大学英语精读第三版第二册课文原文和翻译及课后习题

大学英语精读第三版第二册Unit 1
The dinner party 晚宴
I first heard this tale in India, where is told as if tru e -- though any naturalist would know it couldn't be. Later someone told me that the story appeared in a magazine sho rtly before the First World War. That magazine story, and t he person who wrote it, I have never been able to track d own.
我最初听到这个故事是在印度，那儿的人们今天讲起它来仍好像实有其事似的——尽管任何一位博物学家都知道这不可能是真的。

后来有人告诉我，在第一次世界大战之后不久就出现在一本杂志上。

但登在杂志上的那篇故事, 以及写那篇故事的人，我却一直未能找到。

The country is India. A colonial official and his wife are giving a large dinner party. They are seated with their g uests -- officers and their wives, and a visiting American naturalist -- in their spacious dining room, which has a ba re marble floor, open rafters and wide glass doors opening onto a veranda.
故事发生在印度。

某殖民官员和他的夫人举行盛行的晚宴。

跟他们一起就座的客人有——军官和他人的夫人，另外还有一位来访的美国博物学家——筵席设在他们家宽敞的餐室里，室内大理石地板上没有铺地毯；屋顶明椽裸露；宽大的玻璃门外便是阳台。

A spirited discussion springs up between a young girl who s ays that women have outgrown the jumping-on-a-chair-at-the-sigh t-of-a-mouse era and a major who says that they haven't.
席间，一位年轻的女士同一位少校展开了热烈的讨论。

年轻的女士认为，妇女已经有所进步，不再像过去那样一见到老鼠就吓得跳到椅子上；少校则不以为然"A woman's reaction in any crisis," the major says, "is to scream. And while a man may feel like it, he has that o unce more of control than a woman has. And that last ounce is what really counts."
“女人一遇到危急情况，”少校说，反应便是尖叫。

而男人虽然也可能想叫，但比起女人来，自制力却略胜一筹。

这多出来的一点自制力正是真正起作用的东西。

”
The American does not join in the argument but watches the other guests. As he looks, he sees a strange expression c ome over the face of the hostess. She is staring straight ahead, her muscles contracting slightly. She motions to the native boy standing behind her chair and whispers something
to him. The boy's eyes widen: he quickly leaves the room. 那个美国人没有参加这场争论，他只是注视着在座的其他客人。

在他这样观察时，他发现女主人的脸上显出一种奇异的表情。

她两眼盯着正前方，脸部肌肉在微微抽搐。

她向站在座椅后面的印度男仆做了个手势，对他耳语了几句。

男仆两眼睁得大大的，迅速地离开了餐室。

Of the guests, none except the American notices this or see s the boy place a bowl of milk on the veranda just outsid e the open doors. The American comes to with a start. In India, milk in a bowl means only one thing -- bait for
a snake. He realizes there must be a cobra in the room. H e looks up at the rafters -- the likeliest place -- but t hey are bare. Three corners of the room are empty, and in the fourth the servants are waiting to serve the next cou rse. There is only one place left -- under the table.
在座的客人中，除了那位美国人以外论证也没有注意到这一幕，也没有看到那个男仆把一碗牛奶放在紧靠门边的阳台上。

那个美国人突然醒悟过来。

在印度，碗中的牛奶只有一个意思——引蛇的诱饵。

他意识到餐室里一定有条眼镜蛇。

他意识到餐室里一定有条眼镜蛇。

他抬头看了看屋顶上的椽子——那是最可能有蛇藏身的地方——但那上面空荡荡的。

室内的三个角落里也是空的，而在第四个角落里，仆人们正在等着下一道菜。

这样，剩下的就只有一个地方了餐桌下面。

His first impulse is to jump back and warn the othe rs, but he knows the commotion would frighten the cobra int o striking. He speaks quickly, the tone of his voice so co mmanding that it silences everyone.
"I want to know just what control everyone at this table has. I will count three hundred -- that's five minute s -- and not one of you is to move a muscle. Those who move will forfeit 50 rupees. Ready?"
The 20 people sit like stone images while he counts. He
is saying "...two hundred and eighty..." when, out of the c orner of his eye, he sees the cobra emerge and make for t he bowl of milk. Screams ring out as he jumps to slam the veranda doors safely shut.
他首先想到的是往后一跳，并向其他人发警告。

