新⼀轮基因⾰命（上）精读笔记
△内容简介：
本⽂是⼀篇典型的科学类⽂章，主要向读者普及遗传学界最新的研究成果。标题⾮常吸引眼球，“Destiny's child”可译为天选之⼦，可以⼀下⼦提起读者的阅读兴趣。考虑到受众群体是普通⼤众，科普⽂章在介绍学术成果时，不能和论⽂（paper）⼀样枯燥，⼀定要合理使⽤⼀些形象的表达，
全⽂的核⼼观点是⼈的天性以及发展主要取决于基因，⽽较少受到后天环境和培养的影响。这⼀观点可谓颠覆传统的认知。长久以来，我们⼀直认为先天天赋固然重要，但后天的养成同样意义重⼤。可⼼理学家兼遗传学家罗伯特·普洛明（Robert Plomin）积30年之⼒，在《蓝图》（Blueprint）⼀书中彻底否定了这⼀认知。他通过种种实验证明⼈的天性与成就⼏乎完全取决于基因，甚⾄认为⼈的⼀切都可以⽤基因加以解释。不过，作者在⽂末也提出了质疑：如果基因能够解释⼀切，那么极有可能带来的⼀个后果便是⼈们可以通过改造基因⽽创造更好的⼈种，这不仅将有违伦理的，也为科学所不容。
整篇⽂章的结构较为简单，内容也不复杂。从英语学习的⾓度⽽⾔，我们可以从中学习到⼀些遗传学/⽣物学的专业术语，还能够掌握⼀些地道的短语/句型/翻译技巧。除此以外，我想更为重要的是本⽂的现实意义。作者在⽂末的担忧在去年岁末不幸应验。2018年11⽉26⽇，南⽅科技⼤学副教授贺建奎宣布⼀对名为露露和娜娜的基因编辑婴⼉于11⽉在中国健康诞⽣，由于这对双胞胎的⼀个基因经过修改，她们出
⽣后即能天然抵抗艾滋病病毒HIV。这⼀消息迅速激起轩然⼤波，震动了中国和世界。对于这⼀严重违背伦理的⾏为，国内外学术界和中国政府予以强烈的谴责。结合本⽂的内容细思之，如果基因改造得以普及，可能的后果是富⼈通过基因编辑让⾃⼰的后代在各⽅⾯表现地更为出⾊，⽽普通⼈的后代则全⾯落后且永远⽆法超越，整个社会将不可避免地陷⼊极端的分化。总⽽⾔之，科学与伦理之间的关系不仅是⽣物学/遗传学/哲学学界需要思考的问题，更应该引起普通⼈的关注。
龙的神话故事精读笔记
The new genetic revolution
Destiny's child
天命之⼦
——In “Blueprint” Robert Plomin argues that genes are by far parents’ biggest influence on their children（上）
罗伯特·普洛明在《蓝图》中提出，⽗母对⼦⼥的最⼤影响毫⽆疑问在于基因
The new genetic revolution
新⼀轮基因⾰命
原⽂⾳频
P1
Hubris winds through the history of genetics like a double helix. “We ud to think our fate was in our stars,” James Watson, one of the scientists behind the discovery of DNA, declared in 1989. “Now we know, in large measure, our fate is in our genes.” Theimplicationswere clear. Unravelling the genetic code would bring an exquisite understanding of bodies and their afflictions but also of minds. After the completion of the human genome project, which Watson initially led, such hopes faded. Individuals’ physical or mental characteristics, and their susceptibility to dias, turned out to be extraordinarily complex. Some of the swaggerwent out of genetics. Now it is back.
狂妄⾃⼤如双螺旋⼀般贯穿遗传学的历史。“我们曾经认为我们的命运系于星象，”1989年，与其他科学家共同发现了DNA的詹姆斯·沃森（James Watson）宣称，“现在我们知道了，我们的命运很⼤程度上就隐藏在我们的基因中。”⾔外之意很明显：破解基因密码会让⼈们获得对⼈的⾝、⼼运作机制以及⾝⼼疾病的细致理解。然⽽，在最早由沃森牵头的⼈类基因组计划结束后，这种希望渐趋渺茫，因为研究显⽰个体的⾝⼼特征及它们对疾病的易感性极其复杂。遗传学界的不可⼀世有所收敛。如今它⼜故态复萌了。
Implication
a suggestion that is not made directly but that people are expected to understand or accept含意，暗⽰;
•They are called 'Supertrams', the implication being that (=which is meant to suggest that) they are more advanced than earlier models.它们被称作“超级电车”，这是暗指它们⽐先前的型号更先进。
by implication
•The law bans organized protests and, by implication, any form of opposition.这⼀法令禁⽌有组织的抗议，⾔下之意就是禁⽌任何形式的反对活动。
Exquisite
adjective
1. extremely beautiful and very delicately made精美的，精致的:
•the most exquisite craftsmanship最精美的⼯艺
2. very nsitive and delicate in the way you behave or do things细致的，敏感的:
•She has exquisite taste in art.她的艺术情趣很⾼雅。
3. exquisite pain or pleasure is felt very strongly〔疼痛或快乐〕强烈的
Affliction
Affliction
noun
可爱的头像女生呆萌1. something that caus pain or suffering, especially a medical condition痛苦，折磨;〔尤指〕病痛:
•the afflictions of old age
⽼年时的各种痛苦
电子邮件的格式Susceptibility
noun(pluralsusceptibilities)
1. C,Uhow easily someone or something is affected by something敏感; 易受影响（的状况）; 过敏性:
[+ to ]
•One of the side effects of the drug is an incread susceptibility to infections.这种药物的⼀个副作⽤是增加感染⼏率。
2. sb's susceptibilitiesformalsomeone's feelings, especially when they are easily offended or upt某⼈易受伤害的感情，某⼈的敏感⼼理:
•I knew I would have to be careful not to offend their susceptibilities .
