纪录片《为何讲话》 第34期：基因的缺陷

The family at the time consisted of 30 members

那时这个家庭有三十名成员

and 15 of the members had inherited

其中十五人由祖母

a speech and language disorder¹ from the grandmother.

遗传了说话与语言障碍

The first genetic³ study

第一次遗传分析

was able to locate the general area of the abnormality.

确定了这一异常的大概区域

It was on Chromosome⁴ 7

在七号染色体上

and all the affected⁵ family members had it.

所有受影响的家族成员都有这个异常

Reflecting its obvious importance in their ability to talk,

显然它对于人类语言能力很重要

the research team called it Speech 1.

研究小组称其为"说话一号"

Speech 1 was located on chromosome number 7

"说话一号"位于七号染色体

but where exactly on chromosome number 7

但具体在七号染色体的哪个部位呢

and which particular gene² was it,

到底是哪个基因呢

was something that would have required several more years

这就需要更多年的调查研究

of investigations⁶ until the actual gene was detected.

才能找出真正的基因所在

Then, out of the blue, a totally unconnected child

让人惊讶的是 一个拥有同样语言缺陷

with the same type of speech defect was brought in to see them.

却完全无关的孩子来到了他们面前

And when you think that in this big wide world,

当你想到 在这个大千世界

the same kind of problem presents itself in the same country

同样的问题出现在了同一个国家

in the same location but to the same person!

同一个地区的不同人身上

1 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

2 gene   

n.遗传因子，基因

参考例句：

• A single gene may have many effects.单一基因可能具有很多种效应。
• The targeting of gene therapy has been paid close attention.其中基因治疗的靶向性是值得密切关注的问题之一。

3 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

4 chromosome   

n.染色体

参考例句：

• Chromosome material with exhibits of such behaviour is called heterochromatin.表现这种现象的染色体物质叫做异染色质。
• A segment of the chromosome may become lost,resulting in a deletion.染色体的一个片段可能会丢失，结果产生染色体的缺失。

5 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

6 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。