万物简史 第514期:丰富多彩的生命(10)
英语课
Rarely has a man been more comfortable with his own greatness. 很少有人像他那样心安理得地对待自己的名气。
He spent much of his leisure time penning long and flattering portraits of himself, 他花了很多业余时间来绘制和美化自己的肖像，
declaring that there had never "been a greater botanist 1 or zoologist," 宣称从来没有出过“一个更伟大的植物学家或动物学家”，
and that his system of classification was "the greatest achievement in the realm of science." 他的分类体系是“科学领域最伟大的成就”。
Modestly he suggested that his gravestone should bear the inscription 2 Princeps Botanicorum, "Prince of Botanists 3." 他还谦虚地提出，他的墓碑上应当写上“植物王子”的墓志铭。
It was never wise to question his generous self-assessments. 对他的赞扬备至的自我评估提出质疑绝对不是一件明智的事。
Those who did so were apt to find they had weeds named after them. 这么做的人往往发现自己的名字被用来命名野草。
Linnaeus's other striking quality was an abiding 4 — at times, one might say, a feverish 5 — preoccupation with sex. 林奈的另一个鲜明特点是他持久不变地——有时候可以说是狂热地——对性感兴趣。
He was particularly struck by the similarity between certain bivalves and the female pudenda. 某些双壳类动物和女性外阴的相似性给他留下了尤其深刻的印象。
To the parts of one species of clam 6 he gave the names vulva, labia, pubes, anus, and hymen. 有一种蛤蜊的一些部位他给起名为“外阴”、“阴唇”、“阴毛”、“肛门”，以及“处女膜”。
He grouped plants by the nature of their reproductive organs and endowed them with an arrestingly anthropomorphic amorousness 7. 他按照生殖器官来对植物进行分类，把它描述述得会像人那样谈情说爱。
His descriptions of flowers and their behavior are full of references to "promiscuous 8 intercourse," "barren concubines," and "the bridal bed." 他在描述花朵及其行为时，经常提到“乱交”、“不能生育的情妇”和“新婚之床”。
In spring, he wrote in one oft-quoted passage: 到了春天，他在一段经常被引用的话里写道：
Love comes even to the plants. Males and females ... hold their nuptials 9 ... showing by their sexual organs which are males, which females. 爱情甚至来到植物中间。男男女女……举行婚礼……以性器官来显示谁是男的，谁是女的。
n.植物学家
- The botanist introduced a new species of plant to the region.那位植物学家向该地区引入了一种新植物。
- I had never talked with a botanist before,and I found him fascinating.我从没有接触过植物学那一类的学者，我觉得他说话极有吸引力。
n.（尤指石块上的）刻印文字，铭文，碑文
- The inscription has worn away and can no longer be read.铭文已磨损，无法辨认了。
- He chiselled an inscription on the marble.他在大理石上刻碑文。
n.植物学家，研究植物的人( botanist的名词复数 )
- Botanists had some difficulty categorizing the newly found plant. 植物学家们不大容易确定这种新发现的植物的种类。 来自辞典例句
- Botanists refer this flower to the rose family. 植物学家将这花归入蔷薇科。 来自辞典例句
adj.永久的，持久的，不变的
- 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。
adj.发烧的，狂热的，兴奋的
- He is too feverish to rest.他兴奋得安静不下来。
- They worked with feverish haste to finish the job.为了完成此事他们以狂热的速度工作着。
n.蛤，蛤肉
- Yup!I also like clam soup and sea cucumbers.对呀！我还喜欢蛤仔汤和海参。
- The barnacle and the clam are two examples of filter feeders.藤壶和蛤类是滤过觅食者的两种例子。
- The age of brisk amorousness had given way to that of storm and stress. 活泼多情的时代已让位于动乱的时代。 来自互联网
adj.杂乱的，随便的
- They were taking a promiscuous stroll when it began to rain.他们正在那漫无目的地散步，突然下起雨来。
- Alec know that she was promiscuous and superficial.亚历克知道她是乱七八糟和浅薄的。
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