question_answer

Direction: Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:

Recent advances in science and technology have made it possible for geneticists to find out abnormalities in the unborn foetus and take remedial action to rectify some defects. Though genetic engineering is Sill at its infancy, scientist can now predict with greater accuracy a genetic disorder. It is not yet an exact science since they are not in a position to predict when exactly a genetic disorder will set in. while they have not yet been able to change the genetic order of the gene in germs, they are optimistic and are holding out that in the near future they might be successful in achieving this feat. They have, however, acquired the ability in manipulating tissue cells. How- ever, genetic misinformation can sometimes be damaging for it may adversely affect people psychologically. Genetic information can therefore be abused and its application in deciding the sex of the foetus and its subsequent abortion is now hotly debated on ethical lines. At present genetic engineering is a costly process of detecting disorders, but scientists hope to rescue the costs when technology becomes more advanced. This is why much progress in this area had been possible in scientifically advanced and rich countries, like the USA, UK and Japan. It remains to be seen if in the future this science will lead to the development of a race of supermen or will be able to obliterate disease from this world.

The meaning of the phrase 'holding out' as used in the passage is____.

A) Catching

B) Expounding

C) Sustaining

D) Restraining

E) None of these