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Designer babies

 

當一眾爸爸媽媽忙於訓練孩子，希望小人兒能在競爭愈來愈厲害的社會突圍而出時，你有沒有想過，在嬰兒出生前就精心設計它的外貌、性格、能力？如果可以訂造後代，你會嗎？國際重量級科學期刊Nature and Science早前拒絕刊登中國一篇基因改造人類胚胎的論文，原因為何？

 

The first study to modify the genes of a human embryo has caused a furious backlash. Nature and Science refused to publish the study, at least partly on ethical grounds.

 

backlash 〔對重大事件的〕強烈反應

(noun 名詞)

 

例子：The controversy in ethics provoked a backlash against genetic modification of a human embryo.  引起強烈不滿

 

以下兩組字詞，你會混淆嗎？

 

ethical (adjective 形容詞)   /   ethics (noun 名詞) = 道德

VS

ethnic (adjective 形容詞)   /   ethnicity (noun 名詞) = 種族

 

 

美國國立衛生研究院重申，他們不會資助任何以人類胚胎進行的基因改造項目：

 

The stance will essentially stifle any research on gene editing in embryos in the US.

 

stifle 抑制，壓制；約束

(verb 動詞)

 

► stifle a yawn / laugh 忍住呵欠 / 笑聲

例子：He made no attempt to stifle a yawn in the lesson.

 

shudder at

(verb 動詞)

 

People shudder at the thought of parents picking and choosing the genes of their children, just as they pick and choose the accessories for their nurseries.

 

(1) 〔因恐懼﹑寒冷等而短暫地〕顫抖

(2) 〔車輛或機器〕劇烈震動﹐顫動

例子：The bus shuddered to a halt .  劇烈震動了一下便停住了。

 

(3) I shudder to think… 一想到…就顫抖〔用於表示想到不願想的某種不愉快之事〕

例子：I shudder to think what mom will say when she sees the mess.

 

不過，基因改造技術確實有其價值，特別在醫學治療方面：

 

Regulations could restrict gene editing technologies to therapeutic uses.

 

restrict sth to sth 僅限於…

= limit

= confine

 

therapeutic

(adjective 形容詞)

 

(1) 有助於治療的

例子：The medicine contains vitamins that have a therapeutic value. 含有幾種具治療價值的維生素。

 

(2) 使人鎮靜的; 使人放鬆的

例子：I find swimming very therapeutic.  我覺得游泳能鬆弛神經。

 

Kevin 教室

 

Some see unpredictable consequences, rather than designer babies, as the key risk in crossing the line to edited embryos. They see meddling with our genome as inherently dangerous – no matter which genes we target. Just dipping our toes in the gene pool will cause large ripples. These ripples will cause chaotic and uncontrollable consequences. According to this view it would be far wiser not to dip our toes in at all.

 

dip a/your toe in (the water) 小心嘗試，探索，摸索

 

cause large ripples

ripple = 細浪﹐漣漪

 

► a ripple of applause/laughter etc 此起彼伏的掌聲/笑聲等

► a ripple of shock/unease/nervousness 一陣震驚/不安/緊張等

► ripple effect  漣漪作用，連鎖反應

   
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