Most teachers who lecture to introductory biology classes have been tempted at one time or another to begin by reading to the class the "Science" section of the daily newspaper. Today's paper, for example, re- ports the identification of the gene that causes cystic fibrosis, a fatal genetic disorder that affects more than 30,000 people in the United States today. For years sci- entists have been searching for the gene, which is car- ried silently by an estimated 1 in every 20 Caucasians; studying it may provide clues that will eventually lead to a cure. This discovery is of great interest to every student in a freshman biology class; to premeds and English majors and students majoring in dance. They all want to know about cystic fibrosis, and also about AIDS and cancer and genetic engineering, because these issues affect their lives. They want to learn enough biol- ogy to understand the newspapers and magazines they read.