Move Over Spider-Man--Here's Spider-Goat!

In lines 4 through 12, the author explains why scientists are trying to find a way to produce spider silk using goats by showing

• possible uses for spider silk

• the popularity of spider silk

• how easy spider silk is to use

• how quickly spider silk can be developed

Which statement best explains an advantage of using goats rathe than spiders for the production of silk?

• Goats produce stronger silk than spiders do

• Scientists can insert genes into goats but not into spiders

• Spider proteins in goat milk can be spun into silk

• Goats are bigger than spiders and are much easier to raise.

What did Jeffrey Turner discover about using Nubian goats for possible silk production?

• Nubian goats already make a similar substance

• Nubian goats have high amounts of protein in their milk

• Nubian goats and spiders both prefer living in large groups

• Nubian goats and spiders have body parts that are similar

In the process described in lines 35 through 47, which step allows the threads to become strong enough for surgical procedures.

• The silk proteins are turned into clumps

• The silk is stretched repeatedly

• Salt is added to the goat's milk

• Water is added to thin the clumps

Why are lines 55 through 59 important to the article?

• They suggest that the goats are unusual

• They explain how the goats are kept busy

• They explain that the goats are treated well

• They suggest that the goats are like humans

Which statement best expresses the central idea of the article?

• Nubian goats produce better quality silk than spiders

• Spider silk is a complex substance that takes effort to make

• Nubian goats have been genetically altered to produce spider silk

• Spider silk contains proteins that are similar to proteins in other living things

Which detail is most important to include in a summary of the article

• Scientists have made an attempt to gather silk from spiders living on farms

• Spider silk has qualities that can be used in many products

• A scientist started a company to research goat silk

• Machines spin spider silk into thin threads