Boutique Babies 订作精品婴儿？
- 详细资料
- 创建于 2003年6月27日
- 最后更新于 2024年5月25日
- 发布于 2011年5月29日
- 作者：Mike Lee
- 点击数：278
课文朗读
课文讲解
“Egg Donor Needed. US$50,000 Incentive” This is a sample heading from one of the ads that has begun to appear at Ivy League schools such as Yale and Harvard. Although egg donation is not news, those intending to purchase human eggs have now gone beyond requesting a certain eye color to demanding Ivy League degree. These potential buyers believe that raising the standard of their criteria will bring them a better baby. But does this ambition to purchase a genetic advantage for their children make them bad parents?
「急征捐卵者，酬金五万美元。」这是一则广告的标题，最近开始出现在长春藤联盟名校，如耶鲁、哈佛等校的校园内。虽然卵子捐赠不是新闻，但卵子购买者指定的条件，已从眼睛颜色，进而指定捐卵者需有长春藤名校的文凭。这些潜在的买主相信，把条件标准提高，可以生出较优的婴儿；然而这种为小孩购买遗传优势的企图，是否让这些买主变成不优的父母？
Couples who place these ads assume that if a young woman attends an Ivy League school, then she will likely pass on her academic ability to her offspring. This assumption disregards many other factors, such as the genetic contribution of the sperm and the determining forces of our environment. Our lives are influenced, but not predetermined, by our genes.
刊登这则广告的夫妇认为，能读长春藤盟校的大学女生，很有可能将其在学术上表现优秀的能力遗传给后代；这种假设抹煞了许多其他的因素，如遗传精子的部分和后天环境的决定性影响，我们的人生受到遗传基因影响，但并不是完全由它决定。
One danger of ordering babies like televisions is that parents may have unreasonable expectations of their child. If the child doesn’t turn out the way the parents envisioned, how will he or she be treated? Good parents accept their children for whoever they happen to be – not just for attending Yale.
想量身订作婴儿，就像订购电视机一样的父母，有对小孩过份期待的危险。如果生出的小孩未达理想，父母会怎么对待他们？好父母应该能够接受自己的小孩，不管他是什么样子，当然也不只因为他能上耶鲁大学而已。
Vocabulary
单词发音
boutique [buˋtik] n. 精品店
incentive [ɪnˋsɛntɪv] n. 激励; 奖励
head [hɛd] v. 给……加……标题
request [rɪˋkwɛst] v. 要求，请求
criterion [kraɪˋtɪrɪən] n. (评判的)标准，准则
offspring [ˋɔf͵sprɪŋ] n. 子女；子孙；后代
disregard [͵dɪsrɪˋgɑrd] v. 不理会，不顾
predetermine [͵pridɪˋtɝmɪn] v. 预先确定；预先决定
envision [ɪnˋvɪʒən] v. 想象，展望
Sentence of the Day
That's close to the bone.
真话难免有些刺耳。
close to the bone (指玩笑、故事等)近乎猥亵的, 有可能冒犯某些人的
课文讲解
Classmates Frank and Lillian meet on the Harvard Campus: 法兰克和莉莉安是同学，两人在哈佛校园里相遇：
F: Hi, Lillian.Cramming for your midterms?
嗨，莉莉安，为期中考忙着K书吗？
L: Actually, I’m pondering this ridiculous ad that’s offering US$50,000 for my Ivy League eggs.
实际上我一直在想这则荒谬的广告，它悬赏五万美元，购买我这种长春藤盟校女生的卵子。
F: Oh yes, my wife told me about that. She was wondering if there was something deficient with her eggs as she only graduated from the University of Toronto.
对哦，我听我太太说过。她还怀疑难道自己的卵子有问题，只因为她是多伦多大学毕业的。
L: That’s why it’s so ridiculous! They are assuming that just because I attend Harvard, my eggs will likewise develop into Harvard grads.
所以才荒谬呀！登广告的人以为，只因为我念长春藤联盟大学，我的小孩就可能遗传我的学术能力上哈佛。
F: You have to admit that parents have always wanted to give their children every advantage.
妳不能否认，做父母的都想给自己小孩所有的优势。
L: So, it’s OK for a parent to try and gain a genetic advantage for his or her offspring?
那么，给小孩用钱买遗传优势也没错啰？
F: You’re right, that’s excessive. I favor nurture in the nature-nurture issue. It’s hard to conceive that Harvard genes are a substitute for a supportive household that values and encourages education.
妳说得对，是太离谱了。先天、后天孰者为重这个问题，我倾向后者；很难想象一个哈佛学生的基因，可以取代一个重视教育、支持并鼓励孩子向学的家庭力量。
L: Agreed. If psychologists can teach pigeon to play ping-pong, then how much greater the effect of nurture must be for people.
我同意，如果心理学家都可以教鸽子打乒乓球了，你想后天教育的影响对人有多重要。
F: I take it you won’t be considering the offer?
我想妳不会考虑捐卵吧？
L: No, I’m afraid I don’t quite measure up.
不会，我怕我还不够资格呢。
F: But you scored 1400 on your SATs!
妳SAT不是考了1400分吗！
L: Yes, but they want a donor who is 177cm. I’m only 174cm.
是没错，但是他们找的捐卵者身高要177公分，我才174而已。
－by Howie Phung
Vocabulary
单词发音
cram [kræm] v.【口】（为应考）死记硬背功课[（+up/for）]
midterm [ˋmɪd͵tɝm] n. 期中考
ponder [ˋpɑndɚ] v. 反思，回想; 仔细考虑
deficient [dɪˋfɪʃənt] adj. 不足的，缺乏的; 有缺陷的；有缺点的
excessive [ɪkˋsɛsɪv] adj. 过分的
nurture [ˋnɝtʃɚ] n. 养育，教养，培育
nature-nurture 先天-后天
conceive [kənˋsiv] v. 想象，设想
substitute [ˋsʌbstə͵tjut] n. 代替物
supportive [səˋpɔrtɪv] adj.【褒】支持的; 给予帮助和鼓励的
pigeon [ˋpɪdʒɪn] n. 鸽子
take [tek] v. 以为
measure up 符合标准 to have the necessary qualifications
SAT 学术能力评估测试 Scholastic Assessment Test
Sentence of the Day
They're choosing it for good measure.
他们有很好的理由这样选择。
for good measure 额外地; 添加以求完善 in addition to something else already said or done