但他知道这样会引起骚乱，致使眼镜索受惊咬人。

于是他很快讲了一通话，其语气非常威严，竟使所有的人安静了下来。

我想了解一下在座的诸位到底有多大的克制能力，我数三百下——也就五分钟——你们谁都不许动一动。

动者将罚款五十卢比。

准备好！”在他数数的过程中，那20个人像一尊尊石雕一样端坐在那儿。

当他数到“……280……”时，突然从眼然处看到那条眼镜蛇钻了出来，向那碗牛奶爬去。

在他跳起来把通往阳台的门全都砰砰地牢牢关上时，室内响起了一片尖叫声。

"You were right, Major!" the host exclaims. "A man has ju st shown us an example of perfect self-control."
“你刚才说得很对，少校！”男主人大声说。

一个男子刚刚为我们显示了从容不迫、镇定自若的范例。

”
"Just a minute," the American says, turning to his hostess. "Mrs. Wynnes, how did you know that cobra was in the roo m?"
“且慢”，那位美国人一边说着一边转向女主人。

温兹太太，你怎么知道那条眼镜蛇是在屋子里呢？”
A faint smile lights up the woman's face as she replies: " Because it was crawling across my foot."。

女主人的脸上闪现出一丝淡淡的微笑，回答说：“因为它当时正从我的脚背上爬过去。

”
1.她砰地关上门，一声不吭地走了，他们之间那场争执就此结束。

Their argument ended when she slammed the door and left wit hout a word.
2. 出席晚宴的客人对那个美国人威严的语气感到有点意外。

The guests at the dinner party were slightly surprised at t he commanding tone of the American.
3. 约翰尼已长大成熟，不再害怕独自呆在家里了。

Johnny has outgrown the fear of staying at home alone.
4. 当全部乘客都向出口处(exit) 走去时，他却独自留在座位上，好像不愿意离开这架飞机似的。

While all the other passengers made for the exit, he alone remained in his seat as if unwilling to leave the plane.
5. 这封信必须交给威尔逊博士本人。

The letter is to be handed to Dr. Wilson himself.
6. 南希虽然很想参加辩论，但腼腆得不敢开口。

While she felt like joining in the argument, Nancy was too shy to open her mouth.
7. 你觉得什么时候最有可能在家里找到他？
What do you think is the likeliest time to find him at ho me?
8. 猎人一看见有只狐狸从树丛中出现并向他设下(lay) 的陷阱(trap) 方向跑去，脸上顿时闪出了兴奋的表情。

The hunters face lit up with excitement as soon as he saw a fox emerge from among the bushes and run in the direct ion of / make for the trap he had laid.
Unit 2
lessons from jefferson
Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, may be less famous than G eorge Washington and Abraham Lincoln, but most people remember at last one fact ab out him: he wrote the Declaration of Independence.
Although Jefferson lived more than 200 years ago, there is much that we learn from hi m today. Many of his ideas are especially interesting to modern youth. Here are some
of the things he said and wrote:
杰斐逊很久以前就死了，但是我们仍然对他的一些思想很感兴趣,杰斐逊的箴言, 布鲁斯.布利文、托马斯.杰斐逊美国第三任总统，也许不像乔治.华盛顿和亚伯拉罕.林肯那样著名，但大多数人至少记得有关他的一件事实：《独立宣言》是他起草的。

虽然杰斐逊生活在二百多年以前，但我们今天仍可以从他身上学到很多东西。

他的许多思想对当代青年特别有意义。

下面就是他讲过和写到过的一些观点：
Go and see. Jefferson believed that a free man obtains knowledge from many source s besides books and that personal investigation is important. When still a young man, he was appointed to a committee to find out whether the South Branch of the James R iver was deep enough to be used by large boats. While the other members of the com mittee sat in the state capitol and studied papers on the subject, Jefferson got into a ca noe and made on-the-spot-observations.
自己去看。

