苏菲的世界 Sophies World
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The Natural Philosophers

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 nothing can come from nothing 

When her mother got home from work that afternoon Sophie was sitting in the glider1, pondering the possible connection between the philosophy course and Hilde Moller Knag, who would not be getting a birthday card from her father.

Her mother called from the other end of the garden, "Sophie! There's a letter for you!"

She caught her breath. She had already emptied the mailbox, so the letter had to be from the philosopher. What on earth would she say to her mother?

"There's no stamp on it. It's probably a love letter!"

Sophie took the letter.

"Aren't you going to open it?"

She had to find an excuse.

"Have you ever heard of anyone opening a love letter with her mother looking over her shoulder?"

Let her mother think it was a love letter. Although it was embarrassing enough, it would be even worse if her mother found out that she was doing a correspondence course with a complete stranger, a philosopher who was playing hide-and-seek with her.

It was one of the little white envelopes. When Sophie got upstairs to her room, she found three new questions:

Is there a basic substance that everything else is made of?

Can water turn into wine? How can earth and water produce a live frog!

Sophie found the questions pretty stupid, but nevertheless they kept buzzing around in her head all evening. She was still thinking about them at school the next day, examining them one by one.

Could there be a "basic substance" that everything was made of? If there was some such substance, how could it suddenly turn into a flower or an elephant?

The same objection applied3 to the question of whether water could turn into wine. Sophie knew the parable4 of how Jesus turned water into wine, but she had never taken it literally5. And if Jesus really had turned water into wine, it was because it was a miracle, something that could not be done normally. Sophie knew there was a lot of water, not only in wine but in all other growing things. But even if a cucumber was 95 percent water, there must be something else in it as well, because a cucumber was a cucumber, not water.

