no.1 向肖伯纳求婚
英国有位美貌风流的女演员，曾写信向肖伯纳求婚。她说，因为他是个天才，她不嫌肖伯纳年迈丑陋。假如能使女郎的美貌和超人的天才结合，那该是多么协调啊。“咱们的后代有你的智慧和我的美貌，那一定是十全十美了。”
肖伯纳给她回了一封信说，她的想象很是美妙，“可是，假如生下的孩子外貌象我，而智慧又象你，那又该怎么办呢？”
marriage proposal to bernard shaw
once a beautiful and dissolute british actress wrote to propose marriage to bernard shaw． she said she did not mindbernard shaw's old age and ugliness because he was a genius． and if they could combine the beauty of the woman with the talents of the great man，that would be greatly harmonious． “with your wisdom and my appearance，our children must be perfect．”
bernard shaw answered，in a letter，that her imagination wassplendid，“but，what if the children take my appearance and yourwisdom？”
no.2 闹饥荒的原因
在一次宴会上，一个资本家用遗憾的目光上下打量着瘦骨嶙峋的肖伯纳，一本正经地说：“看看你的模样，真叫人以为英国人都在挨饿。”
肖伯纳审视着大腹便便的资本家说：“但是，我一见到你，就知道英国正在闹饥荒的原因了。”
the reason of the famine
in one dinner party，a capitalist eyed bony bernard shawup and down regretfully， and said in all seriousness，“look atyour appearance，it really makes people believe that all the britishare starving．”
bernard shaw，examining the potbellied capitalist，said，“but，i know as soon as i saw you the reason why britain is suf－fering from famine．”
no.3 开头写得差是好事
开头写得差是好事
有一次，契诃夫遇到一个青年作家，这个作家一看到契诃夫，便苦恼地说，自己开始写作时，无论如何也写不好，文笔和思想的表达常常相悖，他深为自己的笨拙与自己的处境感到痛苦。契诃夫听后，非但没有给予丝毫的安慰，反而吃惊地说：“您都说了些什么呀！开头写得差，这是好事么！”
青年作家听后，大为惊讶，不知该如何是好。契诃夫接着说：“当然是好事了。您得明白，如果初拿笔的作家一下子就写得顺顺当当，那么他就完了，他在写作上是没有什么前途的。”
good to write poorly at the beginning
once chekhov met a young writer．the moment he sawchekhov，the writer said，in great distress，that when he beganwriting，he could not write well no matter how hard he tried．hisstyle of writing often went against the expression of his ideas，and he was in deep agony for his clumsiness and his situation．on hearing it，chekhov，instead of giving slightest comfort，saidsurprisingly，what are you talking about？it is good to writepoorly at the beginning．”
the young writer was astounded after hearing that，and wasat a loss what to do．chekhov continued，“of course it's good．you see，if a new writer could write fluently overnight， then hewas over，and he would have no great future in writing．”
no.4 一场累人的斗争
一场累人的斗争
巴尔扎克说过，艺术创造是“一场累人的斗争”。他认为，只有顽强地工作，不怕困难，才能把自己的才华表现出来。这就好象向堡垒冲击的战士，一刻也不能松劲。
有一次，巴尔扎克一连写了好几个小时，累得实在支持不住了，跑到一个朋友家里，一头倒在沙发上。他想睡一觉，但他告诉朋友，一定要在一小时之内叫醒他。他的朋友见他非常疲劳，就没有按时叫醒他。他醒来后，对朋友大发脾气。幸好他的朋友很了解他，没有和他争吵。
巴尔扎克既不抽烟，也不喝酒。但他有个习惯：当他写作的时候，总是呷着几乎可以使胃麻痹的浓咖啡。他的咖啡里既不加牛奶，也不加糖，要熬得发苦才满意。象这样苦的咖啡，一般人都不愿意喝。据他自己说，这样对他有奇异的刺激作用，可以驱走睡魔。
an exhausting struggle
balzac once said artistic creation was “an exhausting strug-gle”．he believed that only by tenacious work and fearing notafraid of difficulties could you show your talent．it was just likethe soldiers charging the fortress，not relaxing your effort foreven a moment．
once balzac wrote for hours on end， he was so tired that hecould not hold out any longer．he ran to a friend's home andplunged headlong on the sofa．he wanted to sleep，but he told hisfriend he must be woken up within an hour．his friend，seeinghim so tired，did not wake him up on time．after he woke up，balzac got very angry at his friend．fortunately his friend had anintimate understanding of him and did not quarrel with him．
balzac did not smoke cigarettes，nor did he drink any alco－hol． but he got one habit：while he was writing he always drankvery strong coffee that could almost anaesthetize his stomach．hedidn't add milk，nor did he add sugar in his coffee．it would notsatisfy him until it was made bitter．people generally did not liketo drink such bitter coffee．that had strange stimulus effect tohim，and could help him drive the sleepiness away，according tohimself．