杰斐逊认为，一个自由的人除了从书本中获取知识外，还可以从许多别的来源获得知识；亲自做调查是很重要的。

当他还年轻的时候，他就被任命为一个委员会的成员，去调查詹姆斯河南部支流的水深是否可以通行大型船只。

委员会的其他成员都坐在州议会大厦内，研究有关这一问题的文件，而杰斐逊却跳进一只独木舟去做现场观测。

You can learn from everyone. By birth and by education Jefferson belonged to the hi ghest social class. Yet, in a day when few noble persons ever spoke to those of humble origins except to give an order, Jefferson went out of his way to talk with gardeners, s ervants, and waiters. Jefferson once said to the French nobleman, Lafayette, "You mus t go into the people's homes as I have done, look into their cooking pots and eat their bread. If you will only do this, you may find out why people are dissatisfied and under stand the revolution that is threatening France."
你可以向任何人学习。

按出身及其所受的教育，杰斐逊均属于最高的社会阶层。

然而很少跟出身卑贱的人说话的年代，在那个贵人们除了发号施令以外。

杰斐逊却想尽办法跟园丁、仆人和侍者交谈。

有一次杰斐逊曾这样对法国贵族拉斐特说：你必须像我那样到平民百性的家里去，看看他们的烧饭锅，吃吃他们的面包。

只要你肯这样做，你就会发现老百姓为什么会不满意，你就会理解正在威胁着法国的革命。

”
Judge for yourself. Jefferson refused to accept other people's opinions without carefu l thought. "Neither believe nor reject anything," he wrote to his nephew, "because any other person has rejected or believed it. Heaved has given you a mind for judging trut h and error. Use it."
Jefferson felt that the people "may safely be trusted to hear everything true and false, and to form a correct judgment. Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter."
自已作判断。

未经过认真的思考，杰斐逊绝不接受别人的意见。

“不要相信它或拒绝它。

”他在给侄子的信中写道，“因为别的人相信或拒绝了什么东西。

上帝赐予你一个用来判断真理和谬误的头脑。

那你就运用它吧。

杰斐逊觉得人民是“完全可以依赖的，应该让它们听到一切真实和虚伪的东西，然后作出正确的判断。

倘使让我来决定，我们是应该有一个政府而不要报纸呢，还是应该有报纸而不要
政府，我会豪不犹豫地选择后者。

”
Do what you believe is right. In a free country there will always be conflicting ideas, and this is a source of strength. It is conflict and not unquestioning agreement that ke eps freedom alive. Though Jefferson was for many years the object of strong criticism , he never answered his critics. He expressed his philosophy in letters to a friend, "The re are two sides to every question. If you take one side with decision and on it with eff ect, those who take the other side will of course resent your actions."
做你认为是正确的事。

在一个自由的国家里总会有各种相互冲突的思想，而这正是力量的源泉。

使自由保持活力的是冲突而不是绝对的一致。

虽然有好多年杰斐逊一直受到激烈的批评，但他从不回答那些批评他的人。

他在想写给一位朋友的信中表达他自己的观点：“每个问题都有两面。

如果你坚持站在一面，根据它有效地采取行动，那么，站在另一面的那些人当然会对你的行动怨恨不满。

”Trust the future; trust the young. Jefferson felt that the present should never be chaine d to customs which have lost their usefulness. "No society," he said, "can make a perp etual constitution, or even a perpetual law. The earth belongs to the living generation." He did not fear new ideas, nor did he fear the future. "How much pain," he remarked, "has been caused by evils which have never happened! I expect the best, not the wors t. I steer my ship with hope, leaving fear behind."
相信未来，相信青年。

杰斐逊认为，绝不可以用那些已经无用的习俗来束缚住“现在”的手脚。

“没有哪个社会，”他说，“可以制订一部永远适用的宪法，甚至连一条永远适用的法律也制订不出来。

地球是属于活着的一代的。

他不害怕新的思想，也不害怕未来。

“有多少痛苦，”他评论说，“是有一些从未发生的灾难引起的啊！我期待的是最好的东西，而不是最坏的东西。

我满怀希望地驾驶着自已的航船，我满怀希望地驾驶着自已的航船，而把恐惧抛在后面。

”
Jefferson's courage and idealism were based on knowledge. He probably knew more t han any other man of his age. He was an expert in agriculture, archeology, and medici ne. He practiced crop rotation and soil conservation a century before these became sta ndard practice, and he invented a plow superior to any other in existence. He influenc ed architecture throughout America, and he was constantly producing devices for mak ing the tasks of ordinary life easier to perform.
杰斐逊的勇气和理想主义是以知识为基础的。

