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!
词汇注释
sick and tired 枯燥的，烦躁的
natural selection 自然选择
full of holes 有很多错误或漏洞
at odds with 与…不一致
academy n. 研究院
coherent a. 条理清楚的，连贯的
minimize vt.使减(缩)小到最低；极力贬低
conundrum n. 难题
【拓展词汇】
creationism n.上帝创造论
naturalism n. 自然主义
transmutation n.衍变
参考译文
A: 从我上次看见你已经过去很长时间了，你去哪里了？
B: 考试和必须提交的计划快把我逼疯了。我甚至都没有时间睡觉。
A: 我也一样。每天都得拼命学习，至少期末考试快来了，我们马上就有假期了。你会去哪里？
B: 我得参加人类学课程，现在学到关于达尔文的课程，这是我们唯一学的内容。说实话，我很很烦，讨厌听这个家伙上课。
A: 为什么？你不喜欢达尔文？我是说达尔文改变了生物由来的整个看法，他的理论有足够的理论支持。
B: 我不喜欢他。他关于人类进化的理论和自然选择充满了漏洞。它缺乏你所说的足够的证据。
A: 你所说的和研究院不一致，更不用你的教授了。而且达尔文提出的关于物种起源和自然选择的理论对理解世界和进化论有着巨大的贡献。
B: 我不是在贬低他的贡献，只是他的理论提醒了人们“鸡和蛋”的难题。
A: 你说什么？
B: 问题是，先有鸡还是先有蛋？根据达尔文的理论我也在想这个问题。第一个生命细胞是怎样形成的？
A: 很有意思。我想那个问题更适合我的哲学课。同时，我们到时再解决这个问题。