no.5 巴尔扎克的幻觉
巴尔扎克的幻觉
巴尔扎克一拿起笔来写作，就象着了魔似的，常常对他要写的东西达到产生幻觉的地步。
有一次，一个朋友到巴尔扎克的家去。他敲了敲门，听见巴尔扎克好像正在和什么人激烈地争吵：“你这个恶棍，我要给你点颜色瞧瞧！”这个朋友急忙推门进去，看见屋里只有巴尔扎克一个人。原来巴尔扎克在痛骂作品中一个他正在揭露的人物的卑劣行为。
一天，另一个朋友去看望他。突然，巴尔扎克走到他面前，激动地痛斥说：“你，你，使这个不幸的少女自杀的就是你！”他的朋友大吃一惊。原来，巴尔扎克所说的少女是他正在写的一部小说中的人物。
hallucination of balzac
as soon as he took the pen to start writing，balzac seemed tohave been possessed so much so that he often had hallucinationsof what he wrote．
once a friend went to balzac's home．he knocked the door，and heard balzac was having a heated argument with someone：“you ruffian， i'll teach you a lesson！”the friend opened the door hurriedly only to find that there was only balzac in theroom．it turned out that balzac was bitterly attacking the base conduct of the character that he was exposing in his work．
one day，another friend went to visit him．suddenly，balzaccame in front of him and denounced him excitedly，“you，youmake that girl kill herself！”his friend was greatly shocked．itturned out that the girl mentioned by balzac was the figure of oneof his novels．
no.6 亏损？赢利？
刘易斯·卡罗尔（作者和出版人）在1882年8月2日的日记中估计，即使他的《艾丽丝漫游奇境记》第一版的2,000本全卖掉，他会亏损200英镑；如果再卖出2,000本，他可以赚200英镑；如果能卖出更多，他就可以赚一大笔钱，但是“对此我几乎不敢奢望”。到他1898年去世时，该书已卖出180,000本。
lose？gain ？
in his diary entry of august 2，1882，lewis carroll （author and publisher）estimated that even if he sold the entire 2,000—copy first printing of alice in wonderland he would lose￡200．by selling another 2,000 copies，he would make ￡200．if he sold additional copies，he would then realize a bigger gain， but “that i can hardly hope for．”before his death，in 1898，about 180,000 copies had been sold．
no.7 亲身体验现实细节
亲身体验现实细节
小说家们有时候不遗余力地去亲身体验现实细节以加强其艺术作品中的感染力。弗雷德里克·福赛思（美國小說家）大概是他们中达到登峰造极的一个。他的小说《雇佣兵》于年出版时，很少有读者知道，这个讲述一群雇佣兵推翻非洲某政府的故事，其实是根据福赛思自己打算要做的事而写的。年，福赛思准备在个人的帮助下，绑架赤道几内亚总统弗郎西斯科·马西亚斯·恩圭马。为此，他花费了0万美元。但是，不同于小说里的雇佣兵卡特·香农在赞加罗那个神秘國家里的经历的是，福赛思在赤道几内亚失败了，因为他的西班牙同谋未能将武器运到。他对所有的书——包括《豺狼的日子》（关于行刺戴高乐的企图）和《奥德莎档案》（关于依然逍遥法外的纳粹党卫军头目的故事）——中的情节都进行过极其细致的研究，因此读起来不象小说，而是象操作手册之类的书。所以，伦敦《泰晤士报》和《纽约时报》在年披露了福赛思在赤道几内亚的愚蠢而荒诞的行为时，他的美国出版人海盗出版社和矮脚鸡书社对此并不感到过分意外。
experiencing realistic details
novelists sometimes go to great lengths in personally expe－riencing realistic details to enhance the immediacy in their art．frederick forsyth（american novelist）may have topped them all．when his novel the dogs of war appeared in ，few readersknew that this tale of a group of mercenaries who had overthrownan african government was based on forsyth's own attempt to dojust that—to overthrow，with the help of thirteen men，thegovernment of equatorial guinea by kidnapping its president，francisco macias nguema，in ，an attempt on which forsythhad spent ＄00,000．but unlike his fictional mercenary，catshannon，in the mythical country of zangaro—forsyth failed inequatorial guinea when a spanish co-conspirator did not comethrough with the ammunition． all of forsyth's books—whichinclude the day of the jackal（about an attempt to kill degaulle）and the odessa file（on s．s ．leaders still at large）—are so meticulously researched that they often read like how-to- manuals rather than novels．his u．s．publishers，the viking press and bantam books，could not have been too surprised tolearn of forsyth's equatorial guinea caper when the london timesand the new york times broke the news，in ．
no.8 欧文笔下的圣·尼古拉
欧文笔下的圣·尼古拉
为了支持美国革命，美国作家华盛顿·欧文使用了荷兰的圣·尼古拉来将爱国而又自强不息的美籍荷兰人与娇气的英国人作了对比。欧文的《荷兰移民后裔的历史》一书中所描述的圣·尼古拉不是传统上严肃的保护旅行者，奖励好孩子的圣徒。相反，他非常象荷兰移民——一个快乐而又胖乎乎的小个子驾着驯鹿拉的雪橇驶过天空。对这个面带微笑、快乐而又淘气的小个子的描述后来成了现在最著名的圣·尼古拉故事中圣诞老人的样子。
