Before you read about the morphic field theory, check you know some of the words you will see.  Match the words used to talk about the study of plants and animals with their definitions.

Now read this short text about Rupert Sheldrake and put the words in brackets in the correct form.

Dally Hobbs, an Internet book retailer, has written an article about a popular science writer.  Read the online article and give each paragraph, A – E, the correct heading.

Morphic Fields Forever

How is it that some people can read minds? Why is it easier to learn a new skill after a large group of people have already successfully learnt it? How do some people remember past lives? Where does your personality come from?

A
Famous British biologist Rupert Sheldrake thinks he may have the answer to these questions. Many religions believe that the way plants and animals look and behave is controlled by a higher power. Evolutionary theorists say that these things are controlled by natural laws. But according to Sheldrake, nature behaves in a less planned, more creative way. Each species looks and behaves the way it does today because of habits it has developed over millions of years.
B
But how are these habits communicated to each new living thing? Sheldrake says they are contained within morphogenetic (morphic”) fields. Every plant and animal has its own group of morphic fields. You, for example, have a morphic field for your brain, your heart and for each of your organs. There are morphic fields for every aspect of your behaviour. And each of these fields has been in existence for millions of years.
C
So where are these morphic fields and what do they look like? Sheldrake says that, although you cannot see them, they are all around you. Most scientists believe that genes carry all the information needed to create a complete living being. Instead, says Sheldrake, they help your brain tune into the invisible morphic fields around you (in the same way that your TV transmits a programme by tuning into electromagnetic fields).
D
What’s more, morphic fields work like enormous computer hard disks, constantly having new information added to them by each individual. But, unlike computer disks, these fields are not physical and they are not made of energy. Even your personal thoughts, experiences and memories may not be stored in your own brain, but outside you in a morphic field. That means anyone can get information from the memory field.
E
This may be the reason why it is easier to learn a new skill after the first group of people have successfully learnt it. And why some people think they remember a past life. Or why some folk appear to be able to read other people’s thoughts. So next time somebody tells you, "I know what you’re thinking,” they could be telling the truth!

Dally Hobbs’ customers can email their questions to a readers’ forum. Here are some questions that readers sent to the author Rupert Sheldrake. Read the article again and answer ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to each question.

Read part of the article again and decide which linking word or phrase in the box below should go in each gap.