AI减少动物实验 ⏲️ 6分钟英语：英语精读讲义

6 Minute English from BBCLearningEnglish.com.

来自 BBCLearningEnglish.com 的《六分钟英语》。

Hello, this is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English.

大家好，这里是 BBC 英语教学的《六分钟英语》。

I'm Phil.

我是 Phil。

And I'm Georgie.

我是 Georgie。

Animal testing is when living animals are used in scientific research 語法

动物实验是指在科学研究中使用活体动物，

to find out how effective a new medicine is 語法

以了解新药的疗效

or how safe a product is for humans.

或产品对人类的安全性。

Scientists in favour of it argue that animal testing 短語搭配

支持该做法的科学家认为，动物实验

shows whether medicines are safe or dangerous for humans 語法

能显示药物对人类是安全还是危险的，

and has saved many lives.

并挽救了许多生命。

But animal rights campaigners say it's cruel 文化背景

但动物权利运动者说这很残忍，

and also ineffective

而且也没有效果，

because animals and humans are so different.

因为动物和人类有很大差异。

Under British law, 文化背景

根据英国法律，

medicines must be tested on two different types of animals, 語法

药物必须在两种不同类型的动物身上进行测试，

usually starting with rats, mice, or guinea pigs.

通常从大鼠、小鼠或豚鼠开始。

And in everyday English, 用詞

而在日常英语中，

the term human guinea pig 習語

human guinea pig（人类豚鼠/小白鼠）这个词

can be used to mean the first people

可用来指第一批

to have something tested on them.

接受某物测试的人。

But now groups both for and against animal testing 表達脈絡

但现在，支持和反对动物实验的团体

are thinking again 表達脈絡

都在重新思考，

thanks to a recent development in the debate,

这要归功于该辩论中的一个新进展，

AI.

人工智能（AI）。

In this program,

在本期节目中，

we'll be hearing how artificial intelligence

我们将听到人工智能

could help reduce the need for scientific testing on animals. 短語搭配

如何帮助减少对动物进行科学测试的需求。

But first,

但首先，

I have a question for you, Georgie.

我有一个问题要问你，Georgie。

There's one commonly used medicine in particular 短語搭配

有一种特别常用的药物，

which is harmful for animals

它对动物有害，

but safe for humans.

但对人类安全。

But what is it?

这是什么药呢？

A, antibiotics?

A，抗生素？

B, aspirin?

B，阿司匹林？

Or C, paracetamol?

还是 C，扑热息痛？

I guess it's aspirin.

我猜是阿司匹林。

Okay, Georgie.

好的，Georgie。

I'll reveal the answer at the end of the program. 短語搭配

我会在节目最后揭晓答案。

Christine Ro is a science journalist

Christine Ro 是一名科学记者，

who's interested in the animal testing debate.

她对动物实验的辩论很感兴趣。

Here, she explains to BBC World Service program

在这里，她向 BBC 国际频道的节目

Tech Life

《Tech Life》解释了

some of the limitations of testing medicines on animals. 用詞

在动物身上测试药物的一些局限性。

Of course,

当然，

you can't necessarily predict from a mouse or a dog 語法

你不一定能从老鼠或狗身上预测出

what's going to happen in a human.

在人身上会发生什么。

And there have been a number of cases where 表達脈絡

已经有很多案例表明，

substances that have proven to be toxic in animals 語法

在动物身上被证明有毒的物质，

have been proven to be safe in humans

在人类身上被证明是安全的，

and vice versa. 短語搭配

反之亦然。

There are also, of course,

当然，动物实验

animal welfare 文化背景

在动物福利方面

limitations to animal testing.

也存在局限性。

Most people, I think,

我想大多数人，

if they had the choice 語法

如果有选择的话，

would want their substances

会希望他们的物质

to be used on as few animals or no animals 語法

尽可能少用或不用动物，

as possible whilst still ensuring safety. 表達脈絡

同时仍能保证安全。

Now, that's been a really difficult needle to thread, 習語

这一直是一项极其艰难的任务（needle to thread），

but AI might help to make that more possible. 語法

但人工智能可能有助其成为现实。

Christine says that medicines

Christine 说，有些药物

which are safe for animals

对动物安全

might not be safe for humans,

可能对人类不安全，

but the opposite is also true.

但反过来也一样。

What's safe for humans

对人类安全的东西

might not be safe for animals.

可能对动物不安全。

Christine uses the phrase

Christine 使用短语

vice versa to show that

vice versa（反之亦然）来表明

the opposite of what she says is also true.

她所说的反面情况同样成立。

Christine also uses the idiom to thread the needle

Christine 还用到了习语 thread the needle（穿针引线）

to describe a task

来描述一项任务

which requires a lot of skill and precision,

需要极高的技巧和精确度，

especially one involving a conflict.

尤其是涉及冲突的任务。

Yes,

是的，

medical animal testing may save human lives,

医疗动物实验也许能拯救人命，

but many people see it as cruel and distressing for the animal. 短語搭配

但许多人认为这对动物既残忍又痛苦。

It's a difficult needle to thread.