他懂得的东西也许比同时代的任何人都要多。

在农业、考古学和医学方面他都是专家。

在人人普遍采用农作物轮作和土壤保持的作法以前一个世纪，他就这样做了。

他还发明了一种比当时任何一种都好的耕犁。

他影响了整个美国的建筑业，他还不断地制造出各种器械的装置，使日常生活中需要做的许多工作变得更加容易。

Of all Jefferson's many talents, one is central. He was above all a good and tireless w riter. His complete works, now being published for the first time, will fill more than fi fty volumes. His talent as an author was soon discovered, and when the time came to write the Declaration of Independence at Philadelphia in 1776, the task of writing it w as his. Millions have thrilled to his words: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, tha t all men are created equal…"
在杰斐逊的众多才能中，有一种是最主要的：他首先是一位优秀的、不知疲倦的作家。

他的全集，目前正在第一次出版的，将超过五十卷。

他作为一个作家的才能很快便被发现了，所以，当1776年在费城要撰写《独立宣言》的时刻来到时，
这一任务便落在了他的肩上。

数以百万计的人们读到他写的下列词句都激动不已：我们认为这些真理是不言而喻的；一切人生来就是平等的……”
When Jefferson died on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of American independenc e, he left his countrymen a rich legacy of ideas and examples. American education ow es a great debt to Thomas Jefferson, Who believed that only a nation of educated peop le could remain free.
杰斐逊在1826年7月4日与世长辞，正值美国独立五十周年纪念日之际，他给他的同胞留下了一份丰富的思想遗产和众多的榜样。

托马斯杰斐逊对美国的教育事业作出了巨大的贡献，他认为，只有受过教育的人民组成的国家才能保持自由。

1) 会上有人建议任命一个十一人委员会来制定新章程。

It was suggested at the meeting that a committee of eleven be appointed to make a ne w constitution.
2) 这些青年科学家通过现场观察，获得了研究工作所需的第一手资料。

By making on-the-spot observations, the young scientists obtained first-hand informat ion they needed in their research work. 3) 他很可能会因视力不好而被拒收入伍。

It is very likely that he will be rejected by the army because of his bad eyesight. 4) 委员会成员在新机场最佳选址 (location) 这一问题上持有不同意见。

The committee members have conflicting opinions as to the best location of the new a irport.
5) 亨利创作的艺术品在许多方面比他兄弟的要好。

Henry's works of art are superior in many respects to those of his brother's. 6) 我们产品质量的稳步提高在很大程度上是由于设备有所改进。

The steady rise in the quality of our products owes much to the improvement of our e quipment.
7) 吉姆本想按照自己的判断行事，但他没有这样做，因为作为军人他得服从命令。

Jim would have preferred to act on his own judgment, but he didn't because as a soldier he had to obey the order.
8) 如果让我来决定我们是要一个没有自行车的城市呢，还是要一个没有汽车的城市，我会毫不犹豫地选择后者。

Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a city without bikes or one witho ut cars, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.
Unit 3
My First Job
While I was waiting to enter university, I saw advertised in a local newspaper a teachi ng post at a school in a suburb of London about ten miles from where I lived. Being v ery short money and wanting to do something useful, I applied, fearing as I did so, tha t without a degree and with no experience in teaching my chances of getting the job w ere slim.
进入大学之前，尽力去攒一些钱。

作者申请了一个教书职业。

但是面试变得越来越糟。

我的第一份工作, 在我等着进大学期间，我在一份地方报纸上看到一张广
告，说是在伦敦某郊区有所学样要招聘一名教师. 离我住处大约十英里, 我因为手头很拮据，同时也想干点有用的事，于是便提出了申请，在提出申请的同时我也担心，自己一无学位，二无教学经验，得到这份工作的可能性是微乎其微的。