And then there was the question about the frog. Her philosophy teacher had this really
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1 glider wgNxU     
n.滑翔机；滑翔导弹
参考例句：
  • The glider was soaring above the valley.那架滑翔机在山谷上空滑翔。
  • The pilot managed to land the glider on a safe place.那个驾驶员设法让滑翔机着陆到一个安全的地方。
2 den 5w9xk     
n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室
参考例句：
  • There is a big fox den on the back hill.后山有一个很大的狐狸窝。
  • The only way to catch tiger cubs is to go into tiger's den.不入虎穴焉得虎子。
3 applied Tz2zXA     
adj.应用的；v.应用，适用
参考例句：
  • She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
  • This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。
4 parable R4hzI     
n.寓言，比喻
参考例句：
  • This is an ancient parable.这是一个古老的寓言。
  • The minister preached a sermon on the parable of the lost sheep.牧师讲道时用了亡羊的比喻。
5 literally 28Wzv     
adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实
参考例句：
  • He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
  • Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。
6 weird bghw8     
adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的
参考例句：
  • From his weird behaviour,he seems a bit of an oddity.从他不寻常的行为看来，他好像有点怪。
  • His weird clothes really gas me.他的怪衣裳简直笑死人。
7 spawn qFUzL     
n.卵，产物，后代，结果；vt.产卵，种菌丝于，产生，造成；vi.产卵，大量生产
参考例句：
  • The fish were madly pushing their way upstream to spawn.鱼群为产卵而疯狂地向上游挤进。
  • These fish will lay spawn in about one month from now.这些鱼大约一个月内会产卵。
8 tadpoles 1abae2c527b80ebae05cd93670639707     
n.蝌蚪( tadpole的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • The pond teemed with tadpoles. 池子里有很多蝌蚪。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Both fish and tadpoles have gills. 鱼和蝌蚪都有鳃。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
9 detours a04ea29bb4d0e6d3a4b19afe8b4dd41f     
绕行的路( detour的名词复数 )； 绕道，兜圈子
参考例句：
  • Local wars and bandits often blocked their travel, making countless detours necessary. 内战和盗匪也常阻挡他们前进，迫使他们绕了无数弯路。
  • Could it be that all these detours had brought them to Moshi Pass? 难道绕来绕去，绕到磨石口来了吗？ 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子
10 precisely zlWzUb     
adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地
参考例句：
  • It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
  • The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。
11 immortal 7kOyr     
adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的
参考例句：
  • The wild cocoa tree is effectively immortal.野生可可树实际上是不会死的。
  • The heroes of the people are immortal!人民英雄永垂不朽！
12 determined duszmP     
adj.坚定的；有决心的
参考例句：
  • I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
  • He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。
13 subjugated d6ce0285c0f3c68d6cada3e4a93be181     
v.征服，降伏( subjugate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • The prince had appeared and subjugated the poor little handmaid. 王子出现了，这使穷苦的小丫头不胜仰慕。 来自辞典例句
  • As we know, rule over subjugated peoples is incompatible with the gentile constitution. 我们知道，对被征服者的统治，是和氏族制度不相容的。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
14 conjugating a06a032f217148ee80bfd171beb92c8a     
vt.使结合（conjugate的现在分词形式）
参考例句：
  • Methods γ-Ty-Folate was synthesized by conjugating folic acid to tyrosine methyl ester through EDC and hydrolyzing. 方法　叶酸(Folate)与酪氨酸甲酯通过EDC连接 ，水解后生成叶酸酪氨酸复合物 (γ Ty Folate)。 来自互联网
15 transformation SnFwO     
n.变化；改造；转变
参考例句：
  • Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
  • He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。
16 transformations dfc3424f78998e0e9ce8980c12f60650     
n.变化( transformation的名词复数 )；转换；转换；变换
参考例句：
  • Energy transformations go on constantly, all about us. 在我们周围，能量始终在不停地转换着。 来自辞典例句
  • On the average, such transformations balance out. 平均起来，这种转化可以互相抵消。 来自辞典例句
17 underlying 5fyz8c     
adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的
参考例句：
  • The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
  • This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。
18 liberated YpRzMi     
a.无拘束的，放纵的
参考例句：
  • The city was liberated by the advancing army. 军队向前挺进，解放了那座城市。
  • The heat brings about a chemical reaction, and oxygen is liberated. 热量引起化学反应，释放出氧气。
19 thereby Sokwv     
adv.因此，从而
参考例句：
  • I have never been to that city,,ereby I don't know much about it.我从未去过那座城市，因此对它不怎么熟悉。
  • He became a British citizen,thereby gaining the right to vote.他成了英国公民，因而得到了投票权。
20 precursors 5e19fce64ab14f5a4b5c8687640c2593     
n.先驱( precursor的名词复数 )；先行者；先兆；初期形式
参考例句：
  • Phenyl (or polyphenyl) substituted epoxides serve as excellent precursors to phenyl (or diphenyl) carbenes. 某些苯代（或多苯）环氧乙烷是制取带苯环（或二苯）碳烯的极好原料。 来自辞典例句
