VOA标准英语2008年-British Lawmakers Pave Way for New Genetic Rese

By Tom Rivers
London
19 May 2008

British lawmakers voted Monday to allow the use of animal-human hybrid¹ embryos³ in stem cell research. These new embryos will be created in labs injecting empty animal eggs with human genetic⁴ material. For VOA, Tom Rivers reports from London.

Following heated debate in the House of Commons, a resolution aimed at banning research into so-called human-animal embryo² development came to a vote.

"The ayes to the right were 176, the nos to the left were 336. The nos have it. The nos have it."

That final vote tally⁵ means that research in Britain into the cutting edge field will now be allowed despite strong reservations from religious leaders and some politicians, including Edward Leigh from the Conservative Party.

"This is ethically⁶ wrong and almost certainly, medically useless or if not useless there is no evidence as yet to substantiate⁷ it," he said.

On the other side of the argument, Liberal-Democrat legislator Lembit Opik said to outlaw⁸ such research would be a blow to those now suffering from genetic diseases.

"This is the only way we will really develop effective treatments and to hold off means that we actually take a precautionary principle which actually in effect will kill all of those people who could potentially be saved," said Opik.

Leading genetic scientist, Dr. Stephen Minger from London's King's College, says the vote will open the door to much more intensive stem cell research. Stem cells are those undifferentiated cells that can turn into many different types of tissue to treat specific diseases and disorders⁹.

"These cell lines will be used by research groups throughout the world to generate new therapies for disease, therapies that would certainly, we simply do not have at the current time," Dr. Minger said.

The research is believed to lead to the development of new treatments for human maladies, including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases.

The new law, which replaces a 20-year-old statute¹⁰, provides the newly created embryos could be kept for up to 14 days to harvest stem cells before being destroyed.

British scientists hope the new legislation will help keep Britain at the cutting edge of genetic research.

1 hybrid   

n.(动，植）杂种，混合物

参考例句：

• That is a hybrid perpetual rose.那是一株杂交的四季开花的蔷薇。
• The hybrid was tall,handsome,and intelligent.那混血儿高大、英俊、又聪明。

2 embryo   

n.胚胎，萌芽的事物

参考例句：

• They are engaging in an embryo research.他们正在进行一项胚胎研究。
• The project was barely in embryo.该计划只是个雏形。

3 embryos   

n.晶胚；胚，胚胎( embryo的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Somatic cells of angiosperms enter a regenerative phase and behave like embryos. 被子植物体细胞进入一个生殖阶段，而且其行为象胚。 来自辞典例句
• Evolution can explain why human embryos look like gilled fishes. 进化论能够解释为什么人类的胚胎看起来象除去了内脏的鱼一样。 来自辞典例句

4 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。

5 tally   

n.计数器，记分，一致，测量；vt.计算，记录，使一致；vi.计算，记分，一致

参考例句：

• Don't forget to keep a careful tally of what you spend.别忘了仔细记下你的开支账目。
• The facts mentioned in the report tally to every detail.报告中所提到的事实都丝毫不差。

6 ethically   

adv.在伦理上，道德上

参考例句：

• Ethically , we have nothing to be ashamed about . 从伦理上说，我们没有什么好羞愧的。
• Describe the appropriate action to take in an ethically ambiguous situation. 描述适当行为采取在一个道德地模棱两可的情况。

7 substantiate   

v.证实；证明...有根据

参考例句：

• There is little scientific evidence to substantiate the claims.这些主张几乎找不到科学依据来证实。
• These theories are used to substantiate the relationship between the phenomenons of the universe.这些学说是用来证实宇宙现象之间的关系。

8 outlaw   

n.歹徒，亡命之徒；vt.宣布…为不合法

参考例句：

• The outlaw hid out in the hills for several months.逃犯在山里隐藏了几个月。
• The outlaw has been caught.歹徒已被抓住了。

9 disorders   

n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 )；凌乱；骚乱；（身心、机能）失调

参考例句：

• Reports of anorexia and other eating disorders are on the increase. 据报告，厌食症和其他饮食方面的功能紊乱发生率正在不断增长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The announcement led to violent civil disorders. 这项宣布引起剧烈的骚乱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 statute   

n.成文法，法令，法规；章程，规则，条例

参考例句：

• Protection for the consumer is laid down by statute.保障消费者利益已在法令里作了规定。
• The next section will consider this environmental statute in detail.下一部分将详细论述环境法令的问题。