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.
【F5】

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答案为显诚意,求婚者也许会让渡自己的51%的股份给女方——这绝对要比一个银行联合账户好得多。

解析 本句为复合句。该句主干的主语为a suitor,谓语为might offer,间接宾语为the object of his affections,直接宾语为51%of his shares。than引导的为比较状语。这里把the object of his affections意译为“女方或者追求对象”,符合汉语的行文习惯。
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