【BBC六分钟英语】一切都在基因中吗？
【英文脚本】
Sophie
Hello and welcome to 6 Minute English. I’m Sophie…
Neil
And I’m Neil. I was watching the news the other day, Sophie.
Sophie
Learn anything interesting?
Neil
Yes, actually. UK scientists have been authorised by the government to genetically modify human embryos for research. What they can’t do though is implant modified embryos into women. They talked a lot about gene editing…
Sophie
Can you explain to us what gene editing is?
Neil
Mmm… I think this means there are these letters in a code, A-B-C something… I can’t remember exactly…
Sophie
Gene editing is the ability to manipulate, or control, DNA. And in case you didn’t know, DNA is short for deoxyribonucleic acid, this is a substance in the cells of animals and plants that contains genetic information. And a gene is part of the DNA in the cell that controls the physical development and behaviour of a plant or animal and is passed on from its parents.
Neil
Phew! Thanks for the science lesson, Sophie.
Sophie
You’re welcome. Now here’s a question for you, Neil: Which science fiction film anticipates gene editing in a dystopian society where humans are genetically engineered? Is it… a) Robocop b) Gattaca or c) Blade Runner
Neil
Mmm… I don’t really understand the question but I’m going to say c) Blade Runner. What’s dystopian?
Sophie
Dystopian means an imaginary society where people are unhappy and afraid. Well, moving on, let’s listen to BBC journalist Fergus Walsh talking about how gene editing works.
Fergus Walsh, BBC journalist
Think of gene editing as a molecular sat nav. It scans the DNA searching for the error. Then it uses molecular scissors to snip through both strands, which switches off the faulty gene. Or it can repair the code by inserting a healthy copy of the gene. These techniques raise the prospect of treating, even curing, some genetic diseases, and it’s not science fiction.
Sophie
So DNA is a set of instructions for how our bodies work written using a chemical code of four letters, A, T, C, G. But sometimes the code contains mistakes.
Neil
Yes. You find spelling mistakes by scanning, or searching, through the DNA. Then you snip, or cut out, the mistake or faulty gene from the code using molecular scissors. Faulty by the way, means something that isn’t working properly, like the faulty brakes on my bike.
Sophie
That sounds really dangerous, Neil!
Neil
Yeah, but I’m more worried about my faulty genes. I might have all sorts of genetic mistakes inside me.
Sophie
That wouldn’t surprise me. But you’ve actually touched on a serious point. Latest research suggests all our bodies do contain genetic mistakes, some of which could cause disease. And as reporter Fergus Walsh said at the end of the clip, gene editing could be important for treating or even curing inherited genetic diseases. For patients with blood, immune, muscle or skin disorders it offers the possibility that their faulty cells could be removed, or changed in the lab, and then put back.
Neil
That sounds amazing. But is there a catch?
Sophie
And that means a problem or drawback. Yes. Some people think that if editing the genes of a human embryo is allowed for curing disease, this will lead to editing the genes of embryos for reasons other than health. Let’s listen to Marcy Darnovsky, executive director of the Centre for Genetics and Society in California talking about her concerns.
Marcy Darnovsky, Centre for Genetics and Society
It’s too risky, we don’t need it, there are other ways to have healthy children, and it would open the door, possibly, to a world of genetic haves and have nots. We don’t need more inequality, we don’t need more discrimination in the world.
Neil
An embryo by the way is an animal or human starting to develop inside its mother. Marcy Darnovsky is against gene editing because it may be used to create designer babies, or babies whose genes have been selected to have certain desirable characteristics.
Sophie
She says it may open the door, or make it possible, a situation where embryos are genetically enhanced, or improved, to be more intelligent or physically stronger, for example.
Neil
And this will lead to more discrimination in the world, which means treating some people less fairly than others…
Sophie
…which is something that science fiction has been predicting for many years. It’s that dystopian society we were discussing earlier, Neil! Which science fiction film anticipates gene editing in a dystopian society where humans are genetically engineered? Is it… a) Robocop b) Gattaca or c) Blade Runner?
