called ARHGAP36.
5. Female ginger cats need to have the missing gene on both of their X chromosomes.
6. Scientists are not interested in whether a cat’s color is linked to its personality.
7. Ginger cats have a special color because of a missing piece of DNA.
8. Scientists from China and the U.S. studied calico cats.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
Check your writing now with the best free AI for English writing!

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.
Check your answers with our free English writing assistant!

1. What did scientists discover about ginger cats and their color?
2. Why are most ginger cats male?
3. Who helped pay for the study about ginger cats?
4. What did the scientists want to learn about ginger cats besides their color?
5. What is the name of the gene that is important for ginger cats?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What did scientists discover about ginger cats?
Scientists found out that ginger cats have a missing piece of DNA in a gene that makes their fur color special.

2. What is the name of the gene that is missing a piece in ginger cats?
The name of the gene is ARHGAP36.

3. Why are most ginger cats male?
Most ginger cats are male because they only need one copy of the gene to be ginger, and males have one X and one Y chromosome.

4. How many X chromosomes do female cats have?
Female cats have two X chromosomes.

5. What colors do female cats often have if they are not ginger?
Female cats often have mixed colors like calico or tortoiseshell.

6. Who led the research on ginger cats after he retired?
Professor Hiroyuki Sasaki led the research after he retired.

7. What are scientists curious about regarding a cat’s color and its personality?
Scientists are curious if a cat’s color is linked to its personality, but they haven’t proven it yet.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) Japan
(2) have
(3) color
(4) fund
(5) hoping
(6) Male
(7) chromosomes
(8) need
(9) gene
(10) world
(11) studied
(12) linked
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. discovered
Answer: (L) Found out something new

2. missing
Answer: (G) Not there or lost

3. chromosome
Answer: (D) A part of cells that carries information from parents

4. calico
Answer: (F) A type of cat with three colors

5. tortoiseshell
Answer: (J) A type of cat with a mix of colors, often black, orange, and brown

6. retired
Answer: (B) Stopped working, usually because of age

7. behavior
Answer: (H) The way someone or something acts

8. personality
Answer: (E) The way someone usually thinks, feels, and acts

9. proven
Answer: (K) Shown to be true

10. gene
Answer: (A) A part of DNA that decides traits

11. affect
Answer: (I) To change or influence something

12. linked
Answer: (C) Connected or related to something else
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What color are the cats that scientists studied?
Answer: (d) Ginger

2. What is the name of the gene that is missing a piece in ginger cats?
Answer: (b) ARHGAP36

3. Why do most ginger cats tend to be male?
Answer: (c) They have one X chromosome

4. What do female ginger cats need to be ginger?
Answer: (d) The gene must be missing in both X chromosomes

5. Who led the research on ginger cats?
Answer: (a) Professor Hiroyuki Sasaki

6. What did cat lovers help pay for?
Answer: (a) The study about ginger cats

7. What might the gene affect besides the color of the fur?
Answer: (c) Cat health and behavior

8. Are scientists sure if a cat’s color is linked to its personality?
Answer: (b) No, they haven’t proven it yet
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Professor Hiroyuki Sasaki led the research after he retired. (Answer: True)
2. Most ginger cats are female because of their X and Y chromosomes. (Answer: False)
3. Cat lovers helped pay for the study to learn more about ginger cats. (Answer: True)
4. The gene that affects calico cats is called ARHGAP36. (Answer: False)
5. Female ginger cats need to have the missing gene on both of their X chromosomes. (Answer: True)
6. Scientists are not interested in whether a cat’s color is linked to its personality. (Answer: False)
7. Ginger cats have a special color because of a missing piece of DNA. (Answer: True)
8. Scientists from China and the U.S. studied calico cats. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