词汇注释
stuff 物质
preamble 开端
nook and cranny 排列
potency 力量
susceptible 易受感染的
predisposition 易患病的体质
难句讲解
1. They know that human DNA acts like a biological computer program some 3 billion bits long that spells out the instructions for making proteins, the basic building blocks of life.
[简析] 本句话的主干是“They know that…”。they 指的是前面句子中提到的scientists;第一个引导的是宾语从句,some 3 billion bits long修饰computer program,第二个that也修饰computer program;the basic building blocks of life是在解释proteins.
2. Anderson, who pioneered the first successful human gene-therapy operations, is leading the campaign to put information about DNA to use as quickly as possible in the treatment and prevention of human diseases.
[简析] 本句话的主干是“Anderson is leading the campaign…”。Who引导的非限定性定语从句,修饰Anderson;to put information…短语修饰campaign,其中的to use…作目的状语。
3. DNA in their hands has become both a blueprint and a drug, a pharmacological substance of extraordinary potency that can treat not just symptoms or the diseases that cause them but also the imperfections in DNA that make people susceptible to a disease.
[简析] 本句话的主干是“DNA has become both a blueprint and a drug”。in their hands修饰DNA;a pharmacological substance…是在解释前面的drug,其中的第一个that 引导的定语从句修饰pharmacological substance;第二个that引导的定语从句修饰imperfections.
4. And if scientists determine that a vital protein is missing because the gene that was supposed to make it is defective, they might be able to give the patient an artificial version of the protein.
[简析] 本句话的主干是“…they might be able to give the patient an artificial version of the protein”。If引导的是条件状语从句,其中的第一个that引导的是宾语从句,because引导的时原因状语从句;第二个that引导的定语从句修饰gene.
(责任编辑:田学江)