纪录片《熟食造就了人类吗》 第21期：高产的聪明动物

Surely the first thing that happened in the change to a modern kind of diet

饮食方式向现代化的转变 最初肯定是这样的

was when people controlled fire

人们学会了控制火源

and then probably just accidentally dropped food in it.

然后很可能是无意间 将食物掉进火里

And then they'd have tried that food

接着 他们尝了尝火烧过的食物

and they'd have found it was delicious.

发现它们美味可口

That set us off on a whole new direction,

从此人类有了新的进化方向

because the acquisition of cooking

因为如果说学会烹饪

was probably the most important increase

有可能是人类历史上

in the quality of diet in the history of life,

饮食质量最重要的提高

but certainly in the history of human evolution.

那在人类进化史上 这点毋庸置疑

Many scientists do not agree that cooking

许多科学家都认为烹饪

could have been the cause of such a dramatic step.

不可能带来如此引人注目的飞跃

They think that the ability to adapt to new environments

他们认为适应新环境

and to interact successfully with those around them

以及与环境和谐共存的能力

are also important influences.

也都是重要的影响因素

One of the major ideas is

他们的主要观点之一就是

that we evolved our large, complex brains

我们进化出大而复杂的大脑

to cope with our social environment.

以适应社会环境的变化

What we find in primate¹ societies

在灵长类动物社群中 我们发现

is not necessarily the biggest, strongest individuals

最高大 最强壮的个体

which have the highest reproductive success,

不一定是最高产的

it's often the cleverest -

但常是最聪明的

those that can manipulate others, form coalitions²

它们能够操纵其他同类 建立联盟

and get themselves into a higher position of social standing³.

以提高自己的社会地位

1 primate   

n.灵长类（目）动物，首席主教；adj.首要的

参考例句：

• 14 percent of primate species are highly endangered.14%的灵长类物种处于高度濒危状态。
• The woolly spider monkey is the largest primate in the Americas.绒毛蛛猴是美洲最大的灵长类动物。

2 coalitions   

结合体，同盟( coalition的名词复数 )； （两党或多党）联合政府

参考例句：

• History testifies to the ineptitude of coalitions in waging war. 历史昭示我们，多数国家联合作战，其进行甚为困难。
• All the coalitions in history have disintegrated sooner or later. 历史上任何联盟迟早都垮台了。

3 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。