[A]Recent technological changes are making modern medicine a more popular and exciting field than ever before. First, new technology is now available to modern “disease detectives,” doctors and scientists who are putting together clues to solve medical mysteries—that is, to find out the answers to questions of health and sickness. Second, knowledge of genetics may prevent or cure birth defects and genetic illnesses. Third, successful transplants of the heart, liver, kidney, and other organs of the body are much more common than they were ten or twenty years ago.

[B]Modern “disease detectives” include microbiologists, epidemiologists, and other scientists who try to find out the reason for an epidemic—a sickness that many people in one region have. These experts talk to people who have the disease and ask many questions, such as: What do you eat most often? How often do you wash your hands? Do you use drugs? They examine kitchens, bathrooms, and air-conditioning systems. Then they study the outside environment—soil, plants, rivers and lakes, areas for animals, and so on—for clues that might give them information about disease. They share the information that they find with laboratory scientists who have the benefits of microscopes and computers. Together, these diseases detectives work to find the causes of modern killer disease.

[C]What are genes and why are “disease detectives” always trying to find out more about them? Genes are part of the center (that is, the nucleus)of every cell; in the form of DNA( deoxyribonucleic acid), this “genetic material” determines the characteristics of every living thing—every plant, animal, and human being. Medical geneticists are scientists who study DNA and genes for many purposes: ⑴ to learn how organisms such as bacteria and viruses cause illness;⑵ to detect the gene or combination of genes that causes inherited diseases like sickle-cell anemia, Huntington’s disease, cystic fibrosis, and so on;⑶ to understand the gene changes that lead to birth defects or genetic illnesses; ⑷ to change gene structure and thus prevent or cure genetic diseases; and ⑸ to improve the chances of success in organ transplants. For these and other reasons, genetics is an important part of modern science and medicine.

[D]Organ transplants are more common today than ever before. Because of modern technology, moreover, they are more successful now than they were in the past: In other words, people with a new heart, liver, or kidney can live much longer than they used to previously. Not long ago, transplant patients often died after a few days because their bodies fought against the new organ. New drugs, however, now help the human body to accept a new part. In addition, knowledge of genes and DNA increases the possibility of successful organ transplants. As a result, doctors can try to “match” the characteristics of the organ donor( the person who gives the body part)and the receiver. In addition, scientists can change genes: Not only can they change the structure of DNA, but they can also put genes from one organism into another. In the future, therefore, scientists may put human genes into pigs or other animals, and farmers may raise animals for the purpose of organ transplants for humans.

Notes to the Text

clue: 线索An object or piece of information that helps someone solve a crime or mystery. clue to/about, give sb. a clue.

genetics:基因学 genetics science. The branch of biology that studies heredity and variation in organisms.

birth defect:天生缺陷 a defect that is present at birth.

microbiologists: 微生物学家 a specialist in microbiology, which is the branch of biology that studies microorganisms and their effects on humans.

epidemiologists: 流行病专家a medical scientist who studies the transmission and control of epidemic diseases.

microscope:望远镜 magnifier of the image of small objects.

killer disease: fatal disease, a desease that is extremely difficult to cure so that it causes many deaths.

DNA( deoxyribonucleic acid): 脱氧核糖核酸(染色体和基因的组成部分)

bacteria: 细菌 The single form is bacterium.

viruses: 病菌

sickle-cell anemia: 镰刀形红血球贫血

Huntington’s disease：亨庭顿舞蹈症

cystic fibrosis：囊胞性纤维症

their bodies fought against the new organ：the new organ is not compatible with the patient’s body so that the body resists the new organ.

Vocabulary

Nouns

detective: It is used as a noun in the passage which means “a police officer who investigates crimes or an investigator engaged or employed in obtaining information not easily available to the public”. A detective story/novel is about a crime, often a murder, and a detective who tries to find out who did it. The verb is detect, meaning to find out some information which is difficult to approach.

cause: 起因In the passage, it is used both as a noun and verb. As a noun, it means “the events that is the origin of something”.
As a verb, it means “lead to, give rise to; cause to happen or occur”; cause an acident.

characteristics: 特征As a noun in the passage, the word is usually used in its plural form. It means “a quality or feature of something or someone that is typical of them and easy to recognize”.

Verbs

cure: 治愈provide a cure for, make healthy again.

examine: In the passage, the word has nothing to do with an examination as a teacher gives to the students. It means “observe, check out, and look over carefully or inspect”.

Adjectives

air-conditioning: a air-conditioning system is a system that keeps air cool and dry . air-conditioner

inherited:遗传 tending to occur among members of a family usually by heredity; an inherited disease.

Adverbs

moreover: in addition, furthermore

previously: at an earlier time or formerly.

Phrase

in other words: otherwise stated, put differently.

Cultural Note

FETP: Train for ‘Disease Detectives’ 

One way we keep people safe is through the Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP), which trains a global workforce of field epidemiologists or “disease detectives”Disease detectives are our “boots on the ground,” helping track, contain, and eliminate outbreaks before they become epidemics. When health threats strike, trained disease detectives investigate and use what they’ve learned to prevent people from getting sick. They communicate crucial information quickly about health problems in a community, including infectious and noncommunicable diseases and environmental hazards. FETPs are modeled on CDC’s successful Epidemic Intelligence Service program, but are owned by individual countries and ministries of health. Each FETP is tailored to meet the needs of its country. Today, over 70 countries participate in CDC-supported FETPs. In U.S., FETPs have trained more than 10,000 graduates across the three programs, more than 80% of whom continue to work in their home countries in leadership positions.