Unit 8 / Listening 7B

In the Lobby

Gina: So it looks as if we're getting closer to Ben. I was beginning to wonder if we'd ever find him.

Tom: What's more, he's still alive and apparently in good shape. Though he's clearly in danger. If they went to the trouble of kidnapping him, it wasn't in order to take him on a trip to the seaside. What their real intentions are is anybody's guess, but as Max said, we need to be very careful when we get to Australia ourselves.

Gina: Getting Ben back safe is obviously our top priority now, but the sooner we do that, the sooner we'll be able to expose the Beautiful Babes scandal. Gruninger and Freedman are a pair of mad scientists and at the very least, Foley has been funding their research. They should all be behind bars.

Tom: I dare say Foley will try to deny it, or pin the blame on the other two. All that will come out in the trial, I suppose. But we're jumping the gun a bit – we haven't got Ben back yet.

Gina: I feel confident we'll find him. Maybe the police already have.

Tom: Let's hope so.

Gina: You know, I was reading some stuff on the Internet just now, and I came across an article that speculated about where genetic engineering could take us in the future.

Tom: And what did it say?

Gina: Well, it would seem that the ultimate goal is eternal youth. With stem cell research making leaps and bounds, artificial cell regeneration could soon be a realistic treatment. They'll be able to fix the human body the way one fixes a car, replacing the bits that break down whenever necessary.

Tom: And is that considered to be progress?

Gina: Well, in some respects, obviously. Eliminating genetic diseases for example. Furthermore, a cure for cancer is a matter of a couple of decades away, according to the author of the article. But then what happens? We're going to get people who can afford the treatment lining up to buy their own immortality.

Tom: Wow! Immortal. I honestly don't think I'd fancy that.

Gina: A lot of people would, though. There'll always be accidents, of course, but barring those, it isn't too far-fetched to suppose that people could live to a thousand.

Tom: And how are we going to support all these people? Where will they live?

Gina: Precisely. One of the implications is that people will have to choose between immortality and having children. The earth just isn't big enough for both.

Tom: Life as we know it will become meaningless. I mean, the knowledge that we're going to die is basically what conditions our existence.

Gina: And another problem would be that far from reducing inequality, it would only increase it. Because the sort of technology we're talking about will only be available in developed countries. When you consider that half of the world's population live on less than two dollars a day, you can bet that their children are hardly likely to benefit from stem cell research.

Tom: Oh dear, it all sounds very disturbing. I'm usually quite optimistic by nature, but if you carry on quoting articles like that to me, you'll get me thoroughly depressed.

Gina: It's important to know what the future holds in store, though, isn't it? We can't just bury our heads in the sand. And if we can manage to get Foley and his gang arrested, then we'll have done our bit to alert public opinion to what's happening. That's what journalism's all about, isn't it?

Tom: It's what it should be about. Unfortunately these days it seems to be more about film stars and football players.

Gina: Oh dear, it seems as if I have got you depressed. How about some dinner to cheer you up?

Tom: Good idea. Canadian beef is among the best in the world, you know.

Gina: Let's go!