However, three days later a letter arrived, asking me to go to Croydon for an intervi ew. It proved an awkward journey: a train to Croydon station; a ten-minute bus ride an d then a walk of at least a quarter to feel nervous.
然而，三天之后，却来了一封信，叫我到克罗伊顿去面试。

这上路去那儿原来还真麻烦：先乘火车到克罗伊顿车站，再乘十分钟公共汽车，然后还要步行至少四分之一英里。

结果，我在六月一个炎热的上午到了那儿，因为心情非常沮丧，竟不感到紧张了。

The school was a red brick house with big windows, The front garden was a gravel square; four evergreen shrubs stood at each corner, where they struggled to survive th e dust and fumes from a busy main from a busy main road.
学校是一座装着大窗户了红砖房子。

前庭园是个铺着砾的正方形：四个角上各有一丛冬青灌木，它们经受着从繁忙的大街一吹来的尘烟，挣扎着活下去。

It was clearly the headmaster himself that opened the door. He was short and fat. H e had a sandy-coloured moustache, a wrinkled forehead and hardly any hair.
开门的显然是校长本人。

他又矮又胖，留着沙色的小胡子，前额上布满皱纹，头发差不多已经秃光。

He looked at me with an air of surprised disapproval, as a colonel might look at a pr ivate whose bootlaces were undone. 'Ah yes,' he grunted. 'You'd better come inside.' T he narrow, sunless hall smelled unpleasantly of stale cabbage; the walls were dirty wit h ink marks; it was all silent. His study, judging by the crumbs on the carpet, was also his dining-room. 'You'd better sit down,' he said, and proceeded to ask me a number of questions: what subjects I had taken in my General School Certificate; how old I was; what games I played; then fixing me suddenly with his bloodshot eyes, he asked me whether I thought games were a vital part of a boy's education. I mumbled something about not attaching too much importance to them. He grunted. I had said the wrong th ing. The headmaster and I obviously had very little in common.
他带着一种吃惊的、不以为然的神态看着我，就像一位上校看着一名没系好靴带的二等兵一样。

“哦，”他咕哝着说。

“你最好到里面来。

”那狭窄的，不见阳光的走廊里散发出一股腐烂的卷心菜味，闻上去很不舒服；墙上墨迹斑斑，显行很脏，周围一片静寂。

他的书房，从地毯上的面包屑来判断，也是他的餐室。

“你最好坐下，”他说，接着便问了我许多问题：为了得到普通学校证书我学过哪些课程；我多大岁数了；我会玩些什么游戏；问到这里他突然用他那双充满血丝的眼睛盯住我，问我是否认为游戏是儿童教育的一个极为重要的组成部分。

我含含糊糊地说了些不必太重视游戏之类的话。

他咕哝了几句。

我说了错话。

我和校长显然没有多少共同语言。

The school, he said, consisted of one class of twenty-four boys, ranging in age from se ven to thirteen. I should have to teach all subjects except art, which he taught himself. Football and cricket were played in the Park, a mile away on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons.
他说，学校只有一个班，二十四名男生，年龄从七岁到十三风不等，除了美术课他亲自教以外，其余所有的课程都得由我来教。

星期三和星期六的下午要到一英
里以外的公园去踢足球、打板球。

The teaching set-up filled me with fear. I should have to divide the class into three gro ups and teach them in turn at three different levels; and I was dismayed at the thought of teaching algebra and geometry-two subjects at which I had been completely incom petent at school. Worse perhaps was the idea of Saturday afternoon cricket; most of m y friends would be enjoying leisure at that time.
整个教学计划把我吓坏了。

我得把全班学生分成三个组，按三种不同的程度轮流给他们上课；想到要教代数和几何这两门我在读书时学得极差的科目，我感到很害怕。

更糟糕的也许是星期六下午打板球的安排，因为这时候我的朋友大都会在悠闲地自得其乐。

I said shyly, 'What would my salary be?' 'Twelve pounds a week plus lunch.' Before I could protest, he got to his feet. 'Now', he said, 'you'd better meet my wife. She's the one who really runs this school.'
我羞羞答答地问，“我的薪水是多少？”“每周十二镑外加中饭。