有一首关于圣·尼古拉的很著名的诗是由克莱门特·克拉克·摩尔博士写给他的孩子们的。他把诗在年月日那一日读给他的孩子们。那天晚上的一位来访者非常喜欢这首诗，他抄录下来，并在第二年，即年圣诞节期间在一家小报上发表出来。很快这首诗就在圣诞节时在全美国印刷出来。摩尔博士给他的诗起名“圣·尼古拉来访”，但很快这首诗就以其第一行“那是圣诞前夜”而闻名遐迩。这首诗里描述的圣·尼古拉与华盛顿·欧文描述的一样是一个身材矮小、快乐、淘气而又胖乎乎的小个子，驾着他那装满礼物的、由八个身材同样矮小的驯鹿拉着的雪橇驶过天空。
st．nicholas described by irving
to support the american revolution，the american authorwashington irving used a dutch st．nicholas to contrast thepatriotic， hardworking dutch－americans with the soft living british．the st．nicholas described in irving's knickerbocker history was not the traditional serious holy saint who protectedtravelers and rewarded good children．instead he was very muchlike the dutch immigrants —a happy，fat little man，but ridingthrough the air in a sleigh pulled by reindeer．and this description of a smiling，jolly，mischievous little man became themodel for what is today's most famous st．nicholas story．
there is one famous poem about st．nicholas written by dr．clement clark moore to his children．he read it to them on de- cember nd，．one of his visitors that night liked the poemso much that he copied it down and had the poem published at christmastime the next year，，in a small newspaper．soonthe poem was being printed all over america at christmas．dr．moore called his poem “a visit from st．nicholas”，but it soonbecame known by its first line，“’t“was the night before christmas．”the st．nicholas described in the poem was washingtonirving's same tiny，jolly，mischievous，chubby little man ridingacross the sky in his gift—filled sleigh pulled by eight equallytiny，little reindeer．
no.9 不同寻常的回音
不同寻常的回音
有一次，马克·吐温和两个朋友在饭馆里坐着。一个朋友刚从佛蒙特旅行回来。这位朋友说佛蒙特的大山里空气非常清新。在许多地方，一个声音的回音要比原来的声音强五倍。第二位朋友说那没有什么。在他居住的科罗拉多的许多地方，一个早上说话的声音的回音要到下午才能返回。
马克·吐温大笑起来。然后他说：“你们说的那些回音非常不同寻常。但是在我出生的密苏里的一个小教堂里，有一个回音比你们说的那些回音更不同寻常。”
“那里的那个回音有什么不同寻常的？”一个问。
“好吧，我来告诉你们，”马克·吐温说。“那个教堂里的回音真的非常不同寻常，如果一个人大声问：早上好！你好吗？过一回儿，回音会清楚地回答：非常好，谢谢。你好吗？”
unusual echoes
once mark twain and two friends were sitting in a restau－rant．one friend had just returned from a trip to vermont． thefriend said that the air in the mountains of vermont was veryclear．in many places the echo of a voice came back five timesstronger than the original voice．the second friend said that wasnothing．in colorado，where he lived，in many places the echoof a voice spoken in the morning came back in the afternoon．
mark twain laughed．then he said，listen！the echoeswhich you have told about are very unusual．but in a small churchin missouri，where i was born，there is an echo more unusualthan those．
“what is so strange about the echo there？”asked one ofthem．
“well，i will tell you，”said mark twain．“the echo in thatchurch is so unusual that if one asks in a loud voice：goodmorning！how are you？the echo repeats very clearly after amoment：very well，thank you．and how are you？”
no.10 马克·吐温的演讲策略
马克·吐温的演讲策略（1）
当马克·吐温开始他的演讲生涯的时候，他回忆说，他使用满满一页的草稿以避免搞乱。他将把所有关键句子的开头写下来，使他能从一点讲到另一点，而不会有所遗漏。为某一个晚上的典型的演讲，他将写下并记住个关键的开头。
这个计划失败了。吐温会准确无误地记住句子，但却忘了它们的顺序。他得停小来，看看草稿，因此也就破坏了整个演讲的自然效果。
然后吐温决定，不仅要记忆关键句子，还要记住每个句子的第一个字母。这个第一字母法也不奏效。即使当他把字母的数量减少到0个，并用墨水写在他的指甲上的时候也不行。
“我得经常看一阵我的手指，”他在一篇文章中写道，“然后我就忘了，在这之后我就不敢肯定我刚用过哪个手指。”
他曾经考虑过随着演讲的进行，舔掉用墨水写的字母。人们注意到他好象更感兴趣的是他的指甲，而不是他演讲的主题；有一两个听众在演讲结束后会走上前来问他的手到底怎么了。
mark twain's speechmakingstrategy （1）
when he first began his speaking career，mark twain re－called，he used a full page of notes to keep him from getting mixedup．he would write down the beginning of key sentences，to takehim from one point to another and to protect him from skipping ．for a typical evening's lecture，he would write and memorize key beginnings．
the plan failed．twain would remember the sentences，allright，but forget their order．he would have to stop，consult hisnotes，and thereby spoil the spontaneous effect of the wholespeech．
