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Finding the Right Genes 寻找完美基因

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Genetics determines almost everything about us, from our physical qualities to our chances of developing certain diseases. It possibly even determines certain aspects of our personality. Through scientific advances, we’re starting to make more sense of what genes mean to us.

遗传支配我们人体的绝大部分，从身体特征到罹患某些疾病的机率，甚至可能影响我们性格的某些层面。拜科学进步之赐，人类开始对基因更进一步的了解。

Thanks to genetics, men and women can see into their future. With genetic counseling, patients can be informed of their risk of developing an inherited disorder. It can help future parents prepare for diseases that they may pass on to their children.

由于遗传学的发展，人们得以预见自己的未来。透过基因咨询，病人可得知自己罹患某种遗传病的机率。此咨询也有助准父母们预知自己可能遗传给下一代的疾病。

New treatments for those who suffer from certain diseases are also being developed through genetics. Gene therapy involves inserting new genes into an individual’s cell and tissues to threat a disease. The technology is still in its infancy, but its potential to save lives is astonishing.

遗传学也为某些疾病的患者发展出新疗法。基因疗法是将新基因嵌入患者的细胞或组织来治疗疾病。该科技虽还在萌芽阶段，但救人一命的潜力令人惊叹。

Even our diet is being affected by genetics. Today, we have what are called genetically-modified foods. Scientists can take regular crops and change their genetic makeup to make them more resistant to things like droughts, weather conditions and even pests. These are just some of the possibilities. In the future, we may see bananas that produce vaccines against infectious diseases, or fish that mature more quickly. Genetics holds great promise, and we’ve only begun to scratch the surface of what it can do for us.

遗传学甚至影响了人类的饮食。如今，我们有所谓的基因改造食品。科学家将普通农作物的基因结构加以改变，使其对干旱、天气、甚至虫害更具抵抗力。这只是许多可能性中的一小部分而已。未来，我们或许可以见到能制造传染病疫苗的香蕉，或是可以成长更快的鱼类。遗传学的未来潜力无限，而人类对它的功用才刚略知一二而已。

−by Joe Henley

Vocabulary

单词发音

counseling [ˋkaʊns!ɪŋ] n. 咨询服务

astonishing [əˋstɑnɪʃɪŋ] adj. 惊人的

drought [draʊt] n. 干旱

vaccine [ˋvæksin] n. 疫苗

inherit [ɪnˋhɛrɪt] v. 经遗传而获得

resistant [rɪˋzɪstənt] adj. 抵抗的

More Information

单词发音

personality [͵pɝsnˋælətɪ] n. 个性，性格

thanks to 托...福; 幸亏

inform [ɪnˋfɔrm] v. 告知

disorder [dɪsˋɔrdɚ] n. (机能)失调，轻病

pass on 传递

insert [ɪnˋsɝt] v. 插入；嵌入

regular [ˋrɛgjəlɚ] adj. 普通的，一般的

makeup [ˋmek͵ʌp] n. 构成; 构造

pest [pɛst] n. 害虫

mature [məˋtjʊr] v. 使成熟；使长成

promise [ˋprɑmɪs] n. 希望，前途

scratch the surface  略懂皮毛

infancy [ˋɪnfənsɪ] n. 初期；未发达阶段

see into  查看，调查……；观察……的真义，性质等