1、ReadingAdvances in medical science are happening quickly these days. The lecture below is given by abiologist about the new possibilities that gene research can bring. Before you read the lecturetranscript, think about the following questions: What advances in medical science have you heard about? W
2、hat do you know about genes?Reading G Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you all for coming to this lecture. Over the course of my career, I have seen many wonderful scientific developments, but none are as game-changing as genome editing. I am full of excitement about the possibilities thi
3、s scientific advance can bring and I hope to share my excitement with you today. A As many of you may already know, genes play a critical role in shaping our lives. Everything from the colour of our eyes to our talent for maths depends on genes. The complete set of genes inside a cell or a living be
4、ing is called a genome. Our own personal genome carries all the information needed to make us grow and develop. It also contains information that helps determine our lifespan and affects our chances of contracting certain diseases. Some people, for example, carry a gene that makes them more likely t
5、o catch a certain virus or develop a particular form of cancer. Geneticists have been trying to identify which genes relate to which diseases, as they believe genome editing is an effective means of disease treatment and prevention. It allows geneticists to make changes to the genome by correcting,
6、adding, deleting or replacing specific parts of the genetic material. In the near future, geneticists hope to apply this technology to treat a wide range of health problems. Soon we may be able to use such treatments to restore a blind persons vision or give someone who was born deaf an excellent se
7、nse of hearing. Ultimately, this new technology might even make it possible to prevent diseases from ever developing by correcting abnormal genes early on. Genome editing, serving as a new weapon in the fight against diseases, will lead to a fundamental change in our approach to health care. As the
8、technology continues to develop at a fast pace, however, questions arise about how to use it appropriately. Should we restrict our use of this technology to the treatment and prevention of diseases? Should we prohibit geneticists from using it to enhance healthy bodies? One day soon we will be able
9、to use genome editing to increase the human resistance to colds and flus, to make people taller, to help their muscles develop faster, to sharpen all of their senses or to make them more intelligent. We will also be able to select specific characteristics for children before they are born, creating
10、what some have called “designer babies”. However, is this a good thing? What consequences might it have? Philosophers, geneticists and government officials have all started to wrestle with such moral issues. We have to figure out how to keep the technology from running wild. This means putting appro
11、priate controls in place to make sure that genome editing will work to our advantage. Without them, genome editing could be as dangerous as a car out of control. There is still much to be explored and debated on the subject of genome editing. Despite the public argument over this technology, its pos
12、sibilities have been creating much excitement throughout the entire medical community and beyond. Without doubt, genome editing is one of the greatest inventions in the history of science. Thank you for listening. A Understanding the textA Understanding the text A1A1 Read the lecture transcript and
13、complete the chart Read the lecture transcript and complete the chart below with the main idea of each paragraphbelow with the main idea of each paragraph.Genes can shape our lives. Genome editing will lead to a fundamental change in our approach to health care.Genome editing should be used appropri
14、ately.Genome editing has bright prospects ahead. A2A2 Read the lecture transcript again carefully and answer Read the lecture transcript again carefully and answer the following questions.the following questions. 1 What information does our personal genome carry? 2 How can geneticists make changes t
15、o the genome? 3 How might genome editing make it possible to prevent diseases from developing? 4 What is a “designer baby”? 5 What does the lecturer compare uncontrolled genome editing to?It carries all the information needed to make us grow and develop from the colour of our eyes to our talent for
16、maths；it also contains information that helps determine our lifespan and affects the chances of contracting certain diseases. Geneticists can correct，add，delete or replace specific parts of the genetic material.Genome editing makes it possible to prevent diseases from ever developing by correcting a
17、bnormal genes early on.A “designer baby” is a baby whose specific characteristics have been selected before he is born.The lecturer compares it to“a car out of control”. A3A3 In pairs, discuss the following questions.In pairs, discuss the following questions. 1 How does the lecturer feel about genom
18、e editing? Find evidence from the lecture transcript to support your opinion. 2 The lecturer mentions that one day we will be able to create “designer babies”. What do you think of “designer babies”? 3 What controls can we put in place to make sure that genome editing will work to our advantage? B B
19、uilding your languageB Building your language B1B1 The news report below is about the discovery of The news report below is about the discovery of genetic markers that are tied to lifespans.genetic markers that are tied to lifespans.Complete the news report with the correct forms of the Complete the
20、 news report with the correct forms of the words and phrases in the box below.words and phrases in the box below. This week, a team of scientists based in Switzerland announced the discovery of sixteen genetic markers that relate to human lifespans. (1) _, the discovery is an important finding in th
21、e field of genetics. For years, scientists have been working to (2) _ specific genetic markers that are connected with a long lifespan. Until recently, only two such markers were known to the scientific community.pace means identify wrestle with cell fundamental affect without doubtWithout doubtiden
22、tify Genes play a critical role in overall health. Every (3) _ in the human body contains genetic information. Everything from the ageing process to the development of deadly diseases, such as cancer, is tied to an individuals genetic make-up. However, scientists have long been (4) _ the question ab
23、out which genetic markers indicate a short or long lifespan. The discovery by the research team may quicken the (5) _ of the study on genes and human lifespans, and eventually help answer this question. Scientists say that locating these sixteen genetic markers will greatly improve their understandi
24、ng of how genes (6) _ lifespans. These genetic markers may eventually function as a (7) _ of targeting the specific genes connected with lifespans. This could significantly enhance peoples chances of living to a ripe old age. According to some scientists, it could make a (8) _ change to the future o
25、f human life.cellwrestling withpaceaffectmeansfundamental B2B2 The lecture transcript uses a number of words related The lecture transcript uses a number of words related to “gene”. Look at the examples, think of more word to “gene”. Look at the examples, think of more word families with a similar p
26、attern and fill in the table families with a similar pattern and fill in the table below.below.-(t)ics/-(o)logy: politics，political，politician linguistics，linguistic，linguist physics -(t)ic/-al: physical，physicist mathematics，mathematical-ist/-ian: mathematician electronics，electronic，electrician ec
27、onomics，economic，economist B3B3 The lecture transcript uses different structures with The lecture transcript uses different structures with “as”. Find the sentences in the lecture“as”. Find the sentences in the lecturetranscript and use different structures with “as” to join transcript and use diffe
28、rent structures with “as” to join the sentences below.the sentences below. Learn this Learn this “As” can be used in different structures to express different meanings, such as time and reason. As a linking word, it can make your information better organized. 1 You might have heard this before. Some
29、 genes make you more likely to develop certain diseases. 2 We need to have appropriate controls on genome editing. It can be dangerous. 3 New discoveries are being made. Geneticists gain a better understanding of our genes.As you might have heard before，some genes make you more likely to develop certain diseases. We need to have appropriate controls on genome editing，as it can be dangerous.As new discoveries are being made，geneticists gain a better understanding of our genes.
