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原文期刊：卫报 Fear of dystopian change should not blind us to the potential of gene editing
考研英语阅读话题-环境
“设计婴儿”designer baby又称“治疗性试管婴儿”或“设计试管婴儿”，是指为确保小孩具有某些长处或者避免某些缺陷，在出生以前就对他（她）的基因构成进行了选择的那一类孩子 体细胞治疗Somatic therapies是将机体细胞在体外进行各种处理后，再回输病人的治疗方式。 基因编辑（gene editing），又称基因组编辑（genome editing）或基因组工程（genome engineering），是一种新兴的比较精确的能对生物体基因组特定目标基因进行修饰的一种基因工程技术。 2021年2月，《最高人民法院最高人民检察院关于执行，<中华人民共和国刑法>确定罪名的补充规定（七）》规定了非法植入基因编辑、克隆胚胎罪罪名
本文选自《卫报》2018年7月22日的一篇文章。作者对基因编辑存在的道德争议和技术难题进行讨论，指出我们不应屈从于对基因编辑的恐惧，而应鼓励实证研究，进行道德辩论，发挥基因编辑的潜力。
文章脉络：引出事件：纳菲尔德委员会发表报告，认为基因编辑不存在道德异议（第一、二、三段）——介绍基因编辑存在的技术难题和道德争论（第四、五段）——指出种系编辑、为了“优化”而进行的种系编辑存在的问题（第六、七段）——总结呼吁：不应屈从于对基因编辑的恐惧（第八段）。
Part 1 原文 I ① “Designer babies on horizon”, ran the headlines. ②Last week, the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, an independent body advising on policy, published a report on genome editing and human reproduction.
II ①New scientific techniques, such as CRISPR-Cas9 – molecular “scissors” that allow scientists to snip the genome at specific points – have transformed genetics in recent years and raised questions about what is practically possible and ethically acceptable. ②Despite the lurid headlines, they are not ushering in a new world of designer babies.
III ① The genetic modification of embryos is illegal in Britain except for strictly controlled research purposes, and the Nuffield Council report did not call for a change in the law. ②What it suggested was that there exists no fundamental moral objection to genome editing.
IV ①Such editing may be “morally permissible” so long as it takes into account the “welfare of the future person” and does not “produce or exacerbate social division or the unmitigated marginalisation or disadvantage of groups within society”. ②Even with these caveats, there is no prospect of gene-edited humans in the near future. ③The science is in its infancy and techniques remain untested and hazardous. ④A recent study suggested that CRISPR does not cut the genome cleanly but causes considerable damage, and that as the body repairs the damage new mutations may be introduced. ⑤It will be a long time before such issues are resolved sufficiently even to contemplate human therapies.
V ①The debate about human gene editing is less about what may happen tomorrow than about fundamental fears of dystopian change. ②“It is not fanciful to say that... the end of human beings as a wild breeding race could be in sight,” claimed the Times.③ “Any small impoverished country” would be able to “improve its wealth and influence” by “breeding a race of intellectual giants”. ④This would pose an “extremely grave” threat “to accepted human values”. ⑤That article was published not last week but in 1969. ⑥And in response not to gene editing but to the then new technology of IVF. ⑦On Wednesday, the first ever IVF baby, Louise Brown, will turn 40, an event that will be publicly celebrated. ⑧We have lost most of our anxieties about IVF. ⑨Those old fears – about scientists playing God or about the resurrection of eugenics – have, however, become transferred to a new biotechnology.
VI ①One issue that seems genuinely new is that of “germline” editing. ②“Somatic therapies” alter genes in an individual but do not affect his or her children. ③Germline therapies modify the genome in an egg, sperm or embryo; any changes are passed on to future generations. ④For many critics, to burden future generations with possibly dangerous genomic alterations without their consent is unconscionable. ⑤It is true that any alteration to the germline should be undertaken only with the greatest of care, and with far more knowledge than we currently possess. ⑥That’s one reason designer babies are not on the horizon. ⑦But refusing to alter the genome when one could to do so safely is also to affect the future. ⑧If it ever became possible to eliminate, say, the gene that causes cystic fibrosis, not then to do so would condemn future generations unnecessarily to suffer from a wretched condition. ⑨There is nothing ethically superior in leaving things be if it is possible to change them for the better.
