AI減少動物實驗 ⏲️ 6分鐘英語：英語精讀講義

6 Minute English from BBCLearningEnglish.com.

來自 BBCLearningEnglish.com 的《六分鐘英語》。

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

大家好，這裡是 BBC 英語教學的《六分鐘英語》。

I'm Phil.

我是 Phil。

And I'm Georgie.

我是 Georgie。

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

動物實驗是指在科學研究中使用活體動物，

to find out how effective a new medicine is 文法

以了解新藥的療效

or how safe a product is for humans.

或產品對人類的安全性。

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

支持該做法的科學家認為，動物實驗

shows whether medicines are safe or dangerous for humans 文法

能顯示藥物對人類是安全還是危險的，

and has saved many lives.

並挽救了許多生命。

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

但動物權利運動者說這很殘忍，

and also ineffective

而且也沒有效果，

because animals and humans are so different.

因為動物和人類有很大差異。

Under British law, 文化背景

根據英國法律，

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

藥物必須在兩種不同類型的動物身上進行測試，

usually starting with rats, mice, or guinea pigs.

通常從大鼠、小鼠或天竺鼠開始。

And in everyday English, 用詞

而在日常英語中，

the term human guinea pig 慣用語

human guinea pig（人類白老鼠）這個詞

can be used to mean the first people

可用來指第一批

to have something tested on them.

接受某物測試的人。

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

但現在，支持和反對動物實驗的團體

are thinking again 表達脈絡

都在重新思考，

thanks to a recent development in the debate,

這要歸功於該辯論中的一個新進展，

AI.

人工智慧（AI）。

In this program,

在本期節目中，

we'll be hearing how artificial intelligence

我們將聽到人工智慧

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

如何幫助減少對動物進行科學測試的需求。

But first,

但首先，

I have a question for you, Georgie.

我有一個問題要問你，Georgie。

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

有一種特別常用的藥物，

which is harmful for animals

它對動物有害，

but safe for humans.

但對人類安全。

But what is it?

這是什麼藥呢？

A, antibiotics?

A，抗生素？

B, aspirin?

B，阿斯匹靈？

Or C, paracetamol?

還是 C，普拿疼？

I guess it's aspirin.

我猜是阿斯匹靈。

Okay, Georgie.

好的，Georgie。

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

我會在節目最後揭曉答案。

Christine Ro is a science journalist

Christine Ro 是一名科學記者，

who's interested in the animal testing debate.

她對動物實驗的辯論很感興趣。

Here, she explains to BBC World Service program

在這裡，她向 BBC 國際頻道的節目

Tech Life

《Tech Life》解釋了

some of the limitations of testing medicines on animals. 用詞

在動物身上測試藥物的一些局限性。

Of course,

當然，

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

你不一定能從老鼠或狗身上預測出

what's going to happen in a human.

在人身上會發生什麼。

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

已經有很多案例表明，

substances that have proven to be toxic in animals 文法

在動物身上被證明有毒的物質，

have been proven to be safe in humans

在人類身上被證明是安全的，

and vice versa. 片語搭配

反之亦然。

There are also, of course,

當然，動物實驗

animal welfare 文化背景

在動物福利方面

limitations to animal testing.

也存在局限性。

Most people, I think,

我想大多數人，

if they had the choice 文法

如果有選擇的話，

would want their substances

會希望他們的物質

to be used on as few animals or no animals 文法

盡可能少用或不用動物，

as possible whilst still ensuring safety. 表達脈絡

同時仍能保證安全。

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

這一直是一項極其艱難的任務（needle to thread），

but AI might help to make that more possible. 文法

但人工智慧可能有助其成為現實。

Christine says that medicines

Christine 說，有些藥物

which are safe for animals

對動物安全

might not be safe for humans,

可能對人類不安全，

but the opposite is also true.

但反過來也一樣。

What's safe for humans

對人類安全的東西

might not be safe for animals.

可能對動物不安全。

Christine uses the phrase

Christine 使用片語

vice versa to show that

vice versa（反之亦然）來表明

the opposite of what she says is also true.

她所說的反面情況同樣成立。

Christine also uses the idiom to thread the needle

Christine 還用到了慣用語 thread the needle（穿針引線）

to describe a task

來描述一項任務

which requires a lot of skill and precision,

需要極高的技巧和精確度，

especially one involving a conflict.

尤其是涉及衝突的任務。

Yes,

是的，

medical animal testing may save human lives,

醫療動物實驗也許能拯救人命，

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

但許多人認為這對動物既殘忍又痛苦。

It's a difficult needle to thread.

