纽约时报:同性恋取向是多种因素共同作用的结果(1)

Research Finds Not One ‘Gay Gene¹,’ but a Multitude of Influences.

研究发现，同性恋并不是单个“同性恋基因”，而是多种因素共同作用的结果。

How do genes² influence our sexuality?

基因对我们的性取向有何影响？

The question has long been fraught³ with controversy⁴.

这个问题一直都充满了争议。

An ambitious new study — the largest ever to analyze⁵ the genetics of same-sex sexual behavior —

最近，一项宏大的研究——有史以来规模最大的一次分析同性性行为基因成因的研究——

found that genetics does play a role, responsible for perhaps a third of the influence on whether someone has same-sex sex.

发现，基因确实发挥了一定的作用：一个人是否拥有同性恋取向，基因发挥着大约三分之一的作用。

The influence comes not from one gene but many, each with a tiny effect —

但这种作用并不来自某一个基因，而是来自多个基因，每个基因的作用都很小——

and the rest of the explanation includes social or environmental factors —

剩下的还有社会因素和环境因素的影响——

making it impossible to use genes to predict someone’s sexuality.

由此，我们便无法单凭基因来预测一个人的性取向。

Benjamin Neale, a geneticist at the Broad Institute of M.I.T. and Harvard and one of the lead researchers on the international team, said

哈佛-麻省理工学院布洛德研究所的遗传学家、该国际团队的带头研究员之一本杰明·尼尔表示，

“I hope that the science can be used to educate people a little bit more about how natural and normal same-sex behavior is,

“我希望能够用科学来帮助人们了解同性恋是非常正常和自然的行为，

It’s written into our genes and it’s part of our environment.

“这种行为已经刻在了我们的基因里，也是我们环境的一部分。

This is part of our species and it’s part of who we are.”

它是我们人类的组成部分，也是我们自身的组成部分。”

The study of nearly half a million people, funded by the National Institutes of Health and other agencies,

这项研究，由美国国立卫生研究院及其他机构联合赞助，对近50万人进行了研究，

found differences in the genetic⁶ details of same-sex behavior in men and women.

发现男性和女性在引发同性恋行为的基因细节上存在一定的差异。

The research also suggests the genetics of same-sex sexual behavior

该研究还表明，同性性行为的基因

shares some correlation⁷ with genes involved in some mental health issues and personality traits —

与一些涉及心理健康问题和性格特征的基因存在一定的关联——

although the authors said that overlap⁸ could simply reflect the stress of enduring societal prejudice.

尽管作者表示这一重叠不过是反映了长期社会偏见带来的压力。

Even before its publication on Thursday in the journal Science, the study has generated debate and concern,

即便是在发表之前——该研究于周四发表于《科学》期刊——该研究就已经引发了辩论和关注，

including within the renowned⁹ Broad Institute itself.

著名的布罗德研究所内部就是如此。

Several scientists who are part of the L.G.B.T.Q. community there said they were worried the findings could give ammunition¹⁰ to people

该研究所的几名L.G.B.T.Q.科学家担心，这些发现会为那些

who seek to use science to bolster¹¹ biases¹² and discrimination against gay people.

试图利用科学进一步巩固对同性恋者的偏见和歧视的人群所用。

One concern is that evidence that genes influence same-sex behavior

例如，他们担心，基因影响同性恋行为的证据

could cause anti-gay activists¹³ to call for gene editing or embryo¹⁴ selection,

可能会导致反同性恋权利活动人士呼吁科学家们进行基因编辑或胚胎选择，

even if that would be technically¹⁵ impossible.

尽管这一点在技术上并不能实现。

1 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。

2 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

3 fraught   

adj.充满…的，伴有(危险等)的；忧虑的

参考例句：

• The coming months will be fraught with fateful decisions.未来数月将充满重大的决定。
• There's no need to look so fraught!用不着那么愁眉苦脸的！

4 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

5 analyze   

vt.分析，解析 (=analyse)

参考例句：

• We should analyze the cause and effect of this event.我们应该分析这场事变的因果。
• The teacher tried to analyze the cause of our failure.老师设法分析我们失败的原因。

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 correlation   

n.相互关系，相关，关连

参考例句：

• The second group of measurements had a high correlation with the first.第二组测量数据与第一组高度相关。
• A high correlation exists in America between education and economic position.教育和经济地位在美国有极密切的关系。

8 overlap   

v.重叠，与…交叠；n.重叠

参考例句：

• The overlap between the jacket and the trousers is not good.夹克和裤子重叠的部分不好看。
• Tiles overlap each other.屋瓦相互叠盖。

9 renowned   

adj.著名的，有名望的，声誉鹊起的

参考例句：

• He is one of the world's renowned writers.他是世界上知名的作家之一。
• She is renowned for her advocacy of human rights.她以提倡人权而闻名。

10 ammunition   

n.军火，弹药

参考例句：

• A few of the jeeps had run out of ammunition.几辆吉普车上的弹药已经用光了。
• They have expended all their ammunition.他们把弹药用光。

11 bolster   

n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励

参考例句：

• The high interest rates helped to bolster up the economy.高利率使经济更稳健。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

12 biases   

偏见( bias的名词复数 )； 偏爱； 特殊能力； 斜纹

参考例句：

• Stereotypes represent designer or researcher biases and assumptions, rather than factual data. 它代表设计师或者研究者的偏见和假设，而不是实际的数据。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• The net effect of biases on international comparisons is easily summarized. 偏差对国际比较的基本影响容易概括。

13 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 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。

15 technically   

adv.专门地，技术上地

参考例句：

• Technically it is the most advanced equipment ever.从技术上说，这是最先进的设备。
• The tomato is technically a fruit,although it is eaten as a vegetable.严格地说，西红柿是一种水果，尽管它是当作蔬菜吃的。