Neil
And I said c) Blade Runner.
Sophie
Sorry, Neil! It was b) Gattaca. This 1997 sci-fi film centres on the character Vincent Freeman, who wasn’t genetically engineered, but is able to buy the genetic identity of another man in order to pursue his dream of travelling into space. The film’s title uses the letters G, A, T and C, which are the four chemical codes making up DNA. Now here are today’s words: gene editing manipulate DNA gene dystopian scanning snip faulty catch embryo designer babies open the door enhanced discrimination
Neil
Well, that’s the end of today’s 6 Minute English. Please do join us again soon!
Both
Bye.
【中英文双语脚本】
Sophie(苏菲)
Hello and welcome to 6 Minute English. I’m Sophie…
您好，欢迎来到 6 Minute English。我是 Sophie…
Neil(尼尔)
And I’m Neil. I was watching the news the other day, Sophie.
我是 Neil。前几天我正在看新闻，Sophie。
Sophie(苏菲)
Learn anything interesting?
学到什么有趣的东西吗？
Neil(尼尔)
Yes, actually. UK scientists have been authorised by the government to genetically modify human embryos for research. What they can’t do though is implant modified embryos into women. They talked a lot about gene editing…
是的，实际上。英国科学家已获得政府授权，可以对人类胚胎进行基因改造以进行研究。不过，他们不能做的是将经过改造的胚胎植入女性体内。他们谈论了很多关于基因编辑的事情……
Sophie(苏菲)
Can you explain to us what gene editing is?
您能向我们解释一下什么是基因编辑吗？
Neil(尼尔)
Mmm… I think this means there are these letters in a code, A-B-C something… I can’t remember exactly…
嗯。。。我认为这意味着代码中有这些字母，A-B-C 什么……我记不清了……
Sophie(苏菲)
Gene editing is the ability to manipulate, or control, DNA. And in case you didn’t know, DNA is short for deoxyribonucleic acid, this is a substance in the cells of animals and plants that contains genetic information. And a gene is part of the DNA in the cell that controls the physical development and behaviour of a plant or animal and is passed on from its parents.
基因编辑是纵或控制 DNA 的能力。如果你不知道，DNA 是脱氧核糖核酸的缩写，这是动植物细胞中的一种包含遗传信息的物质。基因是细胞中 DNA 的一部分，它控制植物或动物的身体发育和行为，并从其父母那里遗传下来。
Neil(尼尔)
Phew! Thanks for the science lesson, Sophie.
唷！谢谢你的科学课，Sophie。
Sophie(苏菲)
You’re welcome. Now here’s a question for you, Neil: Which science fiction film anticipates gene editing in a dystopian society where humans are genetically engineered? Is it… a) Robocop b) Gattaca or c) Blade Runner
别客气。现在有一个问题要问你，尼尔：哪部科幻电影预示了人类经过基因工程改造的反乌托邦社会中的基因编辑？是吗。。。a） 机械战警 b） Gattaca 或 c） 银翼杀手
Neil(尼尔)
Mmm… I don’t really understand the question but I’m going to say c) Blade Runner. What’s dystopian?
嗯。。。我不太明白这个问题，但我要说 c） 银翼杀手。什么是反乌托邦？
Sophie(苏菲)
Dystopian means an imaginary society where people are unhappy and afraid. Well, moving on, let’s listen to BBC journalist Fergus Walsh talking about how gene editing works.
反乌托邦是指人们不快乐和恐惧的虚构社会。好吧，继续，让我们听听 BBC 记者 Fergus Walsh 谈论基因编辑的工作原理。
Fergus Walsh, BBC journalist(FergusWalsh，BBC记者)
Think of gene editing as a molecular sat nav. It scans the DNA searching for the error. Then it uses molecular scissors to snip through both strands, which switches off the faulty gene. Or it can repair the code by inserting a healthy copy of the gene. These techniques raise the prospect of treating, even curing, some genetic diseases, and it’s not science fiction.