”还没等我来得及提出异议，他已经站了起来。

“好了，”他说，“你最好见见我的妻子。

她才是这所学校真正的主管人。

”
This was the last straw. I was very young: the prospect of working under a woman constituted the ultimate indignity
我再也无法忍受了。

我当时很年轻，想到将在一个女人手下干活，就觉得是最大的侮辱。

1. She got a post as a cashier at a local bank. But she was soon fired because she prov ed to be incompetent.
她在当地一家银行找到一份出纳员的工作，但不久因不称职而被解雇了。

2. It is obviously/clearly his young assistant who is running the book store. 很明显是他的年轻助手在经营这家书店。

3. No sooner had the proposal been announced at the meeting than she got to her feet t o protest.
这项建议在会上一宣布，她就站起来提出异议。

4. Bill has applied to Harvard University for a teaching assistantship, but his chances of getting it are slim.
比尔已向哈佛大学申请助教职位，但他得到它的可能性很小。

5. Being short of funds, they are trying to attract foreign capital. 由于缺乏资金，他们正在想办法吸引外资。

6. The room smells of stale air. It must have been vacant for a long time. 这个房间有股霉味，一定是好久没人住了。

7. As far as hobbies are concerned, Jane and her sister have little in common. 就业余爱好而言，珍妮和她妹妹几乎没有什么共同之处。

8. It is self-evident that the education of the young is vital to the future of a country. 不言而喻，青年人的教育对于一个国家的未来是至关重要的。

Unit 4
the professor and the yo-yo
My father was a close friend of Albert Einstein. As a shy young visitor to Einstein's ho me, I was made to feel at ease when Einstein said, "I have something to show you." H e went to his desk and returned with a Yo-Yo. He tried to show me how it worked but he couldn't make it roll back up the string. When my turn came, I displayed my few tri cks and pointed out to him that the incorrectly looped string had thrown the toy off bal ance. Einstein nodded, properly impressed by my skill and knowledge. Later, I bought a new Yo-Yo and mailed it to the Professor as a Christmas present, and received a poe m of thanks.
我的父亲是阿尔伯特·爱因斯坦的亲密朋友。

做为一个腼腆的年轻的来访者来到爱因斯坦的家里时，我感到舒适，因为爱因斯坦说，"我有东西要给你看。

"他走到他的桌前返回来时带着一个游游。

他试图给我看它是怎样工作的但他没有办法让它的线绕回去。

当该我来玩时，我展示我的一点技巧并向他指出绕得不正确的线使这个玩具失去了平衡。

爱因斯坦点头，并对我的技术与知识留下了印象。

后来，我买了一个新的游游做为圣诞节礼物寄给教授，我收到一首答谢诗
As boy and then as an adult, I never lost my wonder at the personality that was Eins tein. He was the only person I knew who had come to terms with himself and the worl d around him. He knew what he wanted and he wanted only this: to understand within his limits as a human being the nature of the universe and the logic and simplicity in i ts functioning. He knew there were answers beyond his intellectual reach. But this did not frustrate him. He was content to go as far as he could.
做为一个小孩和做为一个成人，我一直都想了解身为名人的爱因斯坦。

他是我认识的所有的这样的人中的一个，他承认他自身的有限性并与他周围的世界和平相处。

他知道他想要的是什么并且他想要的仅仅是这个：理解在他做为一个人的限度之内宇宙的特性和在它的作用中的逻辑与简单性。

他知道在他的智力所能达到的地方之外有答案。

但这不能使他沮丧。

他要尽自己的可能来努
力。

In the 23 years of our friendship, I never saw him show jealousy, vanity, bitter ness, anger, resentment, or personal ambition. He seemed immune to these emotions. He was beyond any pretension. Although he corresponded with many of the world's m ost important people, his stationery carried only a watermark - W - for Woolworth's. 在我们的23年的友谊里，我从未看到他显示出嫉妒、空虚、痛苦、生气、怨恨，或者个人的野心。

