Defending the Theory of Evolution Still Seems Needed

　　Judith S. Weis, a biology professor who serves as2 president of the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) is leading a nationwide effort to “defend，，the theory of evolution. Weis leads the effort in the face of what the institute views as opposition and indifference from school boards and government entities3.

　　The Institute believes that the teaching of evolution in America is being diminished by the teaching of creationism as well as by an overall lack of teaching Darwin's4 theory in high school. "There's nothing that requires schools to teach evolution. Sometimes teachers in high schools just leave it out . However, from the point of view of biologists, evolution is the central theory of biology upon which everything is based," said Weis. "Unfortunately, teaching evolution has become a political issue in many parts of the country and AIBS, as a representative of biologists, wanted to be a major force speaking out in favor of its teaching."6

　　Weis said the institute is working together with the American Geological Institute and the National Association of Biology Teachers and its 80-plus member organizations7 to address8 the political and legislative threats to teaching evolution. In states challenging its teaching, the institute responds by sending letters to school boards and state legislatures, by providing testimony at public meetings and by notifying members and affiliated organizations. AIBS, with more than 80 member societies and 250,000 members, has established an e-mail system enabling scientists and teachers in each state, and member societies, to keep each other informed about threats to the teaching of evolution.

　　Darwin's theory of evolution holds that living things change and adapt to their environment and that present-day species (including human beings) are descended from earlier species through modification by natural selection. The theory has been accepted by scientists for nearly 100 years, Weis said, and has been refined, extended and strengthened over the years by findings in paleontology and developmental biology.

　　Discoveries in genetics, molecular biology9 and genomics — all of which provide significant benefits for human health — would not be possible without the underlying10 knowledge of evolution. And, Weis adds, "modern molecular biology and genomics have increased our understanding of how evolution works." Nonetheless, evolution remains a politically, if not scientifically, controversial issue.

　　Weis said that this year alone, seven states have had either local or statewide efforts to water down11 the teaching of evolution, or "balance" it with the teaching of creationism 一 a religious belief that different species were created separately by a higher power, such as God. "Rarely does anyone now use the word ‘creationism，，because that's too obvious," Weis said. "The current terminology is ‘intelligent design.

　　词汇：

　　creationism /krii'eijenizam/ n.神创论

　　legislature /'ledgisleitja/ n.立法机关

　　affiliated organization 附属机构

　　refine/n'fain/v.精炼，提纯，改进

　　paleontology n.古生物学

　　genetics /dji'netiks/ n.遗传

　　genomics  n.基因学

　　terminology  n.术语

　　注释：

　　1.  the theory of evolution：进化论

　　2. serve as：担任

　　3. Weis leads the effort in the face of what the institute views as opposition and indifference from school boards and government entities.：研究所看到了来自学校董事会和政府部门 的反对和冷漠管如此，Weis仍然带领大家为-卫进化论而努力。 in the face of：意为“despite the opposition of”（不管，不顾）。 entity： 实体。如，business entity：企业单位，营业单位

　　4. Darwin：达尔文（1809—1882),英国博物学家，进化论创始人

　　5. leave it out：忽略，遗漏

　　6. speak out in favor of its teaching：为进化论教育而疾呼

　　speak out：大胆地说，大声地说 in favor of： in support of 支持；赞同

　　7. 80- plus member organizations： 80 多个成员组织。plus:超过的，略大的，如：

　　All the children here are 10plus.这些孩子年龄都在10岁或者10岁以上。 Her mark was B plus。她的分数是 B+。

　　8. address：意为 “to deal with”（处理，解决，对付）。如： . to address the issue of terrorist attack：对付恐怖袭击的问题

　　9. molecular biology：分子生物学

　　10. underlying：意痴 “basic; fundamental”（基础的；基本的）。

　　11. water down：冲淡，掺水，打折扣

　　练习：

　　1. According to the first paragraph, which of the following statements about the theory of evolution is true?

　　A) Government entities support AIBS's effort to defend the theory of evolution.

