2007年VOA标准英语-Researchers Develop Mosquitoes Resistant to Mal

By Paul Sisco
Washington
23 March 2007

U.S. scientists in the United States say they have moved a step closer toward success in the fight against malaria¹, by developing mosquitoes that are resistant² to at least one form of the deadly illness.  More on this report from VOA's Paul Sisco, who says caution is always advisable when medical breakthroughs are in the news, and this story is no exception.

 
Malaria is spread by mosquitoes
Scientists at Johns Hopkins University in the United States say they have modified the genes³ of mosquitoes and developed a strain that appears to be resistant to malaria.

Johns Hopkins researcher Jason Rasgon, puts the problem in context. "Malaria infects over 300 million people per year.  Almost three million people die every year from that.  That's mostly children.  Malaria kills an African child about every 30 seconds, on average.  So these are very devastating⁴ … it's a very devastating disease."

 
John Rasgon
There are reasons to be cautious about the implications of Professor Rasgon's work.  His malaria-resistant mosquitoes were fed on malaria-infected mice.  The parasite⁵ that causes malaria in humans is different, so it is still uncertain whether or when the laboratory breakthrough can help protect people from the disease.

But experts are optimistic that genetic⁶ modification⁷ can be a potent⁸ weapon in fighting malaria.  Professor Rasgon's genetically⁹ modified mosquitoes seem much stronger than those that spread malaria, so there is hope that the non-resistant strain could eventually be wiped out. "If we keep going forward with this, these types of experiments will hopefully, ultimately, one day lead to the release of genetically modified mosquitoes that are unable to transmit the malaria parasite."

There are other important concerns, however, according to Professor Rasgon. "We need to deal with all the social, ethical¹⁰, and legal issues associated with releasing a genetically modified mosquito into the environment.  These social issues are going to take a long time."

Research aimed at defeating malaria continues on a number of fronts, but for now, the Hopkins researchers are one step closer to the goal of developing mosquitoes that cannot transmit malaria to human victims.

1 malaria   

n.疟疾

参考例句：

• He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
• Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。

2 resistant   

adj.(to)抵抗的，有抵抗力的

参考例句：

• Many pests are resistant to the insecticide.许多害虫对这种杀虫剂有抵抗力。
• They imposed their government by force on the resistant population.他们以武力把自己的统治强加在持反抗态度的人民头上。

3 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

4 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

5 parasite   

n.寄生虫；寄生菌；食客

参考例句：

• The lazy man was a parasite on his family.那懒汉是家里的寄生虫。
• I don't want to be a parasite.I must earn my own way in life.我不想做寄生虫，我要自己养活自己。

6 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。

7 modification   

n.修改，改进，缓和，减轻

参考例句：

• The law,in its present form,is unjust;it needs modification.现行的法律是不公正的，它需要修改。
• The design requires considerable modification.这个设计需要作大的修改。

8 potent   

adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的

参考例句：

• The medicine had a potent effect on your disease.这药物对你的病疗效很大。
• We must account of his potent influence.我们必须考虑他的强有力的影响。

9 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

10 ethical   

adj.伦理的，道德的，合乎道德的

参考例句：

• It is necessary to get the youth to have a high ethical concept.必须使青年具有高度的道德观念。
• It was a debate which aroused fervent ethical arguments.那是一场引发强烈的伦理道德争论的辩论。