研究生科技英语阅读课文翻译教学幻灯片.doc

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Geneticallymodifiedfoods--FeedtheWorld?
Ifyouwanttosparkaheateddebateatadinnerparty,bringupthetopicofHYPERLINK"http://www.yeworld.net/index/Culture/HSC/Background/228_20021119/228%2085%202002111995714.asp"geneticallymodifiedfoods.Formanypeople,theconceptofgeneticallyaltered,high-techcropproductionraisesallkindsofenvironmental,health,safetyandethicalquestions.Particularlyincountrieswithlongagrariantraditions--andvocalgreenlobbies--theideaseemsagainstnature.如果你想在某次晚宴上挑起一场激烈的争论，那就提出转基因食品的话题吧。对许多人来说，高科技的转基因作物生产的概念会带来诸如环境、健康、安全和伦理等方面的各种问题。特别是在有悠久的农业生产传统和主张环保的游说集团的国家里，转基因食品的主意似乎有悖自然。Infact,geneticallymodifiedfoodsarealreadyverymuchapartofourlives.AthirdofthecornandmorethanhalfthesoybeansandcottongrownintheUSlastyearweretheproductofbiotechnology,accordingtotheDepartmentofAgriculture.Morethan65millionacresofgeneticallymodifiedcropswillbeplantedintheUSthisyear.Thegeneticisoutofthebottle.事实上，转基因食品已经成为我们生活重要的一部分。根据农业部的统计，美国去年所种植玉米的1／3，大豆和棉花的一半以上都是生物技术的产物。今年，美国将种植6500多万英亩的转基因作物。基因妖怪已经从瓶子里跑出来了。Yetthereareclearlysomeveryrealissuesthatneedtoberesolved.Likeanynewproductenteringthefoodchain,geneticallymodifiedfoodsmustbesubjectedtorigoroustesting.Inwealthycountries,thedebateaboutbiotechistemperedbythefactthatwehavearicharrayoffoodstochoosefrom--andasupplythatfarexceedsourneeds.Indevelopingcountriesdesperatetofeedfast-growingandunderfedpopulations;theissueissimplerandmuchmoreurgent:Dothebenefitsofbiotechoutweightherisks?但是，显然还有一些非常现实的问题需要解决。就像任何一种要进入食物链的新食品一样，转基因食品必须经过严格的检验。在富裕的国家里，由于有大量丰富的食品可供选择，而且供应远远超过需求，所以关于生物技术的争论相对缓和一些。在迫切想要养活其迅速增长而又吃不饱的人口的发展中国家，问题比较简单，也更加紧迫：生物技术的好处是否大于风险呢?Thestatisticsonpopulationgrowthandhungeraredisturbing.Lastyeartheworld'spopulationreached6billion.Andby2050,theUNestimates,itwillprobablynear9billion.Almostallthatgrowthwilloccurindevelopingcountries.Atthesametime,theworld'savailablecultivablelandperpersonisdeclining.Arablelandhasdeclinedsteadilysince1960andwilldeceasebyhalfoverthenext50years,accordingtotheInternationalServicefortheAcquisitionofAgri-Bio