UNIT 2

DEVELOPMENT - FUNCTION OF
MICROBIOLOGY LABORATORY
WARM-UP ACTIVITY
Discussion
Read the following questions with your partner. Then read the text to check
answers.
1. Which factors led to the establishment of the microbiology laboratory?
2. What is its purpose?

Art early bacteriology

laboratory "St. Mary's
Hospital Medical School
Library".

In the second half of the 19th century, the advances in medicine and the increasing
interest in scientific research led to the establishment of the microbiology laboratory with
the aim of diagnosing and curing diseases.
ver the years, as laboratory technology has advanced, hospitals and clinics set up wellequipped laboratories and made, through research, important contributions to the aim
mentioned above.
The performance of microbiology laboratory however, greatly depends on the quality of the
tools available in it. Today's laboratory equipment meets the everincreasing requirements of microbiologists and laboratory assistants for accurate easy-toperform diagnostic tests.

The basic instrument, indispensable in any microbiology laboratory, is the microscope with
which microorganisms and cells can be examined and studied carefully.
A well-equipped microbiology laboratory also provides a complete range of equipment
including machines, devices, tools, containers and instruments suitable for tasks such as
culturing, sterilizing, measuring, weighing, centrifuging, testing, incubating and
analyzing.

A modern microbiology laboratory

Understanding the text

Exercise 1
Answer the following questions.
1.
2.
3.
4.

When was the microbiology laboratory first established?

What kind of tests are carried out in a modern microbiology laboratory?
Refer to the equipment available in a modern microbiology laboratory.
What jobs are performed in it?
Exercise 2
What do the bold-typed words below refer to in the text?

1. contribution to the aim mentioned above.

2. available in it.
3. is the microscope with which microorganisms

Deducing meanings
Exercise 3
. Guess the meaning of the following expressions in the text.
1... to meet the ever-increasing requirements of microbiologists ...
a. to find out what is necessary for microbiologists
b. to satisfy the needs of microbiologists which increase continuously
2... laboratory technology has advanced ...
c. laboratory technology has moved forward and developed
d. laboratory technology has increased
3.... easy-to-perform tests.
a. tests which can be carried out easily
b. tests which need experienced persons to carry them out
4.. laboratories have made important contributions to this aim.
e. laboratories have carried out research for this purpose
f. laboratories have given help in achieving this aim
5. ... indispensable in any microbiology laboratory is the microscope ...
a. the microscope is useful for a microbiology laboratory
b. the microscope is too necessary for microbiology laboratory not to have it
Exercise 4
Which tasks carried out in the microbiology laboratory and mentioned in the text are
described below? Write them in the space provided.
1. Making things completely clean and free from bacteria:___________
2. Causing solids to separate from liquids by means of a container which turns round
very quickly:_________________
3. Growing microorganisms for specific purposes:______________
4. Measuring the heaviness of certain amount of liquid, powder, etc.___
5. Developing microorganisms under controlled temperature conditions:

Find eight words hidden horizontally, vertically and diagonally in

this puzzle.

Q S

, Inc. Publishers, Published 1990 New York.

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