Presented by Luo Zhaohui

South China Normal University

That Astounding Creator—That Astounding Creator—

NatureNatureJean George

Purpose of the articlePurpose of the article

To show that some physical features of animals, no matter how odd, are the result of nature’s work to facilitate their survival in their particular environment.

To illustrate the effect that nature (natural environment) can have on the biological features of a certain species.

Darwinism ? Darwinism ? On the Origin of SpeciesOn the Origin of 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 said 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 God’s own image. Then in the middle of 19th century, Darwin changed this deeply established idea and shocked the world with his theories of species, adaptation 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 process 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 Origin of Species in 1859. This entry first formulates ‘Darwin's 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 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 approaches in evolutionary biology by focusing on these themes. 

Organization and developmentOrganization and development

Begin with question, call for reader’s attention

Conclusion: if any adaption is possible, nature has tried it.

Illustrations: features of animals less well-known or rarely observed. What ?

thesis statement: ?

Dictionary WorkDictionary Work

lily 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( 修饰 ); having a very neat c

lean appearance; bobbing — Moving up and down; strainer — Filter; sieve; 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; preposterous — 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 person which causes them to be seriously harmed, especially as a punishment. Something that causes misery, destruction or death; (pl. nemeses) 天谴，报应，惩罚，天敌

Herpetologist — One who studies reptiles and amphibians; molt —(of birds, insects, reptiles, etc.) shed the feather of s

kin that will be succeed by a new growth; lunge — A sudden forward thrust; bizarre — Markedly unusual

Library WorkLibrary Work

Moose 麋 Grebe 鸟 （ pi ti ） Pickerelweed 眼子菜 Koala 树袋熊 Eucalyptus 桉树 Angler fish 鮟鱇鱼，琵琶鱼 Bullfrog 牛蛙 Shrew 地鼠 Woodcock 丘鹬鸟

Snipe 鹬 Sea anemone 海葵 Jacana 水雉 Lizard 蜥蜴 Skink 石龙子 Hawk 鹰 Portuguese man-of-water 僧帽水母 Lungfish 肺鱼

Mayfly 蜉蝣 （不同于“浮游”） Reindeer 驯鹿 Scorpion 蝎子 Toucan /`tu:kæn/ 巨嘴鸟 Horned toad 角蟾，角蜥

grebe

koala

Angler fish

bullfrog

woodcock

sea anemone

jacana /ʒa:səˋna:/

skink

Portuguese man-of-war

lungfish

mayfly

reindeer

toucan

horned toad/horny toad