Explanatory phrases from the inheritance-to-aliens assignment
(underlined phrases are metaphors themselves)

• Individuals are born with characteristics from their parents
• Paired chromosomes made up of genes determine all of the offspring's characteristics
• From infancy a gradual metamorphosis occurs
• Combinations of genes determine height; the environment plays a large role
• Humans do not inherit characteristics; they inherit genes = possibilities
• Humans are ultimately made up of genes
• Genes control the biological and developmental aspects of human life
• genetic material propagates itself
• differentiation is controlled by chemical coding
• genes are ultimately responsible for most characteristics
• height is a genetic trait, inherited from one's parents; environment may have some influence
• genes are composed of information, the basic formula for cells
• genes compose the internal environment of humans
• the genetic formula contains a program of the developmental process
• Biological factors inherited from parents combine with developmental and external factors
• DNA codes for specific proteins
• genes are the units of inheritance at the cellular basis
• genes are the fundamental basis of development
• maximum potentials lie within the chromosomes
• external insults limit the full expression of intelligence
• genetics determine the capacity
• capacities have been passed on to me
• genetic material contributes information which determines the offspring's makeup
• genes are responsible for the initiation and direction of development
• genes code for proteins which stimulate development
• the environment merely delimits how genes will be expressed
• the nucleus is the control center of the cell
• genes = information determine characteristics
• DNA = inheritance link
• genes = raw material inherited
• the zygote undergoes billions of cell divisions to become a baby
• intelligence may be strictly due to genetic processes; the environment may act by turning genes on and off
• genes determine some specific characteristic
• cells arrange themsleves in a pattern
• sperm/ egg contain all the information necessary to build another male/female
• genes carry the information
• genetically transferred
• inherit genetic potential; expression depends on environmental factors
• genes code for traits
• an individual is a product of a set of instructions of a program
• dissect the complex relationship between nature and nurture