  • Note the presence of megakaryocytes, erythroid islands, and granulocytic precursors. 可见巨核细胞，红细胞岛和粒细胞前体细胞。 来自互联网
21 constituent bpxzK     
n.选民；成分，组分；adj.组成的，构成的
参考例句：
  • Sugar is the main constituent of candy.食糖是糖果的主要成分。
  • Fibre is a natural constituent of a healthy diet.纤维是健康饮食的天然组成部分。
22 minor e7fzR     
adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修
参考例句：
  • The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
  • I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。
23 accurately oJHyf     
adv.准确地，精确地
参考例句：
  • It is hard to hit the ball accurately.准确地击中球很难。
  • Now scientists can forecast the weather accurately.现在科学家们能准确地预报天气。
24 receded a802b3a97de1e72adfeda323ad5e0023     
v.逐渐远离( recede的过去式和过去分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题
参考例句：
  • The floodwaters have now receded. 洪水现已消退。
  • The sound of the truck receded into the distance. 卡车的声音渐渐在远处消失了。
25 delta gxvxZ     
n.（流的）角洲
参考例句：
  • He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
  • The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。
26 vapor DHJy2     
n.蒸汽，雾气
参考例句：
  • The cold wind condenses vapor into rain.冷风使水蒸气凝结成雨。
  • This new machine sometimes transpires a lot of hot vapor.这部机器有时排出大量的热气。
27 surmise jHiz8     
v./n.猜想，推测
参考例句：
  • It turned out that my surmise was correct.结果表明我的推测没有错。
  • I surmise that he will take the job.我推测他会接受这份工作。
28 cockroaches 1936d5f0f3d8e13fc00370b7ef69c14c     
n.蟑螂( cockroach的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • At night, the cockroaches filled the house with their rustlings. 夜里，屋里尽是蟑螂窸窸瑟瑟的声音。 来自辞典例句
  • It loves cockroaches, and can keep a house clear of these hated insects. 它们好食蟑螂，可以使住宅免除这些讨厌昆虫的骚扰。 来自百科语句
29 myriad M67zU     
adj.无数的；n.无数，极大数量
参考例句：
  • They offered no solution for all our myriad problems.对于我们数不清的问题他们束手无策。
  • I had three weeks to make a myriad of arrangements.我花了三个星期做大量准备工作。
30 boundless kt8zZ     
adj.无限的；无边无际的；巨大的
参考例句：
  • The boundless woods were sleeping in the deep repose of nature.无边无际的森林在大自然静寂的怀抱中酣睡着。
  • His gratitude and devotion to the Party was boundless.他对党无限感激、无限忠诚。
31 envisaged 40d5ad82152f6e596b8f8c766f0778db     
想像，设想( envisage的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • He envisaged an old age of loneliness and poverty. 他面对着一个孤独而贫困的晚年。
  • Henry Ford envisaged an important future for the motor car. 亨利·福特为汽车设想了一个远大前程。
32 dense aONzX     
a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的
参考例句：
  • The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。
  • The path was completely covered by the dense foliage. 小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。
33 everlasting Insx7     
adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的
参考例句：
  • These tyres are advertised as being everlasting.广告上说轮胎持久耐用。
  • He believes in everlasting life after death.他相信死后有不朽的生命。
34 flux sg4zJ     
n.流动；不断的改变
参考例句：
  • The market is in a constant state of flux.市场行情在不断变化。
  • In most reactors,there is a significant flux of fast neutrons.在大部分反应堆中都有一定强度的快中子流。
35 equate NolxH     
v.同等看待，使相等
参考例句：
  • You can't equate passing examination and being intelligent.你不能把考试及格看成是聪明。
  • You cannot equate his poems with his plays.你不可以把他的诗歌和他的剧本相提并论。
36 tally Gg1yq     
n.计数器，记分，一致，测量；vt.计算，记录，使一致；vi.计算，记分，一致
参考例句：
  • Don't forget to keep a careful tally of what you spend.别忘了仔细记下你的开支账目。
  • The facts mentioned in the report tally to every detail.报告中所提到的事实都丝毫不差。
37 abiding uzMzxC     
adj.永久的，持久的，不变的
参考例句：
  • He had an abiding love of the English countryside.他永远热爱英国的乡村。
  • He has a genuine and abiding love of the craft.他对这门手艺有着真挚持久的热爱。
38 pointed Il8zB4     
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。
39 inevitable 5xcyq     
adj.不可避免的，必然发生的
参考例句：
  • Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
  • The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。
40 mythology I6zzV     
n.神话，神话学，神话集
参考例句：
  • In Greek mythology,Zeus was the ruler of Gods and men.在希腊神话中，宙斯是众神和人类的统治者。
  • He is the hero of Greek mythology.他是希腊民间传说中的英雄。
41 entity vo8xl     
n.实体，独立存在体，实际存在物
参考例句：
  • The country is no longer one political entity.这个国家不再是一个统一的政治实体了。
  • As a separate legal entity,the corporation must pay taxes.作为一个独立的法律实体，公司必须纳税。
42 dictate fvGxN     
v.口授；(使)听写；指令，指示，命令
参考例句：
  • It took him a long time to dictate this letter.口述这封信花了他很长时间。
  • What right have you to dictate to others?你有什么资格向别人发号施令？
43 sensory Azlwe     
adj.知觉的，感觉的，知觉器官的
参考例句：
  • Human powers of sensory discrimination are limited.人类感官分辨能力有限。
  • The sensory system may undergo long-term adaptation in alien environments.感觉系统对陌生的环境可能经过长时期才能适应。
