YOU remember — it’s not so long ago — the talk there was about Dredge’s “Arrival of the Fittest”? The talk has subsided¹, but the book of course remains²: stands up, in fact, as the tallest thing of its kind since — well, I’d almost said since “The Origin of Species.”

I’m not wrong, at any rate, in calling it the most important contribution yet made to the development of the Darwinian theory, or rather to the solution of the awkward problem about which that theory has had to make such a circuit. Dredge’s hypothesis will be contested, may one day be disproved; but at least it has swept out of the way all previous conjectures⁴, including of course Lanfear’s magnificent attempt; and for our generation of scientific investigators⁵ it will serve as the first safe bridge across a murderous black whirlpool.

It’s all very interesting — there are few things more stirring to the imagination than that sudden projection⁶ of the new hypothesis, light as a cobweb and strong as steel, across the intellectual abyss; but, for an idle observer of human motives⁷, the other, the personal, side of Dredge’s case is even more interesting and arresting.

Personal side? You didn’t know there was one? Pictured him simply as a thinking machine, a highly specialized⁸ instrument of precision, the result of a long series of “adaptations,” as his own jargon⁹ would put it? Well, I don’t wonder — if you’ve met him. He does give the impression of being something out of his own laboratory: a delicate scientific instrument that reveals wonders to the initiated10

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1 subsided
v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上
参考例句：
After the heavy rains part of the road subsided. 大雨过后，部分公路塌陷了。 来自《简明英汉词典》 By evening the storm had subsided and all was quiet again. 傍晚， 暴风雨已经过去，四周开始沉寂下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 remains
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。

3 conjecture
n./v.推测，猜测
参考例句：
She felt it no use to conjecture his motives.她觉得猜想他的动机是没有用的。 This conjecture is not supported by any real evidence.这种推测未被任何确切的证据所证实。

4 conjectures
推测，猜想( conjecture的名词复数 )
参考例句：
That's weighing remote military conjectures against the certain deaths of innocent people. 那不过是牵强附会的军事假设，而现在的事实却是无辜者正在惨遭杀害，这怎能同日而语！ I was right in my conjectures. 我所猜测的都应验了。

5 investigators
n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )
参考例句：
This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。 The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 projection
n.发射，计划，突出部分
参考例句：
Projection takes place with a minimum of awareness or conscious control.投射在最少的知觉或意识控制下发生。 The projection of increases in number of house-holds is correct.对户数增加的推算是正确的。

7 motives
n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 )
参考例句：
to impeach sb's motives 怀疑某人的动机 His motives are unclear. 他的用意不明。

8 specialized
adj.专门的，专业化的
参考例句：
There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations.联合国有许多专门机构。 These tools are very specialized.这些是专用工具。

9 jargon
n.术语，行话
参考例句：
They will not hear critics with their horrible jargon.他们不愿意听到评论家们那些可怕的行话。 It is important not to be overawed by the mathematical jargon.要紧的是不要被数学的术语所吓倒.

10 initiated
n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始，创始，启蒙，介绍加入
参考例句：
He has not yet been thoroughly initiated into the mysteries of computers. 他对计算机的奥秘尚未入门。 The artist initiated the girl into the art world in France. 这个艺术家介绍这个女孩加入巴黎艺术界。

11 lout
n.粗鄙的人；举止粗鲁的人
参考例句：
He's just an ill-bred lout.他是个缺乏教养的乡巴佬。 He had no training, no skills and he was just a big, bungling,useless lout!什么也不行，什么也不会，自己只是个傻大黑粗的废物！

12 sketchy
adj.写生的，写生风格的，概略的
参考例句：
The material he supplied is too sketchy.他提供的材料过于简略。 Details of what actually happened are still sketchy.对于已发生事实的详细情况知道的仍然有限。

13 bungalow
n.平房，周围有阳台的木造小平房
参考例句：
A bungalow does not have an upstairs.平房没有上层。 The old couple sold that large house and moved into a small bungalow.老两口卖掉了那幢大房子，搬进了小平房。

