2015年ESL之日常生活 09 Tracing One’s Genealogy

Tracing One’s Genealogy¹ 

Aaron: Do you think you can help me trace my genealogy? 

Corrie: Sure, I can try. We can get started by talking to your parents and grandparents. Oral interviews will give us some names of your relatives. 

Aaron: I’ve already talked to them and I grew up hearing stories about my lineage on both sides of my family. 

Corrie: That’s great. If you know some of the people you’re descended² from, we can start by looking at public records and historical records from the area. You’re from Tennessee, right? 

Aaron: That’s right. There are a lot of people in Tennessee with my last name, though. 

Corrie: Well, we can triangulate the information we get to zero in on your ancestors. 

Aaron: What if I want proof positive that I’m related to someone? 

Corrie: Then you can have a genetic³ analysis done. A DNA⁴ test is generally accepted proof. 

Aaron: Good, it’s about time someone in my family established the blood connections. 

Corrie: Blood connections to whom? 

Aaron: Elvis, of course. 

Corrie: Elvis?! You think you’re related to Elvis? 

Aaron: His last name was Presley; my last name is Presley. My first name is Aaron; his middle name was Aaron. It can’t be a coincidence, especially considering my talent. 

Corrie: Talent? 

Aaron: Sure, listen: “Well, it's one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, now go, cat, go!” 

Corrie: I consider that counterevidence! 

 

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse 

1 genealogy   

n.家系，宗谱

参考例句：

• He had sat and repeated his family's genealogy to her,twenty minutes of nonstop names.他坐下又给她细数了一遍他家族的家谱，20分钟内说出了一连串的名字。
• He was proficient in all questions of genealogy.他非常精通所有家谱的问题。

2 descended   

a.为...后裔的，出身于...的

参考例句：

• A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
• The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。

3 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

4 DNA   

(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸

参考例句：

• DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell.脱氧核糖核酸储存于细胞的细胞核里。
• Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code.基因突变是指DNA密码的改变。