万物简史 第482期:多灾多难的生命进程(2)

 　　Like most things that thrive in harsh environments, lichens² are slow-growing. 像大多数在恶劣条件下茁壮成长的东西一样，地衣长得很慢。

　　It may take a lichen¹ more than half a century to attain³ the dimensions of a shirt button. 地衣也许要花半个多世纪时间才能长到衬衫纽扣大小。

　　Those the size of dinner plates, writes David Attenborough, are therefore "likely to be hundreds if not thousands of years old." 戴维·阿登堡禄写道，因此那些长到餐盘大小的地衣“很可能已经生长了几百年，如果不是几千年的话”。

　　It would be hard to imagine a less fulfilling existence. 很难想像还有比这成就更小的生存。

　　"They simply exist," Attenborough adds, "testifying to the moving fact that life even at its simplest level occurs, apparently⁴, just for its own sake." “它们只是存在，”阿登堡禄接着说，“证明一个感人的事实：连最简单层次的生命，显然也只是为了自身而存在。”

　　It is easy to overlook this thought that life just is. 生命只有这点考虑，这点很容易被忽略。

　　As humans we are inclined to feel that life must have a point. 作为人类，我们往往觉得生命必须有个目的。

　　We have plans and aspirations⁵ and desires. 我们有计划，有志向，有欲望。

　　We want to take constant advantage of all the intoxicating⁶ existence we've been endowed with. 我们想要不断利用赋予我们的整个令人陶醉的生命。

　　But what's life to a lichen? 但是，生命对于地衣来说是什么？

　　Yet its impulse to exist, to be, is every bit as strong as ours—arguably even stronger. 它的生存冲动、活着的欲望和我们一样强烈——有可能更加强烈。

　　If I were told that I had to spend decades being a furry⁷ growth on a rock in the woods, I believe I would lose the will to go on. 要是我被告知，我不得不当几十年林中岩石上的地衣，我认为我会失去继续活下去的愿望。

　　Lichens don't. Like virtually all living things, they will suffer any hardship, endure any insult, for a moment's additional existence. 地衣不会。实际上像所有生物一样，它们蒙受苦难，忍受侮辱，只是为了多活一会儿。

　　Life, in short, just wants to be.  总之，生命想要存在。

　　But—and here's an interesting point—for the most part it doesn't want to be much. 但是——这一点很有意思——在大多数情况下，它不想大有作为。

　　This is perhaps a little odd because life has had plenty of time to develop ambitions. 这也许有点儿怪，因为生命有很多时间来施展自己的雄心壮志。

1 lichen   

n.地衣, 青苔

参考例句：

• The stone stairway was covered with lichen.那石级长满了地衣。
• There is carpet-like lichen all over the moist corner of the wall.潮湿的墙角上布满了地毯般的绿色苔藓。

2 lichens   

n.地衣( lichen的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The only plants to be found in Antarctica are algae, mosses, and lichens. 在南极洲所发现的植物只有藻类、苔藓和地衣。 来自辞典例句
• Litmus: Mixture of coloured organic compounds obtained from several species of lichens. 石蕊：从几种地衣类植物中获取的带色有机化合物的混合物。 来自互联网

3 attain   

vt.达到，获得，完成

参考例句：

• I used the scientific method to attain this end. 我用科学的方法来达到这一目的。
• His painstaking to attain his goal in life is praiseworthy. 他为实现人生目标所下的苦功是值得称赞的。

4 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

5 aspirations   

强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音

参考例句：

• I didn't realize you had political aspirations. 我没有意识到你有政治上的抱负。
• The new treaty embodies the aspirations of most nonaligned countries. 新条约体现了大多数不结盟国家的愿望。

6 intoxicating   

a. 醉人的,使人兴奋的

参考例句：

• Power can be intoxicating. 权力能让人得意忘形。
• On summer evenings the flowers gave forth an almost intoxicating scent. 夏日的傍晚，鲜花散发出醉人的芳香。

7 furry   

adj.毛皮的；似毛皮的；毛皮制的

参考例句：

• This furry material will make a warm coat for the winter.这件毛皮料在冬天会是一件保暖的大衣。
• Mugsy is a big furry brown dog,who wiggles when she is happy.马格斯是一只棕色大长毛狗，当她高兴得时候她会摇尾巴。