twain then decided to memorize not only key sentences，butalso the first letter of each sentence．this initial -letter methoddidn't work either．not even when he cut the number of letters to0 and inked them on his fingernails．
“i kept track of the fingers for a while，”he wrote in hisessay，“then i lost it，and after that i was never quite sure whichfinger i had used last．”
he considered licking off the inked letters as he went along．people noticed he seemed more interested in his fingernails thanhis subject；one or two listeners would come up afterwards and askwhat was wrong with his hands．
no.11 马克·吐温的演讲策略
马克·吐温的演讲策略（2）
马克·吐温尝试了几种演讲的方法，但都失败了。然后他的伟大的想法产生了——因为使字母、单词和句子形象化是很难的，但图画却是容易回想起来的。它们能在脑海里扎根，它们能使事物得以保留……
特别是自己亲自画下来的时候。
请注意，吐温并不是艺术家，但这并没有妨碍他。“在两分钟之内，我用笔画了六个图画，”他说，“而且它们起到了个吸引人注意力的句子的作用，做的又那么完美。”
一旦画完了图画，他发现他能够把它们扔到一边去。他发现一旦他画完了一系列的草图，他可以随意回想起它们的图象。
从那天起，吐温就可以不用草稿进行演讲了，而且这种作法从来也没有使他失望过。他演讲的每一个部分都用一个图画来代表。他把图画出来，把它们排成一排，然后看一看就把它们毁掉。当他演讲的时候，一排的图象就清晰地出现在他的脑海里。
mark twain's speechmakingstrategy（2）
mark twain tried several ways in making speeches，butfailed．then his great idea came—that it's hard to visualize letters，words and sentences，but pictures are easy to recall．theytake hold ．they can make things stick…
especially if you draw them yourself．
twain was no artist，mind you ，but that didn't stop him．“in two minutes i made six pictures with a pen，”he reported，“and they did the work of the catch－sentences ，and did itperfectly．”
having once drawn the pictures，he found he could throwthem away．he discovered that，having once made a crude seriesof drawings，he could recall their image at will ．the pictureswere pathetic things，indeed，by artistic standards．but they gotthe job done．
from that day，twain was able to speak without notes，andthe system never failed him．each portion of his speech would berepresented by a picture．he would draw them，all strung out in arow ，then look at them and destroy them．when the time cameto speak，there was the row of images sharply in his mind．
no.12 他产生过自杀的念头
西奥多·德莱塞的小说《嘉莉妹妹》现在被认为是美国的一部经典作品。该书于本世纪初在伦敦一出版就立即受到欢迎。可是该书在美国出版后得到的反应却并不强烈，而且实际上还受到压制，因为出版人的太太非常反感一个不道德的女孩使一个男人堕落的现实主义的故事。德莱塞原本是一位成功的记者，现在却突然发现自己在杂志界成了不受欢迎的人，没有编辑愿意购买他的作品。为此他精神崩溃，产生过自杀的念头，有年未能写出另一部小说。
he once had thoughts of suicide
theodore dreiser's novel sister carrie，which is now con- sidered an american classic，was an immediate success in londonwhen it was published at the turn of the century ．but when it waspublished in the u．s．it received no enthusiasm and was vir-tually suppressed because the wife of the publisher so disap－proved of the realistic story of the deterioration of a man causedby an immoral girl．dreiser had been a successful journalist ，andhe suddenly now found himself persona non grata 0 in magazinepublishing as well；no editor would buy his articles．he suffered anervous breakdown ，had thoughts of suicide，and could notwrite another novel for eleven years．
no.13 四次荣获普利策奖
四次荣获普利策奖
一种奖励优秀诗作的普利策奖每年一度在美国颁发。罗伯特·弗罗斯特（美国诗人，—）在年、年、年和年先后四次获得这项奖金。没有任何其他美国诗人曾经这样多次地获得这一项奖。
年月，约翰·费·肯尼迪总统邀请弗罗斯特在他的就职典礼上朗诵他的一首诗。那天天冷风大，而典礼是在户外举行的。日晒风吹把这位老人弄得两眼昏花，他把要朗诵的诗写在纸上，而那张纸又被吹落在地。台上的贵宾和台下的人群都怀疑弗罗斯特能否继续朗诵下去。由于不能看稿子，他就凭记忆以高昂的声音背诵了他在年写的题为“纯粹的天资”的爱国诗篇中的一些句子。听众被诗和写诗的人感动了。
won the pulitzer prize four times
a prize known as the pulitzer prize for poetry is given eachyear in america．robert frost（american poet，—）won this prize four times—in ，，，and ．noother american poet has won it so many times．
