紫色的番茄

 　　Rob: Hello I’m Rob. Welcome to 6 Minute English. With me today is Finn. Hello Finn.

　　Finn: Hello Rob.
　　Rob: Now Finn, I'd like to start by asking you a question. Would you eat a purple coloured tomato?
　　Finn: Purple? Well, that depends. Is it a naturally coloured tomato? Where does it come from? Is this an artificial tomato? Rob, tell me more.
　　Rob: Artificial - yes, you mean is it man-made and trying to copy something that is natural? Well, in a way - yes. Because scientists have developed a genetically 2 modified purple tomato; they took red tomato plants and changed their genetic 1 patterns so that they now produce new, purple tomatoes.
　　Finn: Yes, so this would be an example of GM - genetically modified - food. It's something we'll be discussing more soon and, of course, looking at some related vocabulary.
　　Rob: But here's another question for you Finn that hasn't been modified - or changed - in any way! GM food has been researched and experimented with for many years but do you know when the first genetically modified food was first sold commercially? Was it in:
　　a) 1974
　　b) 1984
　　c) 1994
　　Finn: Well, we think of GM food as a recent thing so I'll say the opposite, a) 1974.
　　Rob: OK, we’ll find out if you're right later on. Let's talk more now about genetically modified food - or GM food. It's called this because the food's genes 3 have been changed. This means the way it grows is different from the way it grows when it isn’t touched by humans.
　　Finn: Yes, so, growing GM food - or crops - is controversial. Some scientists think it's needed to meet the world's growing demand for food.
　　Rob: Yes, GM food can resist - or stop the effects of - some pests or bad weather. It can grow more quickly, meaning even more crops can be cultivated - or grown.
　　Finn: But opponents of GM food - people who argue against it - say we don't know enough about its effect on the environment.
　　Rob: And then there are the fears about who controls what's grown.
　　Finn: Yes, but despite this, GM food has become an important part of food production. Crops like sweetcorn, rape 4 plants, wheat and tomatoes have all been genetically modified.
　　Rob: Yes, like the purple tomato, which was recently developed in the UK. It has a dark pigment 5 - or colour - which gives it the same potential health benefits as blueberries.
　　Finn: Well, that sounds like a good thing. And not only that, it has an antioxidant - that's a substance that stops the decaying process - which tests show could help fight cancer.
　　Rob: One day we could see these purple tomatoes on pizzas or in our tomato ketchup 6. Let's hear from Professor Cathie Martin who is a plant biologist from The John Innes Centre who developed this tomato. What does she say is good about this new food?
　　Professor Cathie Martin, Plant Biologist, John Innes Centre:
　　With these purple tomatoes, you can get the same compounds that are present in blueberries and cranberries 7 that give them their health benefits but you can apply them to foods that people actually eat in significant amounts and that are reasonably affordable 8.
　　Rob: So she says the good thing about this development is we can get health benefits from something we eat significant amounts of - so lots of - and they will be reasonably affordable - so it will be cheap.
　　Finn: Yes but there's still maybe a problem with the colour. We are affected 9 by the colour of stuff we put in our mouths. I mean, who eats blue food?!
　　Rob: That's true. And also because the European Union has restrictions 10 on growing GM food, this tomato has to be grown in Canada where rules are more supportive of GM foods.
　　Finn: OK. Well, Professor Nick Pidgeon, who is an Environmental Psychologist, says in the UK there is some distrust of GM food.
　　Rob: He says some people are concerned all this is messing with nature - it's not natural - and maybe we don't know what the long-term consequences are.
　　Finn: And a big concern is that large corporations will have control over the technology. And this could mean they control food prices too. You know Rob, I think this is a debate that will go on and on and on.
　　Rob: Indeed. But it's now time to reveal the answer to today's question. Earlier I asked you if you knew when the first genetically modified food was first sold commercially.
　　Finn: I said a) 1974.
　　Rob: Interesting. The answer is actually 1994. A company called Calgene sold a product that delayed the ripening 11 of tomatoes.
　　Finn: OK, well, I guess that means the fruit could last longer and it would stop it going soft?
　　Rob: That was the idea. Now, before we go, Finn, could you remind us of some of the vocabulary that we've heard today?
　　Finn: Yes, I will.
　　artificial
　　genetically modified
　　genes
　　resist
　　pests
　　cultivated
　　pigment
　　antioxidant
　　significant
　　affordable
　　distrust
　　ripening
　　Rob: Well, that brings us to the end of today's 6 Minute English. We hope you’ve enjoyed today’s programme. Please join us again soon.
　　Both: Bye.




点击收听单词发音  






1
genetic

  
 


adj.遗传的，遗传学的


参考例句：





It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。












2
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












3
genes

  
 


n.基因( gene的名词复数 )


参考例句：





You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因，所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪












4
rape

  
 


n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸


参考例句：





The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。












5
pigment

  
 


n.天然色素，干粉颜料


参考例句：





The Romans used natural pigments on their fabrics and walls.古罗马人在织物和墙壁上使用天然颜料。
Who thought he might know what the skin pigment phenomenon meant.他自认为可能知道皮肤色素出现这种现象到底是怎么回事。












6
ketchup

  
 


n.蕃茄酱，蕃茄沙司


参考例句：





There's a spot of ketchup on the tablecloth.桌布上有一点番茄酱的渍斑。
Could I have some ketchup and napkins,please?请给我一些番茄酱和纸手巾？












7
cranberries

  
 


n.越橘( cranberry的名词复数 )


参考例句：





The tart flavour of the cranberries adds piquancy. 越橘的酸味很可口。
Look at the fresh cranberries. 你看这些新鲜的蔓越橘。 来自无师自通 校园英语会话












8
affordable

  
 


adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的


参考例句：





The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。












9
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。












10
restrictions

  
 


约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）


参考例句：





I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制












11
ripening

  
 


v.成熟，使熟( ripen的现在分词 )；熟化；熟成


参考例句：





The corn is blossoming [ripening]. 玉米正在开花[成熟]。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
When the summer crop is ripening, the autumn crop has to be sowed. 夏季作物成熟时，就得播种秋季作物。 来自《简明英汉词典》