　　B) School boards oppose AIBS's effort to defend the theory of evolution.

　　C) AIBS and school boards advocate the teaching of the theory of evolution.

　　D) The theory of evolution and that of creationism co-exist peacefully in schools.

　　2. Which one of the following is NOT the reason for an overall lack of teaching Darwin's theory?

　　A) Teaching of creationism diminishes teaching of evolution.

　　B) Teachers are not required to teach Darwin's theory.

　　C) Teachers often leave out the teaching of evolution.

　　D) Darwin's theory is denied as the central theory of biology.

　　3. AIBS is composed of ?

　　A) more than 80 societies and 250,000 members.

　　B) 250,000 biologists.

　　C) 80 member organizations.

　　D) more than 250,000 members and 80 member societies.

　　4. According to Weis in the 5th paragraph, the theory of evolution

　　A) is fundamental to the development of modern genetics, molecular biology and genomics.

　　B) is a political issue.

　　C) is based on genetics, molecular biology and genomics.

　　D) has increased our understanding of human health.

　　E) Because "intelligent design" represents the modified theory of evolution. 1

　　F) Because they believe God created different species.

　　G) Because the term creationism is unscientific.

　　H) Because the term creationism is too direct.

　　答案与题解：

　　1. B 选项A与原意不符。C和D第一段没有涉及。只有B是正确的答案。

　　2. D 根据文章第二段的内容，除了 D以外，A、B、C明显都是学校缺少达尔文进 化论教育的原因。

　　3. A 第三段的最后一个句子提供了答案。

　　4. A 该段第一句告诉我们，没有进化论作为基础知识不可能有遗传学、分子生物学 和基因学上的发现。所以A是正确选项。

　　5. D 人们使用“intelligent design”不仅因为这个词语更带有科学性，而且因为 creationism带有过于明显的宗教色彩。that's too obvious即表达了这层意思。

　　译文：

捍卫进化论仍必要

　　美国生物科学研究所主席JudithS. Weis正发动全国的力量来“捍卫”进化论。研究所 看到了来自学校董事会和政府部门的反对和冷漠,尽管如此，Weis仍带领大家为捍卫进化 论而努力。

　　研究^f认为美国的进化论教育由于神创论教育和高中完全缺少达尔文理论的讲授而减 少。“没有命令要求学校教授进化论。高中老师有肘就忽略了它。然而，从生物学家的角度 来看，进化论是生物学的中心理论，是万物存在的基础，” Weis说。“不幸的是，在美国许 多地方和美国生物科学院，讲授进化论成了一个政治事件，作为生物学家的代表，我想为 进化论教育而疾呼。”

　　Weis说生物学院正和美国的地质研究所和国家生物教师联合会及其80多个成员组 织合作来对抗来自政治上和法律上的关于教授进化论的威胁。在国内，面对进化论教育的 挑战，生物科学院寄信给学校董事会和国家立法机关，在公众会议上展示证据，通知其成 员及联合组织。生物科学院拥有80多个成员社团和250000个成员，它建立了一个电子邮 件系统使各州的科学家和成员社团能相互联合，告知进化论教育面临的威胁。

　　达尔文的进化论主张生物变化以适应它们的环境，并且现有物种（包括人类）是由早 期物种经过自然选择的改造遗传下来的。这个理论已经被科学家接受了近100年，Weis说， 并且由于古生物学的发现和生物学的发展而被完善、拓展、加强。

　　基因、分子生物学和整组遗传因子方面的发现——这些都对人类健康大有好处——如 果离开进化论是不可能实现的。而且，Weis补充说，“现代分子生物学和基因学加深了我 们对进化论的认识。”然而，进化论仍是政治性而非科学性的争议问题。

　　Weis说仅今天，七个州的地方性或全州性地减少了进化论教育或使其处于和神创论教 育同等的地位。神创论是指从宗教上相信物种是由一种更高级的力量，例如上帝分别创造。 “极少有人使用‘神创论’这个词，因为它太明显了，” Weis说：“目前使用的术语是‘天才的设计”。

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