(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
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 opposition to golden rice. The group answered in an email. It read: "Genetically engineered crops consist almost entirely 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 donor 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 malaria or tuberculosis.
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.
I'm Marsha James.
词汇学习
1.solve v. 解决；破解
On balance, we feel it is more likely to accentuate the capital-allocation problem than to solve it.
总之，我们认为这样可能会使资金分配问题更加突出而非使其得到解决。
2.deficiency n.缺乏，不足
They did blood tests on him for signs of vitamin deficiency.
他们给他验了血，以检查是否有维生素缺乏的迹象。
3.debate n.讨论；辩论；争论
There needs to be a properly informed public debate.
有必要让公众在充分知情的状况下展开辩论。
4.throughout prep.（表示时间）自始至终； 在…期间
内容解析
1.Young children and pregnant women can, and do, die from Vitamin A deficiency.
die from死于（某种原因，不包括疾病、过度悲伤等）
In a severe winter, wild animals can die from lack of food.
在寒冷的冬天, 野兽可能因为缺乏食物而饿死。
2.Genetically engineered crops consist almost entirely of herbicide-tolerant and insect-resistant crops marketed to developing countries.
consist of由……组成；包括
A healthy diet should consist of wholefood.
健康饮食应由全天然食物构成。
3.Mr. Moore left Greenpeace in the 1980s and disagrees with many of its positions.
disagree with不同意，不一致，不适合
I disagree with Andrew Russell over his piece on British Rail.
我不同意安德鲁·拉塞尔那篇关于英国铁路公司的文章。
参考翻译
菲律宾科学家正努力对稻米进行改良。他们希望这些改良能够解决全世界最大的健康问题之一：缺乏维生素A。
这种稻米因为颜色是黄色被称为“黄金大米”。这种稻米经过基因改造来生成胡萝卜素，维生素A的一种。
转基因食品的反对者——包括环保组织绿色和平组织——不喜欢这些科学家们正在进行的工作。但是金色稻米的支持者表示，这种食品每年可以挽救多达200万人的生命。幼童和孕妇可能，也确实因缺乏维生素A而死亡。
在发展中国家，数百万人的食物中缺乏维生素A。这种缺乏是导致儿童眼盲的主要原因。在半数的国家，这是一个公共健康问题，包括非洲和东南亚许多国家。
Patrick Moore是一位生态学家和前绿色和平组织主席。他支持生产金色稻米。他说，在仍有儿童被饿死的时候，不应该出现关于这个问题的争论。
上世纪80年代，Moore因不赞同该组织的许多立场而离开绿色和平组织。
VOA要求绿色和平组织回应Moore批评该组织反对金色稻米的问题。该组织通过电子邮件作出回复。邮件称：“基因改造的作物几乎包括了销往发展中国家的全部抗除草剂和耐昆虫的作物。”
该组织表示，这种农业模式危害了人类健康，损害了农民和环境。
一些大的公司确实生产一些经过基因改造的作物。他们通过专利注册合法地控制这些作物生产。但是在菲律宾，政府和捐款正被用于研发用于菲律宾人的金色稻米。这些组织希望发展中国家的农民有一天能够种植这种稻米。他们希望能够解决这个许多科学家相信跟疟疾或肺结核同样重要的问题。
Daniel Ocampo是绿色和平组织驻马尼拉一名东南亚农业问题专家。他辩称，金色稻米经过20年的研究后仍然未做好作为人类食物的准备。他说，其危险性超过其支持者承认的水平。
菲律宾国际水稻研究所已经对金色水稻进行了长达九年的试验。该组织表示，人类可以食用金色稻米之前，他们还有许多工作要做。
我是Marsha James。
VOA英文文本来自51VOA，译文由可可原创，未经许可请勿转载。
