2. 职称英语
  3. Controversy erupted in the scientific community in early 1992 over the use o

Controversy erupted in the scientific community in early 1992 over the use o

游客2023-09-11  23
问题     Controversy erupted in the scientific community in early 1992 over the use of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)fingerprinting in criminal investigations. DNA fingerprinting was introduced in 1987 as a method to identify individuals based on a pattern seen in their DNA, the molecule of which genes are made. DNA is present in every cell of the body except red blood cells. DNA fingerprinting has been used successfully in various ways, such as to determine paternity where it is not clear who the father of a particular child is. However, it is in the area of criminal investigations that DNA fingerprinting has potentially powerful and controversial uses.
    DNA fingerprinting and other DNA analysis techniques have revolutionized criminal investigations by giving investigators powerful new tools in the attempt to prove guilt, not just establish innocence. When used in criminal investigations, a DNA fingerprint pattern from a suspect is compared with a DNA fingerprint pattern obtained from such material as hairs or blood found at the scene of a crime. A match between the two DNA samples can be used as evidence to convict a suspect.
    The controversy in 1992 stemmed from a report published in December 1991 by population geneticists Richard C. Lewontin of Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., and Daniel L. Hartl of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Mo. Lewontin and Hartl called into question the methods used to calculate how likely it is that a match between two DNA. fingerprints might occur by chance alone. In particular, they argued that the current method cannot properly determine the likelihood that two DNA samples will match because they came from the same individual rather than simply from two different individuals who are members of the same ethnic group. Lewontin and Hartlcalled for better surveys of DNA patterns within ethnic groups in order to determine whether the DNA fingerprinting methods are adequate.
    In response to their criticisms, population geneticists Ranajit Chakraborty of the University of Texas in Dallas and Kenneth K. Kidd of Yale University in New Haven, Conn., argued that enough data are already available to show that the methods currently being used are adequate. In January 1992, however, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and laboratories that conduct DNA tests announced that they would collect additional DNA samples from various ethnic groups in an attempt to resolve some of these questions. And, in April, a National Academy of Sciences panel called for strict standards and system of accreditation for DNA testing laboratories. [br] To geneticists like Lewontin and Hartl, the current method ______.
选项 A、is not so convincing as to exclude the likelihood that two DNA samples can never come from two individuals
B、is arguable because two individuals of the same ethnic group are likely to have the same DNA pattern
C、is not based on adequate scientific theory of genetics
D、is theoretically contradictory to what they have been studying
答案 A
解析 题干内容位于第二段中第2至4句，文章中Lewontin和Hartl只是对现代的DNA检测手段的可靠性表示怀疑，选项A与选项B均包含这方面含义，但是二者的区别在于程度的不同，选项B中的"arguable"夸大了DNA鉴定的不可靠性，相比较A更符合Lewontin和Hartl观点。
转载请注明原文地址:https://tihaiku.com/zcyy/3003961.html
相关试题推荐
随机试题
最新回复(0)