The Theory of Evolution

Charles Darwin based his theory of evolution on his observations as a

naturalist. He noticed that animals produce more young than they need to
replace themselves. He also noticed that animals of the same species can be
different, and that the young inherit these differences from their parents.

Imagine a bird species. One day a bird is born with a beak that is longer than
the beak of other birds in the species. a Perhaps this longer beak helps the bird
to catch more food. Because the bird can catch more food, it is healthier than
the other birds. b It will possibly live longer as a result. The chicks inherit the
gene for the longer beak. They also live longer and therefore have more chicks.
The gene continues

from generation to generation. c Eventually, it is possible that all the birds in the
species will have the longer beak.

d We are certain that this process takes thousands of years. The better adapted
animals are more successful. e When a species cannot evolve fast enough, it is
possible for it to die out. f Perhaps this explains the disappearance of the
dinosaurs.

Darwin's Theory of Evolution is based on what we can see now. g It is not

possible for us to be sure that it is correct. That is why it is a theory and not a
law.

//ðə ˈθɪəri ɒv ˌiːvəˈluːʃᵊn//

//ʧɑːlz ˈdɑːwɪn beɪst hɪz ˈθɪəri ɒv ˌiːvəˈluːʃᵊn ɒn hɪz ˌɒbzəˈveɪʃᵊnz æz ə

ˈnæʧrəlɪst/ hiː ˈnəʊtɪst ðæt ˈænɪmᵊlz ˈprɒdjuːs mɔː jʌŋ ðæn ðeɪ niːd tuː
rɪˈpleɪs ðəmˈsɛlvz/ hiː ˈɔːlsəʊ ˈnəʊtɪst ðæt ˈænɪmᵊlz ɒv ðə seɪm ˈspiːʃiːz
kæn biː ˈdɪfrənt/ ænd ðæt ðə jʌŋ ɪnˈhɛrɪt ðiːz ˈdɪfrənsɪz frɒm ðeə
ˈpeərənts//

//ɪˈmæʤɪn ə bɜːd ˈspiːʃiːz/ wʌn deɪ ə bɜːd ɪz bɔːn wɪð ə biːk ðæt ɪz ˈlɒŋɡə
ðæn ðə biːk ɒv ˈʌðə bɜːdz ɪn ðə ˈspiːʃiːz/ ə /pəˈhæps ðɪs ˈlɒŋɡə biːk hɛlps
ðə bɜːd tuː kæʧ mɔː fuːd/ bɪˈkɒz ðə bɜːd kæn kæʧ mɔː fuːd/ ɪt ɪz ˈhɛlθɪə ð
ʧɪks ɪnˈh
æn ði ˈʌðə bɜːdz/ biː/ ɪt wɪl ˈpɒsəbli lɪv ˈlɒŋɡər æz ə rɪˈzʌlt/ ðə
ɛrɪt ðə ʤiːn fɔː ðə ˈlɒŋɡə biːk/ ðeɪ ˈɔːlsəʊ lɪv ˈlɒŋɡər ænd ˈð
eəfɔː hæv mɔː ʧɪks/ ðə ʤiːn kənˈtɪnjuːz frɒm ˌʤɛnəˈreɪʃᵊn tuː
ˌʤɛnəˈreɪʃᵊn/ siː/ ɪˈvɛnʧəli/ ɪt ɪz ˈpɒsəbᵊl ðæt ɔːl ðə bɜːdz ɪn ðə ˈspiːʃiːz wɪl
hæv ðə ˈlɒŋɡə biːk/ diː wiː ɑː ˈsɜːtn ðæt ðɪs ˈprəʊsɛs teɪks ˈθaʊzəndz ɒv
jɪəz/ ðə ˈbɛtər əˈdæptɪd ˈænɪmᵊlz ɑː mɔː səkˈsɛsfʊl/ iː wɛn ə ˈspiːʃiːz
ˈkænɒt ɪˈvɒlv fɑːst ɪˈnʌf/ ɪt ɪz ˈpɒsəbᵊl fɔːr ɪt tuː daɪ aʊt/ ɛf pəˈhæps ðɪs
ɪksˈpleɪnz ðə ˌdɪsəˈpɪərəns ɒv ðə ˈdaɪnəʊsɔːz//

//diː/ wiː ɑː ˈsɜːtn ðæt ðɪs ˈprəʊsɛs teɪks ˈθaʊzəndz ɒv jɪəz/ ðə ˈbɛtər əˈdæ
ptɪd ˈænɪmᵊlz ɑː mɔː səkˈsɛsfʊl/ iː/ wɛn ə ˈspiːʃiːz ˈkænɒt ɪˈvɒlv fɑːst ɪˈnʌf/
ɪt ɪz ˈpɒsəbᵊl fɔːr ɪt tuː daɪ aʊt/ ɛf/ pəˈhæps ðɪs ɪksˈpleɪnz ðə ˌdɪsəˈpɪərən
s ɒv ðə ˈdaɪnəʊsɔːz/
ˈdɑːwɪnz ˈθɪəri ɒv ˌiːvəˈluːʃᵊn ɪz beɪst ɒn wɒt wiː kæn siː naʊ/ ʤiː/ ɪt ɪz nɒt
ˈpɒsəbᵊl fɔːr ʌs tuː biː ʃʊə ðæt ɪt ɪz kəˈrɛkt/ ðæt ɪz waɪ ɪt ɪz ə ˈθɪəri ænd nɒ
t ə lɔː//