VOA慢速英语2015 关于转基因大米的争论

Dispute About Genetically¹ Engineered Rice 关于转基因大米的争论

Scientists in the Philippines are working to make changes to rice. They hope these changes will help solve one of the world’s biggest health issues: the lack of Vitamin A.

It is called “golden rice” because the rice is yellow. It has been genetically changed, or modified, to produce beta carotene, a form of Vitamin A.

Opponents of genetically modified foods – including the environmental group Greenpeace – do not like what the scientists are doing. But supporters of golden rice say it could help save as many as two million lives a year. Young children and pregnant women can, and do, die from Vitamin A deficiency.

Vitamin A is missing from the food of millions of people in the developing world. The deficiency is the leading cause of childhood blindness. It is a public health problem in half of all countries, including many in Africa and Southeast Asia.

Patrick Moore is an ecologist and former Greenpeace president. He supports production of golden rice. He says there should not even be debate about the issue while children starve.

Mr. Moore left Greenpeace in the 1980s and disagrees with many of its positions.

VOA asked Greenpeace to answer Mr. Moore’s criticisms of its opposition² to golden rice. The group answered in an email. It read: “Genetically engineered crops consist almost entirely³ of herbicide-tolerant and insect-resistant crops marketed to developing countries.”

It said this agricultural model damages human health and hurts farmers and the environment.

Large companies do produce some genetically modified crops. They gain legal control of the plant production through patents. But in the Philippines, government and donor⁴ money is being used to develop golden rice in the Philippines. These groups hope farmers throughout the developing world will someday grow it. They hope it will help solve a problem that many scientists believe is as serious as malaria⁵ or tuberculosis⁶.

Daniel Ocampo is a Southeast Asia agriculture expert for Greenpeace in Manila. He argues that golden rice is still not ready as a food for humans after 20 years of research. He says it could be more dangerous than its supporters will admit.

The International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines has been experimenting with golden rice for nine years. It says it has more work to do before the rice can be eaten by humans.

Words in This Story

modify – v. to change some parts of something while not changing other parts

deficiency – n. a lack of something that is needed

consist – v. to have something as an essential or main part

herbicide-tolerant – adj. the natural ability of a species or plant to survive and reproduce after chemical treatment is used to destroy or stop growth

insect-resistant – adj. not easily harmed or affected⁷ by insects

patent – n. an official document that gives a person or company the right to be the only one that makes or sells a product for a certain period of time

1 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

2 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

3 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

4 donor   

n.捐献者；赠送人；(组织、器官等的)供体

参考例句：

• In these cases,the recipient usually takes care of the donor afterwards.在这类情况下，接受捐献者以后通常会照顾捐赠者。
• The Doctor transplanted the donor's heart to Mike's chest cavity.医生将捐赠者的心脏移植进麦克的胸腔。

5 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。

6 tuberculosis   

n.结核病，肺结核

参考例句：

• People used to go to special health spring to recover from tuberculosis.人们常去温泉疗养胜地治疗肺结核。
• Tuberculosis is a curable disease.肺结核是一种可治愈的病。

7 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。