英语播客EnglishPod 451

 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 driv-
        ing 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 Anthropology¹ class and now with the
       year anniversary of Darwin, it’s the only thing we
       study. Frankly², I’m sick and tired and tired of hear-
        ing 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 odds³ with half of the
       academy. Not to mention your professors! Fur-
       thermore, the  explanation proposed by Darwin
       about the origin of species and the mechanism⁴
       of natural selection constitutes a grand step to-
       ward⁵ 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 conundrum⁶ 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!

1 anthropology   

n.人类学

参考例句：

• I believe he has started reading up anthropology.我相信他已开始深入研究人类学。
• Social anthropology is centrally concerned with the diversity of culture.社会人类学主要关于文化多样性。

2 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

3 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

4 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

5 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

6 conundrum   

n.谜语；难题

参考例句：

• Let me give you some history about a conundrum.让我给你们一些关于谜题的历史。
• Scientists had focused on two explanations to solve this conundrum.科学家已锁定两种解释来解开这个难题。