這真是一項進退兩難的艱鉅任務。

But now the challenge of threading that needle

但現在，「穿針引線」的挑戰

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

因為人工智慧而變得稍微容易了一些。

Predicting how likely a new medicine is to harm humans 文法

預測新藥對人類造成傷害的可能性，

involves analysing the results of thousands of experiments.

涉及分析數千次實驗的結果。

And one thing AI is really good at 文法

而人工智慧非常擅長的一件事

is analysing mountains and mountains of data. 慣用語

就是分析堆積如山的數據。

Here's Christine Ro again,

這是 Christine Ro 再次

speaking with BBC World Service's Tech Life.

在 BBC 國際頻道的《Tech Life》節目中的談話。

So AI isn't the whole picture, 慣用語

所以人工智慧並不是全貌（the whole picture），

of course,

毫無疑問，

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

但它是大局中越來越重要的一部分。

And one reason for that 表達脈絡

其原因之一

is that there is a huge amount of toxicology data

就是有海量的毒理學數據

to wade through 片語動詞

需要去費力處理（wade through），

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

當涉及到確定化學品的安全性時。

And on top of that, 片語搭配

此外（on top of that），

there's this staggering number of chemicals 用詞

一直以來都有

being invented all of the time.

數量驚人的化學物質被發明出來。

AI helps scientists wade through huge amounts of data.

人工智慧幫助科學家費力處理龐大的數據。

If you wade through something,

如果你 wade through（艱難跋涉/費力處理）某事，

you spend a lot of time and effort

意味著你花很多時間和精力

doing something boring or difficult,

去做一些枯燥或困難的事，

especially reading a lot of information.

尤其是閱讀大量資訊。

AI can process huge amounts of data,

人工智慧可以處理海量數據，

and what's more, 表達脈絡

更有甚者，

that amount keeps growing 文法

隨著新化學物質的不斷發明，

as new chemicals are invented.

這個數據量還在持續增長。

Christine uses the phrase on top of that,

Christine 使用了片語 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.

增加的這件事是負面的。

She means there's already so much data

她的意思是有太多的數據

to understand,

已經需要去理解，

and additionally,

而且除此之外，

there's even more to be understood

還需要了解更多

about these new chemicals.

有關這些新化學物質的內容。

Of course,

當然，

the good news is that with AI, 表達脈絡

好消息是，有了人工智慧，

testing on animals could one day stop. 文法

動物實驗有朝一日可能會停止。

Although Christine warns that

儘管 Christine 警告說，

AI is not the whole picture,

人工智慧並不是全貌（the whole picture），

it's not a complete description of something

它不是對某個事物的完整描述，

which includes all the relevant information.

沒有包含所有的相關資訊。

Nevertheless, 表達脈絡

儘管如此，

the news is a step forward 慣用語

這個消息也是向前邁出的一步，

for both animal welfare

無論是為了動物福利

and for modern medicine.

還是為了現代醫學。

Speaking of which, 表達脈絡

說到這個，

what was the answer to your question, Phil?

你那個問題的答案是什麼，Phil？

What is a commonly used medicine

哪種常用的藥物

which is safe for humans

對人類安全

but harmful to animals?

但對動物有害？

I guessed it was aspirin.

我猜是阿斯匹靈。

Which was the correct answer.

這是正確答案。

Right.

沒錯。

Let's recap the vocabulary we've discussed,

讓我們回顧一下討論過的詞彙，

starting with human guinea pigs,

從 human guinea pigs（人類白老鼠）開始，

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

意思是第一批接受新事物測試的人。

The phrase vice versa

片語 vice versa

is used to indicate

用來表示

that the opposite of what you have just said

你剛說過的情況的反面

is also true.

也是正確的。

To thread the needle

To thread the needle

describes a task

描述了一項任務

which requires extreme skill and precision

需要極高的技巧和精確度

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.

包括關於它的所有相關資訊和觀點。

If you wade through something,

如果你 wade through 某事物，

you spend a lot of time and effort

你會花費大量的時間和精力

doing something boring or difficult,

去做枯燥或困難的事情，

especially reading a lot of information.

尤其是閱讀大量資訊。

And finally,

最後，

the phrase on top of something

片語 on top of something

means in addition to something,

意思是除此之外，

and that extra thing is often negative.

而且這額外的事物通常是負面的。

That's all for this week.

本週節目就到這裡。

Goodbye for now.

暫且說聲再見。

Bye.

拜拜。

6 Minute English from BBCLearningEnglish.com.

來自 BBCLearningEnglish.com 的《六分鐘英語》。