unit11ThatAstoundingCreator-Nature

1、 Presented by Luo ZhaohuiSouth China Normal UniversityJean George God or Nature ？To show that some physical features of animals, no matter how odd, are the result of natures work to facilitate their survival in their particular environment.To illustrate the effect that nature (natural environment) c

2、an have on the biological features of a certain species. Charles Darwin dominated 19th century science, for he discovered the laws governing the evolution of man himself. For many centuries before Darwin, people in the west had been led to believe each verse of the Bible as literally true. Genesis s

3、aid that the earth and all things were created by God in six days and each species of animal life was separately created and that man was created in Gods own image. Then in the middle of 19th century, Darwin changed this deeply established idea and shocked the world with his theories of species, ada

4、ptation and evolution. Darwin described the origin of all living things as a process extending over millions of years. He declared that every living thing on earth, including man ,evolved from one or a few common ancestors. He proved that the more complex species evolved from the simpler through a p

5、rocess of natural selection. He put man into a place in the animal world and traced his decent from other species.Darwinism designates a distinctive form of evolutionary explanation for the history and diversity of life on earth. Its original formulation is provided in the first edition of On the Or

6、igin of Species in 1859. This entry first formulates Darwins Darwinism in terms of five philosophically distinctive themes: (i) probability and chance, (ii) the nature, power and scope of selection, (iii) adaptation and teleology, (iv) nominalism vs. essentialism about species and (v) the tempo and

7、mode of evolutionary change. Both Darwin and his critics recognized that his approach to evolution was distinctive on each of these topics, and it remains true that, though Darwinism has developed in many ways unforeseen by Darwin, its proponents and critics continue to differentiate it from other a

8、pproaches in evolutionary biology by focusing on these themes. Begin with question, call for readers attention Conclusion: if any adaptation is possible, nature has tried it.Illustrations: features of animals less well-known or rarely observed. What ?thesis statement: ? Questions: In what sense is N

9、ature the creator? And Why is it astounding? How does the author organize and develop the text after the introduction? Key points: The relation between animals and their living environments. Evolution is a process of adaptation to various. environmental features or needs. Nature has shaped all kinds

10、 of creatures. Adaptation to various environmental features or needs: (1) Questions to arouse readers interest (2-5) Land animals (6-7) Deep-sea problems (food, nuptial) (8) Sound (9) Food (10) The need to catch elusive prey (also food) (11-14) The need to defend oneself and ward off attack or hosti

11、lity (15-17) Losses and additions accounted for by adaptionlily pad The large, floating leaf of a water lily;niche (ecology) the position of an organism in a community of plants and animals;sleek Well-groomed(修飾); having a very neat clean appearance;bobbing Moving up and down;strainer Filter; sieve;

12、canyon A deep narrow steep-sided valley;swirl Move quickly with twisting turns;fry The young of fishes;vulnerable Not well-protected (from); capable of being attacked; tidemark The highest point or perhaps the lowest point that the sea reaches on a shore;forage Wander about looking for food;preposte

13、rous Absurd;spur A sharp, piercing instrument;switchblade A pocketknife the blade of which is held by a spring and released by pressure on a device on the handle of the knife; flick knife; ward off repel, turn aside; keep away from nemesis The nemesis of a person or thing is a situation, event, or p

14、erson which causes them to be seriously harmed, especially as a punishment. Something that causes misery, destruction or death; (pl. nemeses) 天譴，報應，懲罰，天敵 Herpetologist One who studies reptiles and amphibians; molt (of birds, insects, reptiles, etc.) shed the feather or skin that will be succeed by a

15、 new growth; lunge A sudden forward thrust; bizarre Markedly unusualMoose 麋Grebe 鳥 （pi ti）Pickerelweed 眼子菜Koala 樹袋熊Eucalyptus 桉樹Angler fish 鮟鱇魚，琵琶魚Bullfrog 牛蛙Shrew 地鼠Woodcock 丘鷸（yu,音同玉）鳥Snipe 鷸 （woodcock？）Sea anemone ?？鸍acana 水雉Lizard 蜥蜴Skink 石龍子Hawk 鷹Portuguese man-of-water 僧帽水母Lungfish 肺魚Mayfly 蜉蝣 （不同于“浮游”）Reindeer 馴鹿Scorpion 蝎子Toucan /tu:kn/巨嘴鳥Horned toad 角蟾，角蜥 grebe koala Angler fish bullfrog woodcock sea anemone jacana /a:sna:/ skink