温馨夜读II PART4 4.The Father of Genetics

 

[00:00.63]4.The Father of Genetics

[00:04.55]His name is introduced to biology students, but often forgotten after the final exam.

[00:10.76]His pioneering discoveries went unnoticed by the world until years after his death.

[00:15.88]But now, in the era of genetic¹ engineering and cloning debates, 

[00:20.45]scientists are elevating Johann Gregor Mendel to his rightful place in history alongside better-known,

[00:28.40]19th century contemporaries such as Charles Darwin.

[00:32.21]Experts and scientists have collected artwork and artifacts inside the partially² restored Abbey of St. Thomas in Brno,

[00:41.14]a Czech city where Mendel lived, experimented with pea plants and published his historic findings in 1866, 

[00:49.52]becoming the “father of genetics”.

[00:52.57]The abbey, which dates from the 14th century, was seized from the Augustinian monks³ by communists in 1950 

[01:00.85]and returned to the religious order after the Velvet⁴ Revolution in 1989. 

[01:06.30]A restoration project began in 1996. Yet much of the stone complex remains⁵ unused.

[01:14.24]Mendel was born to a farming family in what’s today the eastern Czech Republic. 

[01:20.01]He became a priest in 1847 and later studied science at the University of Vienna. 

[01:26.00]Fascinated, by plant hybridization, he began experimenting in the abbey garden with pea plants.

[01:32.54]During the 1850s Mendel carefully and systematically⁶ crossbred the plants 

[01:38.96]until reaching conclusions that form the basis for the laws of heredity. 

[01:43.64]He presented his landmark⁷ paper in 1865 and had it published the next year. But no one noticed.

[01:51.70]According to scholars, Mendel’s contemporaries failed to grasp the significance of his discoveries. 

[01:58.56]But around 1900 — long after his death in 1884 — a British zoologist⁸ re-introduced the Czech scientist and his work, 

[02:07.93]sparking an era of medical, agricultural and scientific progress that continues today.

[02:14.03]Indeed, thanks to Mendel and his peas, modern man understands why children inherit their parents’ traits, 

[02:20.92]what roles are played by chromosomes⁹ and DNA¹⁰ in living things and how genetics can be used to improve human health. 

[02:28.80]Around 1996, his findings led to the famous cloning of Dolly the sheep, 

[02:34.82]as well as ethical¹¹ debates over human cloning and farming with genetically¹² modified crops.

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 partially   

adv.部分地，从某些方面讲

参考例句：

• The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
• The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。

3 monks   

n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The monks lived a very ascetic life. 僧侣过着很清苦的生活。
• He had been trained rigorously by the monks. 他接受过修道士的严格训练。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 velvet   

n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的

参考例句：

• This material feels like velvet.这料子摸起来像丝绒。
• The new settlers wore the finest silk and velvet clothing.新来的移民穿着最华丽的丝绸和天鹅绒衣服。

5 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

6 systematically   

adv.有系统地

参考例句：

• This government has systematically run down public services since it took office.这一屆政府自上台以来系统地削减了公共服务。
• The rainforest is being systematically destroyed.雨林正被系统地毀灭。

7 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

8 zoologist   

n.动物学家

参考例句：

• Charles darwin was a famous zoologist.查尔斯达尔文是一位著名的动物学家。
• The zoologist had spent a long time living with monkeys.这位动物学家与猴子一起生活了很长时间。

9 chromosomes   

n.染色体( chromosome的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Chromosomes also determine the sex of animals. 染色体也决定动物的性别。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Each of four chromosomes divide longitudinally. 四种染色体的每一种都沿着纵向分裂。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

10 DNA   

(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸

参考例句：

• DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell.脱氧核糖核酸储存于细胞的细胞核里。
• Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code.基因突变是指DNA密码的改变。

11 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。

12 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