Unit 13
13.1 Generic Codes - DNA Track 25
Some of our characters are congenital, some are acquired. Those inborn characters are written as generic codes in our body, which is called, DNA.
A chromosome is the packed structure made by DNA molecule in the cell’s nucleus. The unit of a short DNA section is called a gene which codes for a specific protein and defines the creature’s feature. Human body cells have 23 pairs of chromosome in the nucleus. Some chromosomes are shorter with fewer sets of genes. The longer ones can carry up to 2000 genes.
Every person is born with a unique set of DNA sequences, except for identical twins. Inheritance patterns of certain traits do not always pass from parents since it still needs to see if the patterns are dominant or recessive genes. Some of the gene traits have been identified such as eye colors, skin colors and some specific diseases. But the biotechnologists around the world are still working on decoding human being’s gene codes.
The present technology can examine some major diseases from DNA tests. For instance, Down syndrome is now as a routine part of prenatal test. However, some genes can only suggest the tendency of certain diseases but the traits does not definitely express.
中文翻譯
基因密碼 - DNA
有些特質是先天的,有些是後天習得的。那些天生的特質以基因密碼寫在我們的體內,也就是 DNA。
染色體是細胞核中,由 DNA 分子組成的結構組。DNA 組成的單位稱為基因,編碼負責特定蛋白質,決定生物的特質。人體的細胞核有二十三對染色體,有些較短,只有比較少的基因組,較長的可以有高達兩千組基因。
每個人生來都有獨一無二的 DNA 組合,除了同卵雙胞胎之外。基因依顯性或隱性而異,遺傳序列傳下的特定性徵並不一定會從雙親傳下,有些基因特徵能夠識別出來,例如眼睛顏色、膚色或罹患某些疾病的風險。但世界各地的生物工程學家仍在努力解開人類基因密碼的秘密,
當前的科技已經能用 DNA 檢測驗出某些重大疾病,例如唐氏症現在就是產前檢查的一項例行檢驗。不過,有些基因只能代表此人較有可能罹患某些疾病,但這種病徵不一定會顯現出來。
重點字彙
1. congenital (adj.) 先天性的
延伸字彙:born, native, natural
Born in a family with the history of diabetes, he also suffers from this congenital disease.
出身在有糖尿病史的家族裡,他也深受這種先天疾病所苦。
2. acquire (v.) 取得;習得;acquired (adj.) 養成的、習得的
1. It took her three weeks to acquire all the books needed for her thesis from different libraries.
她費了三周才從不同圖書館取得論文所需的書。
2. He acquired the taste of cheese from the summer holiday in France.
他從暑假的法國行養成了對乳酪的品味。
3. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) 脫氧核醣核酸
The secret of the family is hidden in their DNA.
這個家族的秘密藏在他們的 DNA 裡。
延伸字彙:acid 酸的;alkaline 鹼性的
1. The area endured acid rain due to over industrialization.
這個區域因為過度工業化而深受酸雨所苦。
2. Sometime eating alkaline-forming food can calm an upset stomach.
有時吃些鹼性食物能緩和腸胃不適。
4. chromosome (n.) 染色體
Human cells have 22 pairs of autosomes and one pair of sex chromosomes
人類細胞有 22 對正染色體以及一對性別染色體。
5. molecule (n.) 分子
Water molecules are made of hydrogen and oxygen.
水分子由氫和氧組成。
延伸字彙:
? nucleus核、核心;原子核;細胞核(複數:Nuclei/Nucleus)
1. The committee is the nucleus of the domestic film industry.
委員會是國內電影產業的核心。
2. The gene codes are hidden in cell nucleus.
基因密碼被藏在細胞核中。
6. protein (n.) 蛋白、蛋白質
Soya milk is a good source of protein.
豆漿是好的蛋白質來源。
7. identical twins (n.) 同卵雙胞胎;fraternal twins (n.) 異卵雙胞胎
1. The teachers are always confused by the identical twins in the class.
老師們總是被班上那對同卵雙胞胎搞得相當糊塗。
2. She looks nothing like her fraternal twin sister.
她跟她的異卵雙胞胎姊姊長得一點都不像。
8. biotechnology (n.) 生物工程;biotechnologist (n.) 生物工程學家
The biotechnologist is so passionate to his work that even dinner cannot interrupt his thoughts around the experiments.