14 elegance
n.优雅；优美，雅致；精致，巧妙
参考例句：
The furnishings in the room imparted an air of elegance.这个房间的家具带给这房间一种优雅的气氛。 John has been known for his sartorial elegance.约翰因为衣着讲究而出名。

15 plunged
v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降
参考例句：
The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。 She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

16 doorway
n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径
参考例句：
They huddled in the shop doorway to shelter from the rain.他们挤在商店门口躲雨。 Mary suddenly appeared in the doorway.玛丽突然出现在门口。

17 dodging
n.避开，闪过，音调改变v.闪躲( dodge的现在分词 )；回避
参考例句：
He ran across the road, dodging the traffic. 他躲开来往的车辆跑过马路。 I crossed the highway, dodging the traffic. 我避开车流穿过了公路。 来自辞典例句

18 peril
n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物
参考例句：
The refugees were in peril of death from hunger.难民有饿死的危险。 The embankment is in great peril.河堤岌岌可危。

19 entangled
adj.卷入的；陷入的；被缠住的；缠在一起的v.使某人（某物/自己）缠绕，纠缠于（某物中），使某人（自己）陷入（困难或复杂的环境中）( entangle的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The bird had become entangled in the wire netting. 那只小鸟被铁丝网缠住了。 Some military observers fear the US could get entangled in another war. 一些军事观察家担心美国会卷入另一场战争。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 dowdy
adj.不整洁的；过旧的
参考例句：
She was in a dowdy blue frock.她穿了件不大洁净的蓝上衣。 She looked very plain and dowdy.她长得非常普通，衣也过时。

21 proximity
n.接近，邻近
参考例句：
Marriages in proximity of blood are forbidden by the law.法律规定禁止近亲结婚。 Their house is in close proximity to ours.他们的房子很接近我们的。

22 invalid
n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的
参考例句：
He will visit an invalid.他将要去看望一个病人。 A passport that is out of date is invalid.护照过期是无效的。

23 privately
adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地
参考例句：
Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。 The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。

24 lamented
adj.被哀悼的，令人遗憾的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
her late lamented husband 她那令人怀念的已故的丈夫 We lamented over our bad luck. 我们为自己的不幸而悲伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

25 encumbering
v.妨碍，阻碍，拖累( encumber的现在分词 )
参考例句：
She had helped Mr. Gryce to bestow his encumbering properties beneath the table. 她帮着古莱斯先生把他那些乱堆着的提包安置在桌子底下。 来自辞典例句

26 personalities
n. 诽谤，（对某人容貌、性格等所进行的）人身攻击； 人身攻击；人格, 个性, 名人( personality的名词复数 )
参考例句：
There seemed to be a degree of personalities in her remarks.她话里有些人身攻击的成分。 Personalities are not in good taste in general conversation.在一般的谈话中诽谤他人是不高尚的。

27 obtrusive
adj.显眼的；冒失的
参考例句：
These heaters are less obtrusive and are easy to store away in the summer.这些加热器没那么碍眼，夏天收起来也很方便。 The factory is an obtrusive eyesore.这工厂很刺眼。

28 lavish
adj.无节制的；浪费的；vt.慷慨地给予，挥霍
参考例句：
He despised people who were lavish with their praises.他看不起那些阿谀奉承的人。 The sets and costumes are lavish.布景和服装极尽奢华。

29 endearments
n.表示爱慕的话语，亲热的表示( endearment的名词复数 )
参考例句：
They were whispering endearments to each other. 他们彼此低声倾吐着爱慕之情。 He held me close to him, murmuring endearments. 他抱紧了我，喃喃述说着爱意。 来自辞典例句

30 gratitude
adj.感激，感谢
参考例句：
I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。 She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。

31 spouting
n.水落管系统v.（指液体）喷出( spout的现在分词 )；滔滔不绝地讲；喋喋不休地说；喷水
参考例句：
He's always spouting off about the behaviour of young people today. 他总是没完没了地数落如今年轻人的行为。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Blood was spouting from the deep cut in his arm. 血从他胳膊上深深的伤口里涌出来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