president john f．kennedy invited frost to read one of hispoems at his inauguration in january，．it was a cold，windy day，and the ceremony was held outdoors．the sun andthe wind blinded the old man's eyes，and the papers on which hehad the poem he was to read were blown to the ground．the dis－tinguished guests on the platform and the large crowd belowwere all wondering whether frost would be able to continue withthe reading．unable to see．he repeated from memory，in a strongvoice，some verses he had written in ，a patriotic poemcaued“the gift outright ”．the audience was moved both bythe poem itself and by the poet who had written it．
no.14 同年同月同日死
同年同月同日死
两用各自民族语言写作的最伟大的作家——威廉·莎士比亚和米格尔·德·塞万提斯死于同一年的同一天：年月日。他们也许没有听说过对方。有两位互相很熟悉的人——美国的第二位总统约翰·亚当斯和第三位总统托马斯·杰斐逊也死于同一年的同一天：年月日。亚当斯临终时说的话是：“杰斐逊还话着。”可是杰斐逊已在几小时前去世了。
died on the very same day
the greatest writers in their respective language—williamshakespeare and miguel de cervantes —died on the very same day in the very same year，april ，．they probablydid not know of each other．two men who knew each other well—the second and the third presidents of the united states，johnadams and thomas jefferson —died on the very same day inthe very same year，the fourth of july in ．adams's lastwords were：“jefferson still lives．”jefferson had died，however，a few hours earlier．
no.15 反着写的笔记
反着写的笔记
近500年前列奥纳多·达·芬奇留下的许多设计稿——即须通过镜子才能读懂的反着写的笔记，其中有降落伞、救生衣、水泵、游泳脚蹼、钻井机、明轮机、无马马车、扣齿链、蒸汽槍、水轮机、磨镜片机、子母弹、机关枪、飞机、直升飞机、潜水艇和成批生产的设计。
notes written backward
among the designs left by leonardo da vinci almost 500 years ago—with notes written backward to be read with a mirror—were the parachute，life jacket， water pump，swim fins，well digger，paddle－wheel boat，horseless carriage ，sprocketchain， steam gun， water turbine，lens-grinding0 machine，shrapnel ，machine gun， airplane， helicopter，submarine，and mass production ．
no.16 密码写成的见解
密码写成的见解
将近个世纪前，列奥纳多·达·芬奇就有了许多后来被证明是正确的见解。比如关于化石，关于血液循环，关于地球不是宇宙中心，关于落体，关于解剖等。他极为细致的观察和令人惊异的画图技术使得他画的波浪及水中的气泡非常精确，只有快速摄影机拍的照片才能改进。可是，他的天才没有起作用。他从未把他的这些见解告诉过别人，而是用密码写在浩瀚的笔记中，因此他同时代的人很少知道他的想法，因而也没有受到他这些想法的影响。这些著作的大部分直到世纪才发表。两本失传的著作直到年才在马德里的西班牙國家图书馆中被发现。
notions1 written in code
nearly five centuries ago，leonardo da vinci had notions．later proved correct．about fossils，about the circulation of theblood，about the earth not being the center of the universe，aboutfalling bodies，and about anatomy． his close observation andamazing skill at drawing were such that his pictures of waves andbubbles in water could be improved on only by a slow-motioncamera．but his genius went for naught．he kept these ideas tohimself，writing them in code in voluminous notebooks，so thathis contemporaries knew little of his ideas and remained unin－fluenced by them． most of these writings remained unpublisheduntil the nineteenth century．two lost works were found in inthe national library of spain in madrid．
no.17 毕加索画上的雅科布的脚印
毕加索画上的雅科布的脚印
潦而不倒的毕加索和诗人马克斯·雅科布曾在巴黎轮流共睡一张床。晚上雅科布睡觉，毕加索工作；白天毕加索睡觉，雅科布在一家玩具商店当店员。雅科布早上起床时常常得走过铺满图画的地板。后来不得不请美术专家除掉雅科布留在毕加索一幅幅画上的脚印。
jacob's footprints on
picasso's paintings
picasso and the poet max jacob ，down but not quite out in paris，shared a bed in turn．jacob slept at night while picassoworked，and picasso slept by day when jacob worked as a novelty -shop clerk． on arising in the morning， jacob often would have towalk on a floor carpeted with drawings． later， jacob's footprintshad to be removed by art experts．
no.18 毕加索留下……
毕加索留下……
1973年毕加索去世时，在法国南部四个陈列室里留下了下列作品：1，876幅画，1，355尊雕塑， 2，880件陶瓷，11，000多幅素描和速写，还有大约，27，000件各种各样的版画、镌刻和平版画。根据官方估计，他的遗产价值，1，251，673，200法国法郎，约合2.5亿美元。
picasso left…
picasso ，when he died in 1973，left in four repositories inthe south of france the following：1，876 paintings，1，355 sculptures ，2，880 ceramics ，more than 11，000 drawings andsketches ，and some ，27，000 etchings ，engravings ，andlithographs in various states．his estate was worth—at theofficial appraisal —1，251，673，200 french francs ， or ap－proximately＄250 million．