VII ①Perhaps the most vexed question is about genome modification not for therapeutic reasons (to eliminate genes causing disorders) but for enhancement – attempting to improve a child’s intelligence or physical appearance. ②There are a number of disorders – such as cystic fibrosis – caused by the mutation of a single gene. ③These would be ideal candidates for genetic modification. ④Most complex traits – whether intelligence or appearance or musical ability – are, however, shaped by a multitude of genes. ⑤“Enhancement” would require altering hundreds of genes, with myriad untold collateral consequences.⑥It’s an unlikely scenario. ⑦If you want make a child more intelligent, filling the house with books is far more effective than modifying genes.
VIII ①If, 50 years ago, society had given in to fears about IVF we might be living in a world without fertility treatments. ②In 50 years’ time, we may have lost our current anxieties about genetic engineering, just as we have shed concerns about IVF. ③By then, designer babies might really be on the horizon. ④At which point, we could take reasoned decisions about human germline modification. ⑤Until then, we should encourage the practical research and the ethical debates, without giving in either to the hype or to the dystopic fears.
Part 2 词汇短语 1.*genome /'dʒiːnəʊm/ n. 基因组 2.reproduction /riːprə'dʌkʃən/ n. 生殖；繁殖 3.molecular /mə'lekjʊlə/ a. 分子的 4.*snip /snɪp/ v. 剪断；剪 5.*lurid /ˈlʊərɪd/ a. 耸人听闻的；可怕的 6.usher in 领进；引进 7.*exacerbate /ɪg'zæsəbeɪt/ v. 使加剧；恶化 8.*unmitigated /ʌn'mɪtɪgeɪtɪd/ a. 未缓和的；全然的 9.marginalization /,mɑ:dʒinəlai'zeiʃən/ n. 边缘化；排斥 10.*caveat /'kævɪæt/ n. 警告 11.in its infancy 在初始阶段 12.hazardous /'hæzədəs/ a. 危险的；有害的 13.*mutation /mjuː'teɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 突变 14.contemplate /'kɒntempleɪt/ v. 沉思 15.*resurrection /rezə'rekʃ(ə)n/ n. 复兴；复活 16.*eugenics /juː'dʒenɪks/ n. 优生学 17.*somatic /sə'mætɪk/ a. 躯体的；肉体的 18.*cystic fibrosis 囊胞性纤维症 19.condemn /kən'dem/ v. 迫使…接受困境 20.wretched /'retʃɪd/ a. 可怜的；悲惨的 21.*vexed /'vekst/ a. 为难的；生气的 22.therapeutic /,θerə'pjuːtɪk/ a. 治疗的 23.multitude /'mʌltɪtjuːd/ n. 大量；多数 24.*myriad /'mɪrɪəd/ a. 无数的 25.untold /ʌn'təʊld/ a. 无数的；糟糕的 26.*hype /haɪp/ n. 大肆宣传；炒作 （注:标*号为超纲词）
Part 3 长难句语法点拨 
本句主干是 A recent study suggested ……，谓语suggest后接两个宾语从句，第一个宾语从句主干是not……but……结构，第二个从句嵌套一个as引导的时间状语从句
Part 3 写作句型借鉴
XX may be permissible so long as it takes into account YY.只要考虑到YY, XX就是允许的。
原文例句：Such editing may be “morally permissible” so long as it takes into account the “welfare of the future person” and does not “produce or exacerbate social division or the unmitigated marginalisation or disadvantage of groups within society”. 只要考虑到“未来人的幸福”、不“产生或加剧，社会分化、社会群体的彻底边缘化和劣势”，这种编辑可能在道德上就是允许的。
The debate about XX is less about AA than about BB. 对于关于XX的争论，比起AA，更多的是BB.
原文例句：The debate about human gene editing is less about what may happen tomorrow than about fundamental fears of dystopian change. 对于人类基因编辑的争论，比起明天会发生什么，更多的是对反乌托邦式改变的根本担忧。
For many critics, to burden AA with BB without their consent is unconscionable.对许多批评家来说，未经AA同意就让他们负担BB是不合理的。
原文例句：For many critics, to burden future generations with possibly dangerous genomic alterations without their consent is unconscionable.对许多批评家来说，未经后代同意就对他们进行可能危险的基因改造是不合理的。
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