實驗室培育器官能成為現實嗎？

甘肅 崔 亮

主題語境：人與社會 篇幅：372詞 建議用時：7分鐘?

For years, the discussion on the development of synthetic （合成的）, lab-grown organs has been a major talking point. Many see it as a controversial subject, with ethical leanings and understandings. Others, though, see the process of lab-grown organs as an essential part of making sure we can give everyone the help that they need. However, advancement in the process has been a slow-burning development.

The University of Pittsburgh, though, has been working on a process to help make sure that lab-grown livers（肝臟） could be created. They have been using machine learning and synthetic biology in combination with one another to try and find the ideal solution to the creation of entirely safe lab-developed livers. The aim is to help speed up the process of creating a human liver with real blood and bile management systems. So far,though, the process is still very much in the development stage. The testing in mice,though, did show that when mice with failing or failed livers were given the lab-grown alternative, their lifespan was increased. While it cannot be said for certain that it works without qualification, there is already a clear interest in the use of lab-grown organs.

The aim is simple—find a way to avoid having to wait on the loss of another human life to save a sick life. With lab-grown organs, that could become a reality in the future.Testing, though, is going to be a long-term process; even with the progress made, real-life usage is still some way off.

Are lab-grown organs a realistic proposition? It certainly appears to be the case. Indeed, the synthetic biology and machine learning combination in Pittsburgh has produced some of the most positive, promising results seen in some time. The hope is that they can continue to grow and get better over time, and that the process can continue to develop to the right standard without any complications or delays.

If lab-grown organs have become a talking point that you find concerning, then the progress being made in Pittsburgh might assuage some fears. You should absolutely take a closer look at lab-grown organ processes being developed, though, as the progress being made in Pittsburgh is the most promising news in some time.

Reading Check

1. What does the author tell us in the first paragraph?

A. The development of lab-grown organs goes against ethics.

B. The cultivation of organs in the lab is still in the discussion stage.

C. The discussion on the development of lab-grown organs is divided.

D. Lab-grown organs are less ideal for the slow speed of growing organs in the lab.

2. What do we know about the University of Pittsburgh's research on lab-grown organs?

A. Experiments were done on mice though the results were not ideal.

B. They created a human liver with real blood and bile management systems.

C. Significant progress was made in research and real-life usage is only one step away.

D. They combined machine learning with synthetic biology in an effort to create safe lab-developed organs.

3. What does the underlined word “assuage” in the last paragraph probably mean?

A. Ease. B. Confirm. C. Cause. D. Increase.

4. What's the author's attitude to the future of lab-grown organs?

A. Worried. B. Doubtful. C. Supportive. D. Disappointed.

Language Study

Ⅰ. Difficult sentences in the text

1. While it cannot be said for certain that it works without qualification, there is already a clear interest in the use of lab-grown organs. 雖然不能肯定地說它能在沒有限定條件的情況下工作，但人們對使用實驗室培育的器官已經有了明確的興趣。

【點石成金】本句是一個主從復合句。 While it cannot be said for certain that it works without qualification是連詞while引導的讓步狀語從句，此處連詞while意為“雖然；盡管”，相當于although或though。 注意：①while引導的讓步狀語從句通常位于主句的前面；②while引導讓步狀語從句時，如果主句與從句主語相同，從句中的主語和謂語中的be動詞都可以省略。

2. The hope is that they can continue to grow and get better over time, and that the process can continue to develop to the right standard without any complications or delays.我們希望，隨著時間的推移，它們能夠繼續成長并變得更好，并且這個過程能夠繼續發展到正確的標準，而不會出現任何并發癥或延遲。

【點石成金】本句是一個主從復合句。 that they can continue to grow and get better over time, and that the process can continue to develop to the right standard without any complications or delays是由that引導的兩個并列的表語從句，that不能省略。注意：表語從句中，that一般不能省略。

Ⅱ. Text-centered chunks

work on 致力于……

in combination with 與……結合；與……聯合

speed up 加速；加快

without qualification 無條件地

avoid doing sth 避免做某事

some way off 離……有一段距離

be the case 是這樣；是這種情況

over time 隨著時間的推移