32 sentimental
adj.多愁善感的，感伤的
参考例句：
She's a sentimental woman who believes marriage comes by destiny.她是多愁善感的人，她相信姻缘命中注定。 We were deeply touched by the sentimental movie.我们深深被那感伤的电影所感动。

33 petrify
vt.使发呆；使…变成化石
参考例句：
A political deadlock may petrify economic initiatives.政治僵局可能会使经济发展停滞。 Slogans petrify our thinking.口号僵化了我们的思想。

34 assertive
adj.果断的，自信的，有冲劲的
参考例句：
She always speaks an assertive tone.她总是以果断的语气说话。 China appears to have become more assertive in the waters off its coastline over recent years.在近些年，中国显示出对远方海洋的自信。

35 judgments
判断( judgment的名词复数 )； 鉴定； 评价； 审判
参考例句：
A peculiar austerity marked his judgments of modern life. 他对现代生活的批评带着一种特殊的苛刻。 He is swift with his judgments. 他判断迅速。

36 remarkable
adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的
参考例句：
She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。 These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

37 precocious
adj.早熟的；较早显出的
参考例句：
They become precocious experts in tragedy.他们成了一批思想早熟、善写悲剧的能手。 Margaret was always a precocious child.玛格丽特一直是个早熟的孩子。

38 adverse
adj.不利的；有害的；敌对的，不友好的
参考例句：
He is adverse to going abroad.他反对出国。 The improper use of medicine could lead to severe adverse reactions.用药不当会产生严重的不良反应。

39 offset
n.分支，补偿；v.抵消，补偿
参考例句：
Their wage increases would be offset by higher prices.他们增加的工资会被物价上涨所抵消。 He put up his prices to offset the increased cost of materials.他提高了售价以补偿材料成本的增加。

40 reluctance
n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿
参考例句：
The police released Andrew with reluctance.警方勉强把安德鲁放走了。 He showed the greatest reluctance to make a reply.他表示很不愿意答复。

41 aptitude
n.(学习方面的)才能，资质，天资
参考例句：
That student has an aptitude for mathematics.那个学生有数学方面的天赋。 As a child,he showed an aptitude for the piano.在孩提时代，他显露出对于钢琴的天赋。

42 plodding
a.proceeding in a slow or dull way
参考例句：
They're still plodding along with their investigation. 他们仍然在不厌其烦地进行调查。 He is plodding on with negotiations. 他正缓慢艰难地进行着谈判。

43 adoption
n.采用，采纳，通过；收养
参考例句：
An adoption agency had sent the boys to two different families.一个收养机构把他们送给两个不同的家庭。 The adoption of this policy would relieve them of a tremendous burden.采取这一政策会给他们解除一个巨大的负担。

44 helping
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的
参考例句：
The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。 By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

45 devoted
adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的
参考例句：
He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。 We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

46 subsidies
n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )
参考例句：
European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。 Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》

47 dividend
n.红利，股息；回报，效益
参考例句：
The company was forced to pass its dividend.该公司被迫到期不分红。 The first quarter dividend has been increased by nearly 4 per cent.第一季度的股息增长了近 4%。

48 abjectness
凄惨； 绝望； 卑鄙； 卑劣
参考例句：

49 fully
adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地
参考例句：
The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。 They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

50 lamenting
adj.悲伤的，悲哀的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的现在分词 )
参考例句：
Katydids were lamenting fall's approach. 蝈蝈儿正为秋天临近而哀鸣。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 Lamenting because the papers hadn't been destroyed and the money kept. 她正在吃后悔药呢，后悔自己没有毁了那张字条，把钱昧下来！ 来自英汉文学 - 败坏赫德莱堡

51 coax
v.哄诱，劝诱，用诱哄得到，诱取
参考例句：
I had to coax the information out of him.我得用好话套出他掌握的情况。 He tried to coax the secret from me.他试图哄骗我说出秘方。

52 blizzard
n.暴风雪
参考例句：
The blizzard struck while we were still on the mountain.我们还在山上的时候暴风雪就袭来了。 You'll have to stay here until the blizzard blows itself off.你得等暴风雪停了再走。