no.19 第一次也是最后一次会面
第一次也是最后一次会面
弗朗茨·彼德·舒伯特非常怕羞，他同路德维希·冯·贝多芬的第一次见面也成了最后一次见面。舒伯特写了一组二人合奏的法国曲子的变奏曲献给贝多芬，并想亲自把乐谱交给贝多芬。为此安排了一次见面。由于贝多芬耳聋，便递给舒伯特一张纸和一支铅笔，请他解释乐曲中的某一小节。舒伯特对这个要求感到十分紧张，便从贝多芬家里逃了出来。从那以后这两位作曲家再也没有见过面。
the first but also the last meeting
so shy was franz peter schubert that his first meeting withludwig van beethoven was his last．schubert had written a set ofvariations on a french tune for four hands and dedicated it tobeethoven，to whom he wanted to present the score personally．a meeting was arranged．because he was deaf，beethoven handeda piece of papor and pencil to schubert so that a particular bar ofmusic could be explained．schubert became so nervous at the re－quest that he fled from beethoven's home and the two composersnever again met．
no.20 摆脱不了13的瓦格纳
摆脱不了13的瓦格纳
作曲家理查德·瓦格纳（1813－1883）一生都摆脱不了13这个不祥的数字。他的名字有13个字母。他出生年份的数字之和是13。他第一次公开演出是在1831年，其数字之和也是13。他于4月13日完成《汤豪舍》，该剧于1861年3月13日在巴黎上演。1876年8月13日他第一次上演《尼伯龙根的指环》，他被任命为里加國家剧院的导演那年，剧院于9月13日开幕。瓦格纳写了13部歌剧，被流放出莎克森13年，于新德意志联邦第13年的2月13日去世。
wagner，haunted by number 13
the composer richard wagner（1813—1883） was hauntedall his life by the number 13． there were 13 letters in wagner'sname，and the sum of the figures of the year of his birth was 13．he made his first public appearance in 1831，the unmber of whichagain added up to 13．he completed tannhauser on april 13， and it was performed in paris on march 13，1861．on august 13，1876， he began the first presentation of the ring of thenibelungen．the year he was made director of the state theater atriga， the theater opened on september 13．wagner wrote 13 operas ， was exiled from saxony for 13 years，and died onfebruary 13 in the 13th year of the new german confederation ．
no.21 自负的怪物
自负的怪物
理查德·瓦格纳身村短小，脑袋挺大，与他的身躯极不相称——是个一副病态的矮个子。他神经脆弱，患有皮肤病。贴身穿的衣服若比丝绸稍微粗糙一点，便会使他痛苦不堪。他还有夸大妄想的毛病。
他是个非常自负的怪物。他从来不屑对世界或世人瞧上一眼，除非事情与自己有关。他不但自认为是天下头号重要人物，而且在他眼里惟有他一人生活在世间。他确信自己是世上最伟大的戏剧家之一，最伟大的思想家之一，最伟大的作曲家之一。听他侃侃而谈，他就是集莎士比亚、贝多芬、柏拉图三人于一身。你不难听到他谈话，他是世上论事不厌其烦的健谈者之一。同他度过一个夜晚，就会听他滔滔不绝讲一个夜晚。有时他妙语连珠，有时却令人厌烦不已。但不管是妙语连珠还是枯燥乏味，他只有一个话题：他自己。他总是在讲自己想些什么，做些什么。
他一味坚信自己总是对的。任何人，在最无足轻重的问题上，哪怕露出一丝异议，也会惹得他大发议论。他也许会说上好几个小时，鼓起自己那如簧之舌，千方百计证明自己是正确的。听的人被搞得耳朵发聋，不知所措。最后为了图个太平，别人也只好同意他的说法了。
a monster of conceit
richard wagner was an undersized little man， with a headtoo big for his body—a sickly little man．his nerves were bad．he had skin trouble．it was an agony for him to wear anythingnext to his skin coarser than silk．and he had delusions ofgrandeur ．
he was a monster of conceit．never for one minute did helook at the world or at people， except in relation to himself．hewas not only the most important person in the world， to himself；in his own eyes he was the only person who existed．he believedhimself to be one of the greatest dramatists in the world，one of the greatest thinkers，and one of the greatest composers．to hearhim talk， he was shakespeare，and beethoven，and plato ，rolledinto one．and you would have had no difficulty in hearing himtalk．he was one of the most exhausting conversationalists thatever lived．an evening with him was an evening spent in listeningto a monologue ．sometimes he was brilliant；sometimes he wasmaddeningly tiresome．but whether he was being brilliant ordull， he had one sole topic of conversation：himself．what hethought and what he did．
he had a mania 0 for being in the right．the slightest hint ofdisagreement，from anyone，on the most trivial point， was e－nough to set him off on a harangue that might last for hours，inwhich he proved himself right in so many ways，and with suchexhausting volubility ，that in the end his hearer，stunned anddeafened，would agree with him，for the sake of peace．
