AGRICULTURE REPORT - Genetic Engineering Debate

AGRICULTURE REPORT
–
April 9, 2002: Genetic¹ Engineering Debate

By George Grow

This is the VOA Special English AGRICULTURE REPORT.
An international debate continues about genetically² engineered corn.

 

Last November, the British science publication Nature reported the findings of two
researchers. They are Ignacio Chapela and David Quist of the University of
California at Berkeley.

The researchers said they found that genetic material from genetically engineered
plants can spread across great distances to native plants. They said they found the
genetic material in wild corn growing in the mountains of southern Mexico.

Nature now has published a statement that says the study was not well researched and should not have been
published. The publication took the action after at least four groups of scientists criticized the study.

After the report was published last year, opponents of genetic engineering said the findings confirm that the
technology is spreading in uncontrolled ways. They noted³ that Mexico’s government banned the planting of
genetically engineered corn in Nineteen-Ninety-Eight.

However, scientists who support biotechnology in crops attacked the findings and the test methods used. The
scientific publication “Transgenic Research”
also criticized the study. It said the researchers failed to present
strong scientific evidence to support their claims.

Such criticisms led to other accusations⁴. More than one-hundred-forty non-governmental organizations signed a
statement in support of the University of California researchers. The joint⁵ statement urged agricultural officials to
halt the spread of genetically engineered corn.

The International Maize⁶ and Wheat Improvement Center in Mexico also joined the debate. The Center is a nonprofit
group that studies corn. The center has a large collection of Mexican corn plant genes⁷. It says none of its
extensive testing has found genetic material from genetically engineered plants in native Mexican corn. The
center is continuing to do more testing.

Many scientists believe that that genes from genetically engineered crops can spread. The most famous case
involves StarLink corn in the United States. American officials approved StarLink for use in animal feed.
However, it was found in a number of food products for human use.

This VOA Special English AGRICULTURE REPORT was written by George Grow.

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1 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。

2 genetically   

adv.遗传上

参考例句：

• All the bees in the colony are genetically related. 同一群体的蜜蜂都有亲缘关系。
• Genetically modified foods have already arrived on American dinner tables. 经基因改造加工过的食物已端上了美国人的餐桌。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 基因与食物

3 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

4 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

5 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

6 maize   

n.玉米

参考例句：

• There's a field planted with maize behind the house.房子后面有一块玉米地。
• We can grow sorghum or maize on this plot.这块地可以种高粱或玉米。

7 genes   

n.基因( gene的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因，所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