這個生物工程學家對工作熱忱到就連晚餐也無法打斷他滿腦子實驗的思路。
9. Down syndrome (n.) 唐氏症
The parents decided to deliver the baby although the prenatal test shows that it carries Down syndrome.
那對父母決定生下孩子,即便產前檢查顯示出孩子得了唐氏症。
10. prenatal (adj.) 產前的
I need to ask for a half-day leave for my prenatal test.
我必須請半天假去做產前檢查。
13.2
Genetically Modified Food Track 26
Would you want apples to be bigger, sweeter and better not to turn brown after sliced? With the help of genetic engineering, an antioxidant gene may help to make the last request comes true.
Genetic engineering technologies allow scientists to improve organisms by changing their DNA sequences and inserting genes from either animal to plants, plants to animal, animal to animal or plants to plants. By being developed the ability to delay the ripening after picking up, the first genetically modified (GM) tomato was introduced in 1994. Nowadays, 80% of the soybeans, 35% of the corn and 80% of the cotton in the world are genetically modified.
GM food can be designed to be bigger, longer-lasting, more nutritious or even better immune to diseases and pests. Although this technique has enhanced the plants’ market values tremendously, its risk to harm human body is still unknown. GM food can also break the balance of food market and change natural environment. Therefore, more and more countries are now asked to set strict regulations on GM food’s production.
重點字彙
1. antioxidant (n. )抗氧化劑
Lemons and onions are both antioxidants that are tasty and easy to collect.
檸檬和洋蔥都是好吃又容易取得的抗氧化食物。
2. organism (n.) 生物、有機體
The water pollution killed many organisms in the sea.
水汙染殺死了許多海洋裡的生物。
3. ripe (adj.) 成熟的、適宜實用的;圓滑的 ;ripen (v.)使成熟、催熟
The tip of ripening bananas is to place them with rice.
催熟香蕉的小訣竅是把香蕉跟米放在一起。
The time is ripe for a new government.
換新政府的時機已經成熟。
4. immune (adj.) 免疫的
After working for two months, the secretary grows immune to the boss’s bad temper.
工作兩個月後,秘書就對老闆的壞脾氣免疫了。
延伸字彙:vaccine 疫苗;antibiotics抗生素
1. Oral polio vaccine (OPV) works effectively on infants to prevent poliomyelitis.
口服小兒麻痺疫苗 (OPV) 能有效防止嬰兒罹患小兒麻痺症。
2. Before antibiotics were introduced, any injury could cause life-threatening bacterial infection.
在抗生素問世前,任何傷口都可能導致致命的細菌感染。
5. pest (n.) 害蟲;pesticide (n.) 殺蟲劑、農藥
The frogs in the field eat most of the insect pests.
田裡的青蛙把大部分的害蟲都吃掉了
You have to soak the greens in water longer to get rid of the pesticide on the leaves.
你得把綠色蔬菜泡在水裡久一點,才能去除掉葉子上的農藥。
6. tremendous (n.) 極度的、巨大的
延伸字彙:astronomical, colossal
1. Your donation has helped our charity campaign tremendously.
您的捐款對我們的慈善運動幫助極大。
2. It's an astronomical number beyond imagination.
這是一個超乎想像的天文數字。
3. The new statue has a colossal size.
新雕像相當巨大。
iBT新托福字彙閱讀應試技巧
Question 1: Which of the following order describes the relationship between Chromosome, Cell, DNA and Nucleus?
(A) Nucleus> Cell > Chromosome> DNA
(B) Cell > Nucleus > Chromosome> DNA
(C) Cell > Chromosome > Nucleus > DNA
(D) Cell > Chromosome > DNA> Nucleus
解析:染色體由 DNA 組成,位於細胞核中,也就是細胞的核心,因此答案為細胞>細胞核>染色體> DNA,答案為 (B) 。
Question 2: Which of the following is not the reason for the authorities to set regulations on GM food?
(A) To maintain the balance on food market.
(B) To protect natural environment.
(C) To protect people’s health.
(D) To help promote GM food.
解析:設定基改食物規範的用意在於 (A) 維持食品市場的平衡、 (B) 保護自然環境以及 (C) 保障民眾的健康,而不是配合推銷基改食品,因此答案為 (D) 。