Peacocks strut; bowerbirds build lovenests; spiders giftwrap flies in silk. 【F1】 Such courtship rituals play an important role i

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问题     Peacocks strut; bowerbirds build lovenests; spiders giftwrap flies in silk. 【F1】 Such courtship rituals play an important role in what Charles Darwin called sexual selection: when the female of a species bears most of the costs of reproduction, males use extravagant displays and gifts to demonstrate their "reproductive fitness" and females choose between them. For human males, shards of a crystalline form of carbon often feature. A diamond engagement ring signals a man’s taste, wealth and commitment, all to persuade a woman that he is a good bet.
Now, that promise is dimming. Though a growing Chinese middle class will probably prop up demand for a while, millennials in Western countries seem keener on memorable experiences than on bling. 【F2】 Diamonds’ image has been blemished by some being mined in warzones and sold to pay for the fighting. Meanwhile, laboratory-grown "synthetic" diamonds, long fit only for industrial use, are becoming good enough to compete with gems from out of the ground.
    Greater equality for women might seem to render male-courtship displays redundant. But mating preferences evolved over millennia and will not change quickly. If diamonds were to cease being a way to signal a man’s marriageability, what might take their place?
    A different gift, perhaps. In China skewed sex ratios mean that a prospective bridegroom must own an apartment and shower his future in-laws with cash. But a glittering stone goes to the woman, not her family. 【F3】 And it is more than a gift; it is a status symbol, demonstrating that even as a man approaches the expenses of married life, he can still splash out on a bauble. Or a man could rely on more generic forms of display, such as a fancy degree, good job or sharp suit. But these can impress one woman as easily as another, or several simultaneously. He must show commitment—a need not unique to courtship. Salvadoran gangsters get extravagant tattoos; Japanese yakuza cut off a fingertip. These visible signs of allegiance make it hard to defect, and impose heavy costs. But as marriage proposals they would fall short.  Few women would feel proud to carry around their fiancé’s severed pinkie.
    Love is a multifaceted thing.
    【F4】 Many millennial women seek a mate who is creative, charitable and earns enough not to live with his parents. The millionaire founder of a startup that makes an app to teach yoga to orphans would be ideal. 【F5】 As a token of his commitment, a suitor might offer the object of his affections 51% of his shares—so much nicer than a joint bank account. Less eligible men could offer instead to link Uber accounts , thus entwining the couple’s reputations: their joint five-star rating would be at risk if either misbehaved. Uber-linking would also allow each to keep track of the other’s whereabouts, discouraging infidelity. Whatever ultimately replaces diamonds, it will surely be digital, not worn on a digit.
【F3】

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答案并且,这宝石已不单单是一份礼物了:它是社会地位的象征,证明了这个男人即使要承担未来婚后的生活费用,也仍然能在珠宝上挥金如土。

解析 此句是简单句,此句中的it指代上文中提到的diamond,句中的it是主语,is是系动词,a gift是表语;冒号后的句子是同位语从句,对上句作补充说明,其主干为it is a status symbol,demonstrating..为动词-ing引导的伴随状语,that引导宾语从句,其中该宾语从句的主干为he can still splash out on a bauble,even as引导让步状语从句。并列结构中的同等句子成分往往会被省略,翻译这样的省略句时,既可以将省略的成分补充出来,也可以为了避免重复,用代词指代被省略的内容或者不翻译被省略的内容,例:While it is easy to ignore in our contact with them the effect of our acts upon their disposition,it is not so easy as in dealing with adults.虽然在与年轻人接触的时候,我们容易忽略自己的行为对他们性格产生的影响,但这并不像与成年人打交道那么简单。while引导让步状语从句while it is easy to…,其中it作形式主语,不定式短语to ignore…是真正的主语,in our contact with them在句子中是介词短语作状语,分离了ignore和它的宾语;主句 is not so easy as in dealing with adults采用了比较结构,仍然采用了it作形式主语,联系上文,不难看出so easy后省略了真正主语to ignore the effect of our acts upon their disposition。在翻译时,我们要补译。
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