純正地道美語 第150期(外教講解):達爾文的進化論
A:It’s been a long time since I last saw you. Where have you been?
B: The exams and plans I have to turn in in are driving me crazy, I don’t even have time to sleep.
A: It’s the same for me. I’m up to my neck in work, but at least finals are coming soon and we’ll have a vacation. Where are you going now?
B:I’m going to Anthropology class and now with the year anniversary of Darwin, it’s the only thing we study. Frankly, I’m sick and tired and tired of hearing about this guy.
A: What? Why? How can you not like Darwin? I mean the man changed the entire perception of how things came to and his theory is backed by pretty solid evidence!
B:I don’t like him. His theory of human evolution and natural selection is full of holes. It lacks the solid evidence of which you speak of.
A: That statement puts you at odds with half of the academy. Not to mention your professors! Furthermore, the explanation proposed by Darwin about the origin of species and the mechanism of natural selection constitutes a grand step toward a coherent understanding of the world and evolutionist ideas.
B: I’m not minimizing his grand contributions, it’s just that his theory reminds of the conundrum of the chicken and the egg.
A: What are you talking about?
B: The question is, which was first? The chicken or the egg? I feel the same regarding his theory. How does the first cell of life come to be?
A: Interesting. I think that question is better suited for my philosophy class. In the meantime, how about we settle this... with a due!
sick and tired 枯燥的，煩躁的
natural selection 自然選擇
full of holes 有很多錯誤或漏洞
at odds with 與…不一致
academy n. 研究院
coherent a. 條理清楚的，連貫的
minimize vt.使減(縮)小到最低；極力貶低
conundrum n. 難題
【拓展詞彙】
creationism n.上帝創造論
naturalism n. 自然主義
transmutation n.衍變
A: 從我上次看見你已經過去很長時間了，你去哪裏了？
B: 考試和必須提交的計劃快把我逼瘋了。我甚至都沒有時間睡覺。
A: 我也一樣。每天都得拼命學習，至少期末考試快來了，我們馬上就有假期了。你會去哪裏？
B: 我得參加人類學課程，現在學到關於達爾文的課程，這是我們唯一學的內容。說實話，我很很煩，討厭聽這個傢伙上課。
A: 爲什麼？你不喜歡達爾文？我是說達爾文改變了生物由來的整個看法，他的理論有足夠的理論支持。
B: 我不喜歡他。他關於人類進化的理論和自然選擇充滿了漏洞。它缺乏你所說的足夠的證據。
A: 你所說的和研究院不一致，更不用你的教授了。而且達爾文提出的關於物種起源和自然選擇的理論對理解世界和進化論有着巨大的貢獻。
B: 我不是在貶低他的貢獻，只是他的理論提醒了人們“雞和蛋”的難題。
A: 你說什麼？
B: 問題是，先有雞還是先有蛋？根據達爾文的理論我也在想這個問題。第一個生命細胞是怎樣形成的？
A: 很有意思。我想那個問題更適合我的哲學課。同時，我們到時再解決這個問題。