53 bestow
v.把…赠与，把…授予；花费
参考例句：
He wished to bestow great honors upon the hero.他希望将那些伟大的荣誉授予这位英雄。 What great inspiration wiII you bestow on me?你有什么伟大的灵感能馈赠给我？

54 cowering
v.畏缩，抖缩( cower的现在分词 )
参考例句：
He turned his baleful glare on the cowering suspect. 他恶毒地盯着那个蜷缩成一团的嫌疑犯。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He stood over the cowering Herb with fists of fury. 他紧握着两个拳头怒气冲天地站在惊魂未定的赫伯面前。 来自辞典例句

55 diminutive
adj.小巧可爱的，小的
参考例句：
Despite its diminutive size,the car is quite comfortable.尽管这辆车很小，但相当舒服。 She has diminutive hands for an adult.作为一个成年人，她的手显得非常小。

56 knuckles
n.（指人）指关节( knuckle的名词复数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝v.（指人）指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝
参考例句：
He gripped the wheel until his knuckles whitened. 他紧紧握住方向盘，握得指关节都变白了。 Her thin hands were twisted by swollen knuckles. 她那双纤手因肿大的指关节而变了形。 来自《简明英汉词典》

57 butt
n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶
参考例句：
The water butt catches the overflow from this pipe.大水桶盛接管子里流出的东西。 He was the butt of their jokes.他是他们的笑柄。

58 virtuous
adj.有品德的，善良的，贞洁的，有效力的
参考例句：
She was such a virtuous woman that everybody respected her.她是个有道德的女性，人人都尊敬她。 My uncle is always proud of having a virtuous wife.叔叔一直为娶到一位贤德的妻子而骄傲。

59 obtuseness
感觉迟钝
参考例句：
Much of the contentment of that time was based on moral obtuseness. 对那个年代的满意是基于道德上的一种惰性。 来自互联网

60 latitude
n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区
参考例句：
The latitude of the island is 20 degrees south.该岛的纬度是南纬20度。 The two cities are at approximately the same latitude.这两个城市差不多位于同一纬度上。

61 banter
n.嘲弄，戏谑；v.取笑，逗弄，开玩笑
参考例句：
The actress exchanged banter with reporters.女演员与记者相互开玩笑。 She engages in friendly banter with her customers.她常和顾客逗乐。

62 obstinately
ad.固执地，顽固地
参考例句：
He obstinately asserted that he had done the right thing. 他硬说他做得对。 Unemployment figures are remaining obstinately high. 失业数字仍然顽固地居高不下。

63 lapsed
adj.流失的，堕落的v.退步( lapse的过去式和过去分词 )；陷入；倒退；丧失
参考例句：
He had lapsed into unconsciousness. 他陷入了昏迷状态。 He soon lapsed into his previous bad habits. 他很快陷入以前的恶习中去。 来自《简明英汉词典》

64 inertia
adj.惰性，惯性，懒惰，迟钝
参考例句：
We had a feeling of inertia in the afternoon.下午我们感觉很懒。 Inertia carried the plane onto the ground.飞机靠惯性着陆。

65 benefactor
n. 恩人，行善的人，捐助人
参考例句：
The chieftain of that country is disguised as a benefactor this time. 那个国家的首领这一次伪装出一副施恩者的姿态。 The first thing I did, was to recompense my original benefactor, my good old captain. 我所做的第一件事, 就是报答我那最初的恩人, 那位好心的老船长。

66 fidelity
n.忠诚，忠实；精确
参考例句：
There is nothing like a dog's fidelity.没有什么能比得上狗的忠诚。 His fidelity and industry brought him speedy promotion.他的尽职及勤奋使他很快地得到晋升。

67 deride
v.嘲弄，愚弄
参考例句：
Some critics deride the group as self - appointed food police.一些批评人士嘲讽这个组织为“自封的食品警察”。 They deride his effort as childish.他们嘲笑他的努力，认为太孩子气。

68 guardian
n.监护人；守卫者，保护者
参考例句：
The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。 The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。

69 reverence
n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬
参考例句：
He was a bishop who was held in reverence by all.他是一位被大家都尊敬的主教。 We reverence tradition but will not be fettered by it.我们尊重传统，但不被传统所束缚。

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