将基因编辑想象成一个分子卫星导航。它会扫描 DNA 以查找错误。然后它使用分子剪刀剪断两条链，从而关闭有缺陷的基因。或者它可以通过插入健康的基因拷贝来修复代码。这些技术提高了治疗甚至治愈某些遗传疾病的前景，这并不是科幻小说。
Sophie(苏菲)
So DNA is a set of instructions for how our bodies work written using a chemical code of four letters, A, T, C, G. But sometimes the code contains mistakes.
因此，DNA 是一组关于我们身体如何运作的指令，使用四个字母 A、T、C、G 的化学代码书写。但有时代码包含错误。
Neil(尼尔)
Yes. You find spelling mistakes by scanning, or searching, through the DNA. Then you snip, or cut out, the mistake or faulty gene from the code using molecular scissors. Faulty by the way, means something that isn’t working properly, like the faulty brakes on my bike.
是的。您可以通过扫描或搜索 DNA 来发现拼写错误。然后你用分子剪刀从密码中剪下或剪掉错误或有缺陷的基因。顺便说一句，有故障是指无法正常工作的东西，比如我自行车上的刹车有故障。
Sophie(苏菲)
That sounds really dangerous, Neil!
这听起来真的很危险，尼尔！
Neil(尼尔)
Yeah, but I’m more worried about my faulty genes. I might have all sorts of genetic mistakes inside me.
是的，但我更担心我有缺陷的基因。我内心可能有各种各样的遗传错误。
Sophie(苏菲)
That wouldn’t surprise me. But you’ve actually touched on a serious point. Latest research suggests all our bodies do contain genetic mistakes, some of which could cause disease. And as reporter Fergus Walsh said at the end of the clip, gene editing could be important for treating or even curing inherited genetic diseases. For patients with blood, immune, muscle or skin disorders it offers the possibility that their faulty cells could be removed, or changed in the lab, and then put back.
这不会让我感到惊讶。但你实际上已经触及了一个严肃的问题。最新研究表明，我们所有的身体都确实存在遗传错误，其中一些可能导致疾病。正如记者 Fergus Walsh 在剪辑的结尾所说，基因编辑对于治疗甚至治愈遗传遗传病可能很重要。对于患有血液、免疫、肌肉或皮肤疾病的患者，它提供了一种可能性，即他们的缺陷细胞可以被去除，或在实验室中改变，然后放回原处。
Neil(尼尔)
That sounds amazing. But is there a catch?
这听起来很神奇。但有什么问题吗？
Sophie(苏菲)
And that means a problem or drawback. Yes. Some people think that if editing the genes of a human embryo is allowed for curing disease, this will lead to editing the genes of embryos for reasons other than health. Let’s listen to Marcy Darnovsky, executive director of the Centre for Genetics and Society in California talking about her concerns.
这意味着问题或缺点。是的。有些人认为，如果允许编辑人类胚胎的基因来治愈疾病，这将导致出于健康以外的原因编辑胚胎的基因。让我们听听加利福尼亚遗传学与社会中心（Centre for Genetics and Society）的执行主任马西·达诺夫斯基（Marcy Darnovsky）谈论她的担忧。
Marcy Darnovsky, Centre for Genetics and Society(MarcyDarnovsky，遗传学与社会中心)
It’s too risky, we don’t need it, there are other ways to have healthy children, and it would open the door, possibly, to a world of genetic haves and have nots. We don’t need more inequality, we don’t need more discrimination in the world.
这太冒险了，我们不需要它，还有其他方法可以生出健康的孩子，它可能会打开一扇通往基因富人和穷人世界的大门。我们不需要更多的不平等，我们不需要世界上更多的歧视。
Neil(尼尔)
An embryo by the way is an animal or human starting to develop inside its mother. Marcy Darnovsky is against gene editing because it may be used to create designer babies, or babies whose genes have been selected to have certain desirable characteristics.
