Supplementary Reading >> Culture Notes

Human Cloning

² the creation of a genetically identical copy of a human, human cell, or human tissue

² The ethics of cloning is an extremely controversial issue.

(视频略)

Script:

Human cloning is the creation of a genetically identical copy of a human (not usually referring to monozygotic multiple births), human cell, or human tissue. The ethics of cloning is an extremely controversial issue. The term is generally used to refer to artificial human cloning.

Supplementary Reading >> Reading

I. Difficult Sentences

1. Today, with the prospect of a renewed push for sweeping prohibition rather than mere regulation, I am inclined to say, “Not so fast.”
Translate the sentence into Chinese.
(=时至今日，眼看着新一轮要求对克隆人全面禁止而非简单规范的呼声即将再起，我倒想说：“慢一点来。” )

2. … a wave that I no longer feel comfortable riding.
Paraphrase the sentence.
(=Though another wave of prohibitionist outrage seems set to sweep the country, he feels uncomfortable being involved with it.)

3. Just as was true of bans on abortion and on sex outside marriage, bans on human cloning are bound to be hard to enforce.
Paraphrase the sentence.
(=It’s difficult to prohibit abortion and sex outside marriage; the same is true with human cloning.)
Translate the sentence into Chinese.
(=就像禁止人工流产和婚外性行为一样，禁止克隆人肯定难以实施。)

4. How much worse might be the plight of being judged morally incomplete by virtue of one’s man-made origin?
Translate the sentence.
(=由于是人工生育而被认为缺乏道德，这样的苦境不是会糟糕得多吗？)

5. If human cloning is to be banned, then, the reasons had better be far more compelling than any thus far advanced.
Paraphrase the sentence.
(=If we want to prohibit human cloning, we should put forward other reasons that are far more convincing than all the reasons we have.)
Translate the sentence into Chinese.
(=因此，如果要禁止克隆人，其理由应比任何已经提出的更为有力才成。)

II. Words & Expressions

second thought(s) on/about:  change opinion after considering (sth.) again

- Those who don’t have second thoughts on going to war are idiots.

- 你不是在犹豫结婚的事吧，是吗？

(=You’re not having second thoughts about getting married, are you?)

debate: n.  serious discussion of a subject in which many people take part

- Over the year we have had several debates about future policy.

- 教育是目前公众争论的焦点。

(=Education is the current focus of public debate.)

arise: vi.  become evident; appear

- Are there any matters arising from the last meeting?

- 如有需要，你周六能来上班吗？

(=Could you work on Saturday, should the need arise?)

the pros and cons:  arguments for and against sth.

- You’d better weigh up the pros and cons before quitting your job.

- 我们在买大房子前考虑了所有的利弊。

(=We considered all the pros and cons carefully before deciding to buy a bigger house.)

plight: n.  a serious and difficult situation or condition

- the plight of the poor/homeless

- 和单亲妈妈的困境相比，我的问题不算什么。

(=My problems aren’t much compared with the plight of a single mother.)

artificial: adj.  made or produced as a copy of sth. natural; not real

- What are the differences between a machine or a program, and an artificial form of life?

- 这篇给门外汉写的文章回答了人工智能的基本问题。

(=This article for the layman answers basic questions about artificial intelligence.)

subscribe to:

1. agree with (an opinion, a theory, etc.); have (a particular opinion)

- Until about four years ago, an overwhelming number of astronomers subscribed to the view that the cosmic expansion was probably slowing down.

2. arrange to receive a newspaper, etc. regularly by paying in advance

- 你可以通过网络、邮件或电话订购《纪事》（The Chronicle）。

(=You may subscribe to The Chronicle over the Internet, by mail, or by phone.)

appeal to:  make a serious or formal request for

- Church leaders have appealed to the government to halt the war.

- 警方呼吁公众提供失踪女孩的信息。

(=The police are appealing to the public for any information about the missing girl.)

lend support to:  help

- Different groups lent support to different candidates.

- 工作机会的增加推动零售额稳步增长。

(=The increase in job opportunities lends support to the steady growth of retail sales.)

objection: n.  expression of opposition, disapproval or dislike

- I have no objection to an evening with the Spencers.

- 我反对吸烟是因为它有害健康。

(=My objection to smoking is that it is dangerous to health.)

come to terms with:  accept (sth.) unpleasant over a period of time; come to an agreement with

- She had to come to terms with the fact that her husband would always be crippled.

- 我能做的是顺从自己的命运。

(=All that I can do is to come to terms with my fate.)

be bound to:  be certain to

- Someone out there is bound to take notice of what we are doing for the whole region.

- 不同问题必定存在不同的看法。

(=Differences of opinion on various issues are bound to exist.)

in essence:  essentially; fundamentally

- In essence, you sell stocks as they fall and buy stocks as they rise.

- 这两个提议基本上差不多。

(=In essence, both proposals are much the same.)

by virtue of:  on account of; because of

- We cannot alter facts by virtue of our inclinations or passions when it comes to history.

- 他因为能力而得到了这份工作。

(=He got the job by virtue of his ability.)

origin: n.  starting point; source

- Her unhappy childhood was the origin of her problems later in life.

- 这是本关于宇宙起源的书。

(=It’s a book about the origin of the universe.)

prohibit: vt.  forbid, esp. by laws

- Federal law prohibits removing any safety device from a car.

- 禁止烟草公司在广告中将客户定位为年轻人。

(=It is prohibited for tobacco companies to target youth in advertising.)

grave: adj.  needing careful consideration; serious

- a grave mistake

- 这是他职业生涯中最严重的政治危机。

(=It was the gravest political crisis of his career.)

label: vt.  put a label on; describe or classify

- All food has to be labeled with “best before” or “use by” dates.

- 他们被不公正地贴上了罪犯的标签。

(=They’ve been unfairly labeled as criminals.)

rest on:  be based on

- This argument rests on a series of claims that need to be examined one by one.

- 成功受聘的大部分原因是你能给公司带来价值。

(=A big part of hiring success rests on your ability to bring value to the company.)

reinforce: vt.  strengthen

- The pockets on my jeans are reinforced with double stitching.

- 这起事故的最终技术报告进一步证实了最初的调查结果。

(=The final technical report into the accident reinforces the findings of initial investigations.)

defy: vt.  resist or oppose boldly or openly

- The fact that aircraft don’t fall out of the sky always seems to me to defy the law of gravity.

- 有几名工人没能服从大多数人的意见，尽管在罢工期间，但还是去上班了。

(=A few workers have defied the majority decision and gone into work despite the strike.)