我知道我得⼩⼼，不要伤害他们敏感的⼼灵。
Swagger
noun
1. a way of walking, talking, or behaving that shows you are very confident – ud in order to show disapproval趾⾼⽓扬; 狂妄⾃⼤; ⾃鸣得意:
•He walked in with a swagger.
他趾⾼⽓扬地⾛了进来。
▼学习要点
1. wind through贯穿
要注意的是wind做动词时候的发⾳和作名词表⽰“风”不⼀样，念/waind/
wind做动词有如下⼏个意向，都⽐较常⽤：
•蜿蜒
The road winds to the north. 这条路延伸⾄北⽅。
•给钟上发条：wind the clock
2. swagger的本意是“⼤摇⼤摆的⾛”。现在引申出来的意思就是傲慢、放肆。相当于⽂章这段开头的hubris。
▼翻译技巧
▼翻译技巧
◎注意情感⾊彩
去极端化
Now it is back.
这句话不管从语法⾓度还是理解⾓度来说都是简单⾄极。译为“现在它⼜回来了”不能说有错，只能说不够好。联系上⽂，此处的it指的是遗传学界的不可⼀世，hubris，swagger
都带有明显的贬义，⽽“回来”太中性，“故态复萌”是⽐较好的处理。
考虑情感⾊彩前要先保障译⽂的准确性，切勿过分追求译⽂语⾔的华丽⽽本末倒置。
P2
In “Blueprint” Robert Plomin, a psychologist and geneticist, explains the advances behind this resurgent optimism—and their conquences for the science of human behaviour and psychiatric illness. He is well placed to do so: for more than 30 years he has studied the interplayof genes and the environment and their effects on personality. But Mr. Plomin’s enthusiasm for his subject—he calls himlf a “cheerleader”—means the ramifications are not explored even-handedly. “Blueprint” is absorbing. For tho with a disposition less sunny thanMr. Plomin’s, it is also alarming.
⼼理学家兼遗传学家罗伯特·普洛明（Robert Plomin）在《蓝图》（Blueprint）⼀书中解释了这种复苏的乐观情绪背后所取得的种种进展，以及它们对研究⼈类⾏为和精神疾病的科学的影响。他很胜任这项⼯作，因为他花了长达30多年的时间研究基因与环境的相互作⽤以及它们对⼈格的影响。但他对于⾃⼰研究领域的热情——他⾃称“啦啦队长”——意味着他对于这些进展的探讨并⾮不偏不倚。《蓝图》写得⾮常精彩，引⼈⼊胜。但对那些天性不如普洛明乐观的⼈来说，这本书也是令⼈担忧的。
△ Resurgent
adjective
1. growing and becoming more popular, after a period of quietness复兴的; 复苏的; 再度流⾏的:
蛋黄酱的做法•resurgent fascism
再次抬头的法西斯主义
Psychiatric
adjective
1. relating to the study and treatment of mental illness精神病学的，精神病治疗的:
金鱼怎么养才能活•a psychiatric hospital
精神病医院
•a psychiatric nur
精神病院护⼠
•Charles was suffering from a psychiatric disorder (=mental illness) .
•Charles was suffering from a psychiatric disorder (=mental illness) .
查尔斯患有精神紊乱。
Ramification
英语词根表noun
1. an additional result of something you do, which may not have been clear when you first decided to do it衍⽣后果，派⽣影响;
•an agreement which was to have significant ramifications for British politics
给妈妈的一封信后来对英国政治产⽣重⼤影响的⼀个协议
[+ of ]
•the practical ramifications of taking on a new job
从事新⼯作产⽣的实际影响
legal / political / economic etc ramifications
•the environmental ramifications of the road-building program
筑路⼯程对环境造成的影响
▼翻译技巧
◎ He is well placed to doso.
被动句的处理有多种⽅式，并⾮在中⽂⾥加个“被”就能解决问题了，况且汉语中也⽐较少⽤“被”字，并且可以⽤不同的词语表达被动态，⽐如“受”、“遭”等。因此，汉语在主被动转换上⼗分灵活。有时，译⽂既可处理成主动，亦可处理成被动。
如：The advertiment can be en everywhere.
既可说“这条⼴告随处可见”，也可以说“⼈们到处都能看到这条⼴告”。
但“He is well placed to do so.”不适合译成被动，因此选择主动。这句话的意思是他很适合、能胜任这个⼯作。
▼长难句分析
In “Blueprint”（状语）Robert Plomin（主语）, a psychologist and geneticist（同位语，介绍Robert Plomin是谁）, explains（谓语动词）the advances behind this resurgent optimism—and their conquences（这⾥and和前⽂的the advances相对应）for the science of human behaviour and psychiatric illness.
主句：Robert Plomin explains…
解释什么呢？：He explains the advances behind this resurgent optimism and their conquences for the science of human behaviour and psychiatric illness.
Robert Plomin是谁？：he is a psychologist and geneticist
P3