他显得不受这些强烈情绪的影响。

他超越了一切虚荣。

虽然他与这个世界上最著名的人们中的一些人通信，但他的信笺只有一个水印的符号——W——是伍尔沃思连锁店的标记。

To do his work he needed only a pencil only a pencil and a pad of paper. Material thin gs meant nothing to him. I never knew him to carry money because he never had any use for it. He believed in simplicity, so much so that he used only a safety razor and w ater to shave. When I suggested that he try shaving cream, he said, "The razor and wat er do the job."
做工作时他只需要一只铅笔和一张纸。

物质的事情对于他意味着什么也不存在。

我从不知道他带钱因为他从不用钱。

他信奉朴素，如此之深以至于他仅仅使用安全剃须刀沾水剃胡须。

当我建议他试用剃须膏时，他说，"这把剃须刀与水一起就可以了。

"
"But Professor, why don't you try the cream just once?" I argued. "It makes shaving s moother and less painful."
但教授，你为什么不试一次这种膏呢？"我争辩道。

"它使递须更平滑更少疼痛。

He shrugged. Finally, I presented him with a tube of shaving cream. The next mornin g when he came down to breakfast, he was beaming with the pleasure of a new, great discovery. "You know, that cream really works," he announced. "It doesn't pull the bea rd. It feels wonderful." Thereafter, he used the shaving cream every morning until the tube was empty. Then he reverted to using plain water.
他耸耸肩。

最后，我送给他一管递须膏。

第二天早晨当他下楼来吃早餐时，他正因为一个新的大的发现而快乐。

"你知道，那膏真正有效，"他宣布说。

"它没有扯胡须。

感觉很棒。

"于是，他每天早晨使用这种递须膏直到这管用空为止。

然后他又恢复使用平常的水。

Einstein was purely and exclusively a theorist. He didn't have the slightest interest i n the practical application of his ideas and theories. His E=mc2 is probably the most f amous equation in history - yet Einstein wouldn't walk down the street to see a reactor create atomic energy. He won the Nobel Prize for his Photoelectric Theory, a series of equations that he considered relatively minor in importance, but he didn't have any cu riosity in observing how his theory made TV possible.
爱因斯坦是一位纯粹而完全的理论家。

他对于自己的思想与理论的实际运用一点儿兴趣也没有。

他的E=mc(c平方)恰是历史上最为著名的方程式——爱因斯坦也不会走到街上来看看反应堆制造原子能。

他由于自己的光电学理论赢得了诺贝尔奖，在这个理论中有他在重要性上相互考虑得更少的一系列方程式，但他没有任何好奇心去观察他的理论如何使电视成为可能。

My brother once gave the Professor a toy, a bird that balanced on the edge of a bow l of water and repeatedly dunked its head in the water. Einstein watched it in delight, t rying to deduce the operating principle. But be couldn't.
我的兄弟曾经送给教授一个玩具鸟，这只鸟站在一碗水的边缘并重复地将头浸入水中。

爱因斯坦高兴地注视它，试图找出操作的原理。

但他不能做到。

The next morning he announced, "I had thought about that bird for a long time befo re I went to bed and it must work this way”He began a ling explanation. Then he stop ped, realizing a flaw in his reasoning. "No, I guess that's not it," he said. He pursued v arious theories for several days until I suggested we take the toy apart to see how it di d work. His quick expression of disapproval told me he did not agree with this practic al approach. He never did work out the solution.
第二天早晨他宣布，"在我上床前我考虑那只鸟比较长的时间，我想它是这样工作的......"他开始了一次长的解释。

然后他停住了，领悟到他的理论中有一个缺陷。

"不，我猜想不会是这样，"他说。

他推断各种理论达几天直到我建议我们将玩具拆开看看它是怎样工作的。

他的迅速的不赞成的表情告诉我他不同意这种实践方法。

他从没有说清这个原理。

Another puzzle that Einstein could never understand was his own fame. He had dev eloped theories that were profound and capable of exciting relatively few scientists. Y et his name was a household word across the civilized world. "I've had good ideas, an d so have other men," he once said. "But it's been my good fortune that my ideas have been accepted." He was bewildered by his fame: people wanted to meet him; stranger。