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1 Patterns of life 生活方式
2 Pleasures 人生乐趣
3 Borders 跨越边界
4 Rights and wrongs 是是非非
5 For sale 促销之道
6 Body and mind 身心健康
7 Away from home 外出度假
8 Paths to success 成功之路
9 Skin deep 肤浅之见
10 Showtime 舞台表演
11 Looking forward 展望未来
12 News and views 新闻与观点
13 On show 佳作展览
14 In touch 接触外界
15 A change of scene 劳逸结合
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2 Read and listen to a conversation about the future.
1 What is the specific topic that these people are discussing?
2 Which of them is a pessimist? Which is an optimist? Whatabout the others?
ALAN: In the end science is likely to solve a lot of theworld's problems... I mean, medical advances andthings like that.., they'll cut down diseases.I heard a geneticist on the radio talking about howthey might be able to get rid of hereditary diseasesaltogether in the next ten years.
PAT: Yes ... might. But there are new diseases all thetime. And, anyway, science creates problems ... itdoesn't Just solve them.
TIM: What do you mean?
PAT: Well, take genetic engineering, for instance. Thesame research that's intended to fight diseases hasother uses as well.
ALAN: Like what?
PAT: Well, they're not only finding out about genes thatcause diseases ... they're also going to knowwhich ones give us the colour of our hair and eyes.In theory they already know how to create maleor female children.,, and now they're sayingthere might be a gene that affects intelligence!
TIM: Wait a moment. What's wrong with that?
PAT: What's wrong with it? Everyone'll want the samekind of children. And in some countries that'llmean mostly male children .., and all intelligent,of course ... and in some countries ...
SARA: Just let me tell you something. When I havechildren, which I'm not thinking of doing yet, ifscience can give me the perfect child, then I intendto have the perfect child... I think it's a great idea.
PAT: You see! We'll havea world full of 'perfect' people.And there'll be too many men!
ALAN: Do you really believe that? You can't be certainthat people will choose their babies' characteristics.It would be awful if we lost the variety-I mean, ifpeople were all the same - but perhaps that won'thappen. I don't think i
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