VOA慢速英语2012 Health Report - Scientists Dispute Study of Genetically Modified Corn

 

Health Report - Scientists Dispute Study of Genetically² Modified Corn

健康报道 - 科学家对转基因玉米导致肿瘤提出异议

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report in Special English.

这里是美国之音慢速英语健康报道。

Scientists are criticizing a study that said laboratory rats developed tumors after they ate genetically modified corn. The research appears in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology and includes pictures of rats with large tumors. The study said the animals developed the growths after two years of being fed genetically changed maize³.

科学家们批评了一项声称实验室小白鼠食用转基因玉米后患上肿瘤的研究。该研究发表在《食品与化学品毒理学》杂志上，其中包括小老鼠患上大型肿瘤的图片。该研究声称，小白鼠被喂食两年的转基因玉米后患上了肿瘤。

Gilles-Eric Seralini from the University of Caen in French was the lead author.

来自法国卡昂大学的吉尔-埃里克·塞拉利尼（Gilles-Eric Seralini）是该研究的主要作者。

"GM foods have been evaluated in an extremely poor and lax way with much less analysis than we have done," he says.

“转基因食品用一种极其低下和宽松的方式进行了评估，所做的分析也比我们少得多。”他说。

Several French scientific organizations and the European Food Safety Authority disputed the study.

一些法国科研机构和欧洲食品安全局对这项研究提出了异议。

Alan McHughen of the University of California, Riverside, is a genetic¹ expert with the National Academy of Sciences in the United States.

加州大学河滨分校的阿兰·麦克尤根（Alan McHughen）是美国国家科学院的一位遗传学专家。

"First of all, the authors of the study used a line of rats that was genetically predisposed to form tumors in the first place. So right off the bat the whole study was suspect."

“首先，这项研究的作者使用了一系列从遗传学上讲容易形成肿瘤的老鼠。因此整个研究立马就有可疑。”Health Report - Scientists Dispute Study of

At the University of California, Davis, toxicologist Alison van Eenennaam suggested that the study was an attempt to scare the public.

美国加州大学戴维斯分校毒物学家Alison van Eenennaam暗示，这项研究只是试图吓唬公众。

"I think it was a cynical⁴ ploy⁵ to exploit the scientific process to create fear in the minds of consumers."

“我认为这是一个愤世嫉俗的伎俩，利用科学流程在消费者心中建立恐惧。”

Even opponents of genetic engineering agree there were some problems with the study methods. Michael Hansen with the group Consumers Union says there should be more long-term studies -- and more rules for genetically modified foods.

即使是基因工程的反对者也承认，该研究方法存在一些问题。消费者联盟的迈克尔·汉森（Michael Hansen）表示应该进行更长时间的研究，并就转基因食品出台更多规则。

"There should be required safety assessments⁶ before these crops are put on the market. That is not what happens in the United States."

“这些（转基因）作物在投放到市场前应该进行安全评估，但在美国并没有这样做。”

Safety assessments are voluntary when companies ask the government to approve new GM crops. These assessments often include ninety-day rat feeding tests. This is the international standard. And Alison van Eenennaam says longer studies have not found major problems.

企业要求政府批准新的转基因作物时，安全评估并非强制的。这些评估通常包括90天小白鼠喂养试验。这是国际标准。Alison van Eenennaam表示，长期研究尚未发现重大问题。

Several French science academies said the release of a book and film about the work at the same time as the study raised ethical⁷ concerns. The French food safety agency called for more publicly funded research that would last the lifetime of the experimental animals.

一些法国科学学会表示，在这项研究提出伦理问题的同时就此发布了一本书籍和电影。法国食品安全局呼吁进行更多由政府资助的可以延续试验动物寿命的研究。

In the United States, the Grocery Manufacturers Association says about eighty percent of processed foods sold in supermarkets contain genetically modified ingredients.

在美国，食杂制造商协会表示，超市中出售的80%的加工食品含有转基因成分。

Voters in California will vote Tuesday on a ballot⁸ measure to require special notices on all foods made with genetically modified organisms.

加州选民将在周二就一项要求在所有使用转基因生物制成的食品上添加特别标签的公投进行投票。

"A new study links genetically engineered corn to tumors and organ damage."

“一项新研究将转基因玉米和肿瘤及器官损伤联系了起来。”

Supporters of the ballot question have used the disputed new study to push their campaign for required GMO labeling in California.

公投争端的支持者已经使用这一带有争议的新研究来推动他们在加州进行的GMO(转基因生物)标签运动。

And that's the VOA Special English Health Report. I'm Karen Legget.

___

Contributing: Steve Baragona

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 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。

4 cynical   

adj.(对人性或动机)怀疑的，不信世道向善的

参考例句：

• The enormous difficulty makes him cynical about the feasibility of the idea.由于困难很大，他对这个主意是否可行持怀疑态度。
• He was cynical that any good could come of democracy.他不相信民主会带来什么好处。

5 ploy   

n.花招，手段

参考例句：

• I think this is just a government ploy to deceive the public.我认为这只是政府欺骗公众的手段。
• Christmas should be a time of excitement and wonder,not a cynical marketing ploy.圣诞节应该是兴奋和美妙的时刻，而不该是一种肆无忌惮的营销策略。

6 assessments   

n.评估( assessment的名词复数 )；评价；（应偿付金额的）估定；（为征税对财产所作的）估价

参考例句：

• He was shrewd in his personal assessments. 他总能对人作出精明的评价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Surveys show about two-thirds use such assessments, while half employ personality tests. 调查表明，约有三分之二的公司采用了这种测评；而一半的公司则采用工作人员个人品质测试。 来自百科语句

7 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。

8 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。