44 tangle yIQzn     
n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱
参考例句：
  • I shouldn't tangle with Peter.He is bigger than me.我不应该与彼特吵架。他的块头比我大。
  • If I were you, I wouldn't tangle with them.我要是你，我就不跟他们争吵。
45 dictates d2524bb575c815758f62583cd796af09     
n.命令，规定，要求( dictate的名词复数 )v.大声讲或读( dictate的第三人称单数 )；口授；支配；摆布
参考例句：
  • Convention dictates that a minister should resign in such a situation. 依照常规部长在这种情况下应该辞职。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He always follows the dictates of common sense. 他总是按常识行事。 来自《简明英汉词典》
46 illustrates a03402300df9f3e3716d9eb11aae5782     
给…加插图( illustrate的第三人称单数 )； 说明； 表明； （用示例、图画等）说明
参考例句：
  • This historical novel illustrates the breaking up of feudal society in microcosm. 这部历史小说是走向崩溃的封建社会的缩影。
  • Alfred Adler, a famous doctor, had an experience which illustrates this. 阿尔弗莱德 - 阿德勒是一位著名的医生，他有过可以说明这点的经历。 来自中级百科部分
47 illustrate IaRxw     
v.举例说明，阐明；图解，加插图
参考例句：
  • The company's bank statements illustrate its success.这家公司的银行报表说明了它的成功。
  • This diagram will illustrate what I mean.这个图表可说明我的意思。
48 purely 8Sqxf     
adv.纯粹地，完全地
参考例句：
  • I helped him purely and simply out of friendship.我帮他纯粹是出于友情。
  • This disproves the theory that children are purely imitative.这证明认为儿童只会单纯地模仿的理论是站不住脚的。
49 primordial 11PzK     
adj.原始的；最初的
参考例句：
  • It is the primordial force that propels us forward.它是推动我们前进的原始动力。
  • The Neanderthal Man is one of our primordial ancestors.的尼安德特人是我们的原始祖先之一.
50 disintegrates af9a7305b194c0803ccafe9c63d1befc     
n.（使）破裂[分裂，粉碎]，（使）崩溃( disintegrate的名词复数 )v.（使）破裂[分裂，粉碎]，（使）崩溃( disintegrate的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
  • Particles rain down from the slug and it finally disintegrates. 颗粒从上面纷纷下落，最后腾涌消失。 来自辞典例句
  • When the uranium disintegrates, it changes into lead. 当铀蜕变时，它变成了铅。 来自辞典例句
51 remains 1kMzTy     
n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹
参考例句：
  • He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
  • The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。
52 strife NrdyZ     
n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争
参考例句：
  • We do not intend to be drawn into the internal strife.我们不想卷入内乱之中。
  • Money is a major cause of strife in many marriages.金钱是造成很多婚姻不和的一个主要原因。
53 binds c1d4f6440575ef07da0adc7e8adbb66c     
v.约束( bind的第三人称单数 )；装订；捆绑；（用长布条）缠绕
参考例句：
  • Frost binds the soil. 霜使土壤凝结。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Stones and cement binds strongly. 石头和水泥凝固得很牢。 来自《简明英汉词典》
54 depicts fd8ee09c0b2264bb6b44abf7282d37f6     
描绘，描画( depict的第三人称单数 )； 描述
参考例句：
  • The book vividly depicts French society of the 1930s. 这本书生动地描绘了20 世纪30 年代的法国社会。
  • He depicts the sordid and vulgar sides of life exclusively. 他只描写人生肮脏和庸俗的一面。
55 bumper jssz8     
n.(汽车上的)保险杠；adj.特大的，丰盛的
参考例句：
  • The painting represents the scene of a bumper harvest.这幅画描绘了丰收的景象。
  • This year we have a bumper harvest in grain.今年我们谷物丰收。
56 nucleus avSyg     
n.核，核心，原子核
参考例句：
  • These young people formed the nucleus of the club.这些年轻人成了俱乐部的核心。
  • These councils would form the nucleus of a future regime.这些委员会将成为一个未来政权的核心。
57 blueprint 6Rky6     
n.蓝图，设计图，计划；vt.制成蓝图，计划
参考例句：
  • All the machine parts on a blueprint must answer each other.设计图上所有的机器部件都应互相配合。
  • The documents contain a blueprint for a nuclear device.文件内附有一张核装置的设计蓝图。
58 minuscule V76zS     
adj.非常小的；极不重要的
参考例句：
  • The human race only a minuscule portion of the earth's history.人类只有占有极小部分地球历史。
  • As things stand,Hong Kong's renminbi banking system is minuscule.就目前的情况而言，香港的人民币银行体系可谓微不足道。
59 atheism vvVzU     
n.无神论，不信神
参考例句：
  • Atheism is the opinion that there is no God.无神论是认为不存在上帝的看法。
  • Atheism is a hot topic.无神论是个热门话题。
60 meteorite 2wNy1     
n.陨石；流星
参考例句：
  • The meteorite in Jilin Exhibition Hall is believed to be the largest in the world.吉林展览馆的陨石被认为是世界上最大的。
  • The famous Murchison meteorite smashed into the Australian ground in 1969.1969年著名的默奇森陨石轰然坠落在澳大利亚。
61 thicket So0wm     
n.灌木丛，树林
参考例句：
  • A thicket makes good cover for animals to hide in.丛林是动物的良好隐蔽处。
  • We were now at the margin of the thicket.我们现在已经来到了丛林的边缘。
62 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的
参考例句：
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
63 philosophically 5b1e7592f40fddd38186dac7bc43c6e0     
adv.哲学上；富有哲理性地；贤明地；冷静地
参考例句：
  • He added philosophically that one should adapt oneself to the changed conditions. 他富于哲理地补充说，一个人应该适应变化了的情况。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Harry took his rejection philosophically. 哈里达观地看待自己被拒的事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

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