这真是一项进退两难的艰巨任务。

But now the challenge of threading that needle

但现在，“穿针引线”的挑战

has got a little easier because of artificial intelligence. 短語搭配

因为人工智能而变得稍微容易了一些。

Predicting how likely a new medicine is to harm humans 語法

预测新药对人类造成伤害的可能性，

involves analysing the results of thousands of experiments.

涉及分析数千次实验的结果。

And one thing AI is really good at 語法

而人工智能非常擅长的一件事

is analysing mountains and mountains of data. 習語

就是分析堆积如山的数据。

Here's Christine Ro again,

这是 Christine Ro 再次

speaking with BBC World Service's Tech Life.

在 BBC 国际频道的《Tech Life》节目中的讲话。

So AI isn't the whole picture, 習語

所以人工智能并不是全貌（the whole picture），

of course,

毫无疑问，

but it's an increasingly important part of the picture.

但它是大局中越来越重要的一部分。

And one reason for that 表達脈絡

其原因之一

is that there is a huge amount of toxicology data

就是有海量的毒理学数据

to wade through 短語動詞

需要去费力处理（wade through），

when it comes to determining a chemical safety. 短語搭配

当涉及到确定化学品的安全性时。

And on top of that, 短語搭配

此外（on top of that），

there's this staggering number of chemicals 用詞

一直以来都有

being invented all of the time.

数量惊人的化学物质被发明出来。

AI helps scientists wade through huge amounts of data.

人工智能帮助科学家费力处理庞大的数据。

If you wade through something,

如果你 wade through（艰难涉水/费力处理）某事，

you spend a lot of time and effort

意味着你花很多时间和精力

doing something boring or difficult,

去做一些枯燥或困难的事，

especially reading a lot of information.

尤其是阅读大量信息。

AI can process huge amounts of data,

人工智能可以处理海量数据，

and what's more, 表達脈絡

更有甚者，

that amount keeps growing 語法

随着新化学物质的不断发明，

as new chemicals are invented.

这个数据量还在持续增长。

Christine uses the phrase on top of that,

Christine 使用了短语 on top of that，

meaning in addition to something.

意思是除某事之外。

Often,

通常，

this extra thing is negative.

增加的这件事是负面的。

She means there's already so much data

她的意思是有太多的数据

to understand,

已经需要去理解，

and additionally,

而且除此之外，

there's even more to be understood

还有更多内容需要去了解，

about these new chemicals.

是关于这些新化学物质的。

Of course,

当然，

the good news is that with AI, 表達脈絡

好消息是，有了人工智能，

testing on animals could one day stop. 語法

动物实验有朝一日可能会停止。

Although Christine warns that

尽管 Christine 警告说，

AI is not the whole picture,

人工智能并不是全貌（the whole picture），

it's not a complete description of something

它不是对某个事物的完整描述，

which includes all the relevant information.

没有包含所有的相关信息。

Nevertheless, 表達脈絡

尽管如此，

the news is a step forward 習語

这个消息也是向前迈出的一步，

for both animal welfare

无论是为了动物福利

and for modern medicine.

还是为了现代医学。

Speaking of which, 表達脈絡

说到这个，

what was the answer to your question, Phil?

你那个问题的答案是什么，Phil？

What is a commonly used medicine

哪种常用的药物

which is safe for humans

对人类安全

but harmful to animals?

但对动物有害？

I guessed it was aspirin.

我猜是阿司匹林。

Which was the correct answer.

这是正确答案。

Right.

没错。

Let's recap the vocabulary we've discussed,

让我们回顾一下讨论过的词汇，

starting with human guinea pigs,

从 human guinea pigs（人类豚鼠/小白鼠）开始，

meaning the first people to have something new tested on them.

意思是第一批接受新事物测试的人。

The phrase vice versa

短语 vice versa

is used to indicate

用来表示

that the opposite of what you have just said

你刚说过的情况的反面

is also true.

也是正确的。

To thread the needle

To thread the needle

describes a task

描述了一项任务

which requires extreme skill and precision

需要极高的技巧和精确度

to do successfully.

才能成功完成。

The whole picture

The whole picture

means a complete description of something

意思是完整描述某事物，

which includes all the relevant information and opinions about it.

包括关于它的所有相关信息和观点。

If you wade through something,

如果你 wade through 某事物，

you spend a lot of time and effort

你会花费大量的时间和精力

doing something boring or difficult,

去做枯燥或困难的事情，

especially reading a lot of information.

尤其是阅读大量信息。

And finally,

最后，

the phrase on top of something

短语 on top of something

means in addition to something,

意思是除此之外，

and that extra thing is often negative.

而且这额外的事物通常是负面的。

That's all for this week.

本周节目就到这里。

Goodbye for now.

暂且说声再见。

Bye.

拜拜。

6 Minute English from BBCLearningEnglish.com.

来自 BBCLearningEnglish.com 的《六分钟英语》。