no.22 不是为了批评，而是为了掌声
不是为了批评，而是为了掌声
理查德·瓦格纳压根儿就没有想过，与他有过交往的人，并不感到他这个人和他所做的事最富有情趣、为之倾倒。他几乎对世间的一切问题都有自己的见解，包括素食主义、戏剧、政治以及音乐。为了证实自己的观点，他写了小册子、信、书……连篇累牍，好几百页。他不仅写这些东西拿去出版——所需费用往往是别人支付——而且常常一连好几个小时坐着读给他的朋友和家人听。
他写歌剧，常常是刚有一个故事梗概就邀请——或者更确切地说召集——一群朋友到他家来，把故事梗概读给他们听。不是为了批评，而是为了掌声。整出戏的歌词写完后，朋友们得再来听他朗诵。然后他就送去发表。有时歌词发表好几年，配词的乐曲才创作出来。他弹钢琴只是象个作曲家弹得那样（从这句话所能隐含的最糟糕的意义上讲），弹得糟透了，然而，他却常常坐在钢琴旁，面对包括他那个时代最杰出的钢琴家在内的一群人，一小时接一小时地为他们弹奏个不停。不用说，弹的都是他自己创作的音乐作品。他有一副作曲家的歌喉。他常常把著名的声乐家请到家里，亲自为他们演唱他的歌剧，并且包揽所有角色。
not for criticism，but for applause
it never occurred to richard wagner that he and his doingwere not of the most intense and fascinating interest to anyone withwhom he came into contact．he had theories of almost any subjectunder the sun，including vegetarianism，the drama，politics，andmusic；and in support of these theories he wrote pamphlets，let－ters，books… thousands upon thousands of words，hundreds uponhundreds of pages．he not only wrote these things，and publishedthem— usually at somebody else's expense — but he would sitand read them aloud．for hours，to his friends and family．
he wrote operas，and no sooner did he have the synopsis ofa story，than he would invite— or rather summon — a crowd ofhis friends to his house and read that it aloud to them． not forcriticism，but for applause．when the complete poem was written，the friends had to come again， and hear that read aloud．then hewould publish the poem，sometimes years before the music thatwent with it was written．he played the piano like a composer，inthe worst sense of what that implies，and he would sit down at thepiano before parties that included some of the finest pianists of histime，and play for them，by the hour ，his own music，needlessto say ．he had a composer's voice．and he would invite eminentvocalists ．to his house， and sing them his operas，taking all theparts．
no.23 没有丝毫责任感
没有丝毫责任感
瓦格纳几乎没有丝毫责任感。他不仅似乎无力养活自己，而且从未想过有什么养活自己的责任。他确信世人应该供养他。基于这一信念，他向所有拿得出钱的人借钱——不论是男是女，也不论是朋友还是陌生人。乞讨信他一写就是二十几封。有时低声下气，不知天下有羞耻二字；有时趾高气扬地把资助他的殊荣恩赐给他看中的捐助人，要是领受人谢绝这一殊荣，他会气得半死。没有发现任何记录表明他曾经把钱付给或还给未对他提出法律上的要求的人。
凡是能弄到手的钱，他花起来象一位印度王子。他的某一出歌剧可能要上演了，单凭这一点指望，他一下子就欠下十倍于预期版税的帐单。没有人搞得清楚——肯定他自己也弄不清楚——他欠过多少钱。可是我们确实知道，一位为他出钱最多的捐助人曾经给他六千美元，帮助他偿还他在某市催得最紧的债款。一年后，又得给他一万六千美元，使他在另一个城市得以安顿下来，并免遭因无力偿还债务而锒铛入狱的灾难。
innocent of any sense ofresponsibility
wagner was almost innocent of any sense of responsibility．not only did he seem incapable of supporting himself， but itnever occurred to him that he was under any obligation to do so．he was convinced that the world owed him a living．in support ofthis belief，he borrowed money from everybody who was good for aloan —men，women，friends，or strangers．he wrote beggingletters by the score ，sometimes groveling without shame， atothers loftily offering his intended benefactor 0 the privilege of contributing to his support，and being mortally offended if therecipient declined the honor．no record was found of his payingor repaying money to anyone who did not have a legal claimupon it．
what money he could lay his hands on he spent like anindian rajah．the mere prospect of a performance of one of hisoperas was enough to set him to running up bills amounting to tentimes the amount of his prospective royalties ． no one will everknow—certainly he never knew—how much money he owed．
we do know that his greatest benefactor gave him＄6，000 to paythe most pressing of his debts in one city， and a year later had togave him＄16，000 to enable him to live in another city withoutbeing thrown into jail for debt．
no.24 他夺走了朋友的妻子
他夺走了朋友的妻子
