2022年经济学人 动物也有创造力？（2）

Ms Gigliotti says it would be an error to assume that animal creativity has to match the human version, though some examples turn out to be inarguably appealing to the human eye.

吉利奥蒂称，“动物的创造力必定与人类的创造力完全相同”是种错误的假设，尽管人们看到一些例子后很容易这么想。

Take the elaborate creation of a bowerbird.

以造园鸟的精美作品为例。

Its bower—two parallel rows of slender branches that arc towards each other above a platform lined with bits of glass, shells, leaves, flowers and feathers—is a beautiful ruse² by the male to attract a female for mating.

它是这样建造亭子的：在一块平面上用两排平行的细长树枝搭成拱形，平面上还会排列着些玻璃、贝壳、树叶、花朵和羽毛，这是雄性吸引雌性交配的美丽诡计。

Though ostensibly a book about creativity, the author frequently veers³ off to discuss animal emotion (crayfish have feelings too; they can exhibit signs of anxiety) and intelligence (“the pigeon should be the poster child par¹ excellence⁴ for intelligence”).

虽然《动物的创造性生活》表面上是一本关于创造力的书，但作者经常偏离主题，讨论动物的情感(小龙虾也有感情；它们也会表现出焦虑)和智力(“鸽子应该是智力的典范”)。

She argues that animal personality is not limited to primates⁵, your faithful mutt or stand-offish cat.

她认为，并非只有灵长类动物、忠诚的宠物狗或冷漠的猫有个性。

There are hundreds of thousands of studies on animals’ character and they include ants, fish and mice.

关于动物性格的研究有数十万项，蚂蚁、鱼和老鼠也是研究对象。

Anthropomorphism—the ascribing of human feelings to animals—is not the scientific sin it once was.

认为动物具有人类情感的拟人论在科学领域已不再是种罪过。

Ms Goodall has said she was “quite unpleasantly” disparaged⁶ for doing just that.

古道尔称，她曾经正是因为这样做而受到了“非常令人不快”的诋毁。

Today, she has pointed⁷ out with a sense of vindication⁸, you can get a PhD in animal personality.

而今天，她能带着一种正义感告诉人们，读动物个性专业也能当博士。

The book makes its strongest case when advocating a revision of how to think about, and act towards, animals.

《动物的创造性生活》在倡导人们改变看待和对待动物的方式上提出了最有力的论据。

Ms Gigliotti points out that humans are only one of millions of species on Earth.

吉利奥蒂指出，人类只是地球上数百万物种中的一种而已。

She suggests a retreat from anthropocentrism in favour of recognition that animals are individuals with complicated, powerful, creative lives of their own.

她建议人们放弃人类中心主义，承认动物是拥有复杂、强大和创造性生活的个体。

1 par   

n.标准，票面价值，平均数量；adj.票面的，平常的，标准的

参考例句：

• Sales of nylon have been below par in recent years.近年来尼龙织品的销售额一直不及以往。
• I don't think his ability is on a par with yours.我认为他的能力不能与你的能力相媲美。

2 ruse   

n.诡计，计策；诡计

参考例句：

• The children thought of a clever ruse to get their mother to leave the house so they could get ready for her surprise.孩子们想出一个聪明的办法使妈妈离家，以便他们能准备给她一个惊喜。It is now clear that this was a ruse to divide them.现在已清楚这是一个离间他们的诡计。

3 veers   

v.（尤指交通工具）改变方向或路线( veer的第三人称单数 )；（指谈话内容、人的行为或观点）突然改变；（指风） （在北半球按顺时针方向、在南半球按逆时针方向）逐渐转向；风向顺时针转

参考例句：

• The car veers out of control. 这辆车失去了控制。 来自辞典例句
• His fondness for his characters sometimes veers towards the sentimental. 他对那位主人公的偏爱有时也稍显矫情。 来自互联网

4 excellence   

n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德

参考例句：

• His art has reached a high degree of excellence.他的艺术已达到炉火纯青的地步。
• My performance is far below excellence.我的表演离优秀还差得远呢。

5 primates   

primate的复数

参考例句：

• Primates are alert, inquisitive animals. 灵长目动物是机灵、好奇的动物。
• Consciousness or cerebration has been said to have emerged in the evolution of higher primates. 据说意识或思考在较高级灵长类的进化中已出现。

6 disparaged   

v.轻视( disparage的过去式和过去分词 )；贬低；批评；非难

参考例句：

• French-Canadian fur trappers and Sioux disparaged such country as "bad lands. " 法语的加拿大毛皮捕兽器和苏人的贬低国家作为“坏土地”。 来自互联网
• She disparaged her student's efforts. 她轻视她的学生做出的努力。 来自互联网

7 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

8 vindication   

n.洗冤，证实

参考例句：

• There is much to be said in vindication of his claim.有很多理由可以提出来为他的要求作辩护。
• The result was a vindication of all our efforts.这一结果表明我们的一切努力是必要的。