顺便说一句，胚胎是开始在母亲体内发育的动物或人类。Marcy Darnovsky 反对基因编辑，因为它可能被用来创造设计师婴儿，或者其基因被选择具有某些理想特征的婴儿。
Sophie(苏菲)
She says it may open the door, or make it possible, a situation where embryos are genetically enhanced, or improved, to be more intelligent or physically stronger, for example.
她说，这可能会打开一扇门，或者使胚胎在基因上得到增强或改进的情况成为可能，例如，胚胎变得更聪明或身体更强壮。
Neil(尼尔)
And this will lead to more discrimination in the world, which means treating some people less fairly than others…
这将导致世界上更多的歧视，这意味着对待某些人比其他人更不公平……
Sophie(苏菲)
…which is something that science fiction has been predicting for many years. It’s that dystopian society we were discussing earlier, Neil! Which science fiction film anticipates gene editing in a dystopian society where humans are genetically engineered? Is it… a) Robocop b) Gattaca or c) Blade Runner?
…这是科幻小说多年来一直在预测的事情。这就是我们之前讨论的那个反乌托邦社会，尼尔！哪部科幻电影预示了人类经过基因工程改造的反乌托邦社会中的基因编辑？是吗。。。a） 机械战警 b） Gattaca 还是 c） 银翼杀手？
Neil(尼尔)
And I said c) Blade Runner.
我说 c） 银翼杀手。
Sophie(苏菲)
Sorry, Neil! It was b) Gattaca. This 1997 sci-fi film centres on the character Vincent Freeman, who wasn’t genetically engineered, but is able to buy the genetic identity of another man in order to pursue his dream of travelling into space. The film’s title uses the letters G, A, T and C, which are the four chemical codes making up DNA. Now here are today’s words: gene editing manipulate DNA gene dystopian scanning snip faulty catch embryo designer babies open the door enhanced discrimination
对不起，尼尔！是 b） Gattaca。这部 1997 年的科幻电影以文森特·弗里曼 （Vincent Freeman） 为中心，他没有经过基因工程改造，但能够购买另一个人的基因身份，以追求他进入太空的梦想。电影的标题使用了字母 G、A、T 和 C，这是构成 DNA 的四个化学代码。现在这是今天的话：基因编辑纵 DNA 基因 反乌托邦扫描 剪断 错误捕捉 胚胎设计师 婴儿开门 增强辨别力
Neil(尼尔)
Well, that’s the end of today’s 6 Minute English. Please do join us again soon!
好了，今天的六分钟 English 到此结束。请尽快再次加入我们！
Both(双)
Bye.
再见。
【核心词汇】
gene editing
the ability to modify DNA
基因编辑
修改DNA的能力
Scientists are exploring the ethical implications of gene editing.
科学家们正在探索基因编辑的伦理影响。
manipulate
modify or control
操控
修改或控制
He was accused of manipulating the stock market.
他被指控操纵股市。
gene
a part of the DNA in a cell that controls the growth and behaviour of a living thing and is passed on from its parents
基因
细胞中控制生物生长和行为，并从父母传给后代的那部分DNA。
The gene responsible for this condition has been identified.
导致这种情况的基因已被确定。
dystopian
an imaginary society where people are unhappy and afraid
反乌托邦
一个想象中的社会，人们在那里不快乐且恐惧。
The novel paints a dystopian vision of the future.
这部小说描绘了一个反乌托邦式的未来景象。
scanning
searching carefully
扫描
仔细搜索
Airport security involves scanning luggage.
机场安检包括扫描行李。
designer babies
babies whose genes have been selected to have certain desirable characteristics
定制婴儿
基因经过选择以具有某些理想特征的婴儿。
The prospect of designer babies raises complex ethical questions.
定制婴儿的前景引发了复杂的伦理问题。
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