试题出自试卷《宁波大学2009年考博英语真题及答案解析》

Every baby born a decade from now will have its genetic code mapped at birth, a genome sequencing company has predicted.
A complete DNA read-out for every newborn will be technically feasible and affordable in less than five years, promising a revolution in healthcare, says the chief executive of Illumina.
This will open a new approach to medicine, by which conditions such as diabetes and heart disease can be predicted and drugs prescribed more safely and effectively.
The development, however, will raise difficult questions about privacy and access to individuals’ genetic records. Many people may be reluctant to have their genome read, for fear that the results could be used against them by an employer or insurance company.
The prospect of genome screening for all has emerged because of the plummeting cost of the relevant technology.
The Human Genome Project, which published its first rough sequence of mankind’s genetic code in 2001, cost an estimated $4 billion. By the time the scientists James Watson and Craig Venter had their genomes mapped two years ago, the cost had fallen to about $1 m.
Last month, Illumina announced a deal with a British company that is developing a new approach to sequencing that could bring costs down further. In an interview with The Times, Dr. Flatley said a genome sequence should be available for less than $1,000 in three to four years.
“The limitations are sociological; when and where people think it can be applied, the concerns people have about misinformation and the background ethics questions.”
“I think those are actually going to be the limits that push it out to a ten-year timeframe,” he added.
By examining which genetic variants a person has inherited, it is possible to identify raised risks of developing an array of conditions, including cardiovascular disease and many cancers. Those at high risk can then be screened more regularly, or given drugs or dietary advice to lower their chances of becoming ill.
Personal genome sequencing, however, will raise legitimate concerns about privacy, “Bad things can be done with the genome. It could predict something about someone—and you could potentially hand information to their employer or their insurance company,” said Dr. Flatley, “Legislation has to be passed.”
Complete genetic privacy, however, was unlikely to be possible, he added.
“People have to recognize that this horse is out of the barn, and that your genome probably can’t be protected, because everywhere you go you leave your genome behind.”
As the benefits become clearer, however, he believes that most people will want their genomes read and interpreted. The apparent benefits would soon eclipse the hazards.
26. A complete DNA read-out is possible in the near future because ______.
27. When will genome screening be actually applied to public, according to Dr. Flatley?
28. The underlined word “conditions” in the text most probably means ______.
29. What might be the “bad thing” associated with personal genome sequencing?
30. What does Dr. Flatley think about genome screening?