Charles Darwin wed his cousin Emma and spawned 10 children, including four brilliant scientists. Albert Einstein’s second wife Elsa was his first cousin. Queen Victoria said “I do” to hers. So have millions worldwide. In parts of Saudi Arabia, 39% of all marriages are between first cousins.
In the U. S., though, the practice bears a stigma of inbreeding just this side of incest. The taboo is not only social hut legislative; 24 states ban the marriage of first cousins: five others allow it only if the couple is unable to bear children. A major reason for this ban is the belief that kids of first cousins are tragically susceptible to serious congenital illnesses.
That view may have to change. A comprehensive study published recently in the Journal of Genetic Counseling indicates such children run an only slightly higher risk of significant genetic disorders like congenital heart defects — about two percentage points above the average 3% to 4%
A. the ban on cousin marriages is lifted
B. cousin marriages are permitted again
C. the prejudice against cousin marriages dies hard
D. cousin marriages may not be as bad as people think
| 人们都知道，喝醉酒会使人语言、行为{{U}} (140)
{{/U}}，其实，喝上两杯酒就会使你的判断力失常。荷兰阿姆斯特丹大学的研究人员近日发现，{{U}} (141)
{{/U}}不到一个小时之内连续喝下两玻璃杯啤酒{{U}} (142)
{{/U}}红酒，就足以对人脑的判断力产生负面影响，使喝酒者在犯了错误之后根本意识不到。 研究人员{{U}} (143) {{/U}}，大脑中有一个名为前扣带脑皮层的区域与判断力有着密切的关系，而酒精会对这一区域产生直接的负面影响，不仅使大脑反应速度缓慢，而且判断力出现{{U}} (144) {{/U}}。短时间内喝了大量酒之后，在正常情况下很容易判断是对是错的事情就{{U}} (145) {{/U}}模糊不清了。 研究人员强调说，这一发现对于那些酒后驾车的司机尤其具有意义。因为，在一般情况下，当驾驶员操作出现失误时，大脑就会提醒他接下来要小心开车。但司机如果喝了大量的酒，就会导致这种自我控制力完全消失，{{U}} (146) {{/U}}是发生了撞车事件也很难冷静{{U}} (147) {{/U}}。这也许正是很多司机酒后驾车发生事故后逃逸的原因。 |
(46) For centuries the smoking of tobacco in cigarettes, cigars, and pipes has produced controversy over possible health hazards, but only since the 1950’s has sufficient scientific evidence accumulated to make possible a thorough evaluation of the health risk.
Scientific investigation of the relationship of smoking and health gained impetus after the beginning of the 20th century, then an increase in lung cancer was noted. As the use of tobacco increased, studies improved. (47) Although some gaps in knowledge still exist, the information now available is sufficient to permit making sound judgments, based on the converging lines of evidence.
(48) Investigators have directed their principal consideration to cigarette smoking because the health consequences attributed to it far exceed those due to smoking cigars and pipes. The widespread popularity of cigarettes is comparatively recent in man’s use of tobacco. The smoking
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