Name _____________________ Period _____________

GATTACA WORKSHEET

1. What is the significance of the letters that are highlighted at the beginning credits of the movie? (Hint: they are the same letters in the title of the movie)

2. They used to say that a child conceived in love has a greater chance of. What?

3. Why do you think Vincents father decided to name him Vincent Anton rather that Anton?

4. List two ways that the society portrayed in the movie routinely reads a persons genetic profile.

5. What major surgery did Vincent have to enhance his genetic imperfections?

6. List at least THREE preparations Vincent had to do everyday to pass as Jerome Morrow at GATTACA.

7. When Jerome (Vincent) and Irene go to a concert, what is unusual about the piano player?

8. Who does the detective leading the murder investigation turn out to be?

9. When Anton asks Vincent, How are you doing this? how does Vincent answer?

10. Why do you think Lamars son was a big fan of Vincent? (Hint: Lamar is the doctor who does the urine tests at GATTACA)?

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GATTACA WORKSHEET

11. By reading their DNA, Vincent is predicted to live 30.2 years and Jerome will practically live forever. Is this true? Explain your answer.

12. What happens to the embryos in the clinic that are not implanted? Is that right? What is the difference between that and abortion?

13. "This child is you, simply the best of you. You could conceive a hundred times and never achieve the same result." Explain this statement using the terms: CHROMOSOMES, MEIOSIS and particularly INDEPENDENT ASSORTMENT.

14. In the film, a person could have a potential romantic partner sequenced. Discuss the positive and negative aspects of having this technology available to prospective mates.

Name _____________________ Period _____________

GATTACA WORKSHEET

15. The technology to do what was done in the movie is definitely possible. Do you think that Vincents world could eventually happen in America? Why?

16. During a scene in GATTACA, Vincents parents visited a doctor who specialized in child conception to select for the best traits for his future brother. They hoped that his brother would have the best possible chances for a successful life. Some of the traits mentioned in GATTACA included intelligence, height and any possibility of inheritable diseases. If you decided to have a child one day and are given the opportunity to select for special traits, would you do so? Explain why or why not.

17. Wouldn't every parent want to ensure that their child was perfect and had the attributes of physical attractiveness, intelligence and athletic prowess to be able to do whatever he or she wanted in life? If so, why is the society portrayed in this film so devoid of happiness, vitality and fun?

18. You are an employer and know from genetic testing that the most qualified applicant for the job has a 70% chance of developing Multiple Sclerosis in one year's time. Would you hire this person? Why or why not?

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GATTACA WORKSHEET

19. Cloning is a process in which you make a genetically identical organism. People say that this could be cool others say it is messing with Mother Nature. If you had the opportunity to clone yourself, would you do it and why?

20. If a couple had a baby who died and could not have any more babies, but had the opportunity to clone their baby, should they be allowed to clone it?

21. Stem cell research is another ethical issue. Stem cells are cells from an early embryo that can become any type of cell like a heart, lung, liver, or skin cell. The reason people are researching these cells are because you can actually grow new tissues and organs to replace damaged ones. For instance, it may be possible to grow a new set of lungs for someone dying of lung cancer. The ethical issue with this type of research is that in order to get this type of stem cells you have to destroy an embryo so it will never grow into a person. Do you think this research should be done? Why or why not?