What does biotechnology mean?
Word: Biotechnology
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Biotechnology means the use of living things such as bacteria, yeast or cells to make useful products, like medicines or better crops.
How do you spell biotechnology?
Syllables: bi - o - tech - nol - o - gy
Tricky part: The k sound in the middle is spelt ch, as in school.
Watch out for: biotecnology, biotecknology
Memory tip: Picture a chemist in a lab: the ch of chemist says k, and so does the ch in the middle of this word.
Biotechnology in a sentence
Example 1: Scientists use biotechnology to grow crops that need less water.
Example 2: My sister wants to work in a biotechnology lab in Bengaluru.
Example 3: Some vaccines are made using biotechnology.
Fun Fact
Much of the insulin used by people with diabetes is made by bacteria that have been given the human insulin gene.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
biot_chnol_gy
a) a, o
b) i, o
c) e, a
d) e, o
Show answer
d) e, o. The first gap takes the e of tech, and the second takes an o.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
biotechnollogy
a) o
b) n
c) g
d) l
Show answer
d) l. A single l is all the ending needs.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the correctly spelt word:
a) microskope
b) bactiria
c) genetiks
d) biotechnology
Show answer
d) biotechnology. Microscope has a c before ope, bacteria has an e after the t, and genetics ends in ics.
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
golhinboetcyo
a) biotechnology
b) methodology
c) bibliography
d) biochemistry
Show answer
a) biotechnology. No m, p or s appears in the jumble, which leaves biotechnology.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these is an example of biotechnology?
a) using a magnet to sort scrap metal
b) using yeast to make dough rise
c) using a pulley to lift bricks
d) using a lens to focus sunlight
Show answer
b) using yeast to make dough rise
2. A biotechnology lab is most likely to study ____.
a) bacteria that break down oil spills
b) rocks thrown out by an old volcano
c) the speed of sound travelling in air
d) coins and stamps printed in 1900
Show answer
a) bacteria that break down oil spills