理查德·瓦格纳在其他方面同样无所顾忌。他一生中交往过的女人有长长的一串。他的第一位妻子同他度过二十个年头，对他的用情不专一再忍受，一再原谅。他的第二位太太原是对他最敬慕、最忠实的朋友的妻子，他从挚友手中夺走了她。甚至在他劝说这位太太离开她的第一位丈夫之际，他已经在给朋友写信，询问能否介绍一位阔妇人——任何有钱的妇人都行——为了她的金钱他愿意娶她为妻。
他在别的私人交往中也极为自私。他对朋友有无好感完全取决于他们对他是否绝对忠诚，或者取决于他们在经济上或艺术上对他是否有用。一旦他们有什么地方让他失望——连谢绝赴宴之类的区区小事也不例外——或者不如以前有用了，他便不假思索地与他们断绝来往。在他生命的最后阶段，他只剩下一个朋友，就是这个朋友也是在中年时才认识的。
he stole the wife from his friend
richard wagner was equally unscrupulous in other ways．an endless procession of women marched through his life． hisfirst wife spent twenty years enduring and forgiving his infidelities． his second wife had been the wife of his most devotedfriend and admirer， from whom he stole her．and even while hewas trying to persuade her to leave her first husband he was writingto a friend to inquire whether he could suggest some wealthywoman— any wealthy woman— whom he could marry for hermoney．
he was completely selfish in his other personal relationships．his liking for his friends was measured solely by the completeness of their devotion to him， or by their usefulness tohim，whether financial or artistic．the minute they failed him－even by so much as refusing a dinner invitation— or began tolessen in usefulness，he cast them off without a second thought．at the end of his life he had exactly one friend left whom he hadeven known in middle age．
no.25 约翰·施特劳斯曾在波士顿指挥
约翰·施特劳斯曾在波士顿指挥
虽然维也纳圆舞曲之王约翰·施特劳斯非常怕晕船，但是在1872年拿到预付的价值10万美元的黄金后，同意乘船到波士顿指挥一场被称为“世界和平节”的超级音乐会。那次音乐会在一个大棚内举行，听众达到10万人，施特劳斯要指挥2万名音乐家和合唱歌手。为了使所有的人同时开始，同时结束，施特劳斯只好将他指挥的节拍写传给100名分指挥。
johann strauss conducted
in boston
though fearful of seasickness，the viennese waltz kingjohann strauss agreed— after receiving， in advance， a paymentof＄100，000 in gold— to sail to boston and conduct there， in 1872，a supermusical called the world peace jubilee．theconcert took place in a shed for 100，000 patrons． strauss had tolead 20， 000 musicians and choristers ； to start everyone on timeand to have them end all together， strauss gave his beat to 100 subcondctors．
no.26 两人都受到过猫的启示
两人都受到过猫的启示
斯卡拉蒂和肖邦都受到过猫的启示。斯卡拉蒂的猫用脚爪在他的大键琴的琴键上踩出一个一个音符时，斯卡拉蒂着手写了一首大键琴d小调赋格曲，《猫和赋格曲》。肖邦在创作f大调第3号圆舞曲时，他的猫从钢琴键上跑过。肖邦感到非常有趣。在他称之为《猫的圆舞曲》中设法记下了同样的音响。
both were inspired by cats
both scarlatti and chopin were inspired by cats．whenscarlatti's cat struck certain notes on the keys of his harpsichord ，one by one， with its paws， scarlatti proceeded to write the cat'sfugue，a fugue for harpsichord in d minor ．while chopin wascomposing waltz no．3 in f major ， his cat ran across the keys ofthe piano，amusing chopin so much that he tried for the samesounds in what is called the cat's waltz．
no.27 23年里没有上演过一次
23年里没有上演过一次
今天仍被经常演奏的莫扎特的作品，比历史上任何一个作曲家的作品都多——也许j．s．巴赫除外。但莫扎特的有些重要作品，按今天的标准来看曾有很长时间遭到冷落。例如从1917年起的23年里，大都会歌剧院没有上演过一次《费加罗的婚礼》。
not giving a single performance
in 23 years
more of mozart's compositions are still in active use todaythan the works of any other composers in history—with thepossible exception of j．s． bach ． but some of mozart's mostimportant works—by today's standard— have suffered longperiods of neglect．for example， for twenty－three years，beginning in 1917， the metropolitan opera did not give a singleperformance of the marriage of figaro．
no.28 几百万次笑声中的第一次
几百万次笑声中的第一次
查理·卓别林5岁时偶然开始了他的表演生涯。他的母亲是音乐厅演员，一次演出中失了声，不得不离开舞台。查理上台唱了一首名曲。歌唱到一半，雨点般的钱就扔到了台上。查理停下来，对观众说，他先要拣一下钱，然后再把歌唱完。观众笑了。这是卓别林神话般生涯中赢得的几百万次笑声中的一次。
在20世纪20年代至30年代，查理·卓别林大概是世界上最有名的人。有一次这位电影喜剧明星访问故乡伦敦，在两天之内就收到73，000封信。
the first of millions of laughs
charlie chaplin broke into show business at age five be－cause his mother， a music－hall performer， lost her voice duringthe performance and had to leave the stage，and charile went onand sang a well-known song．halfway through the song a showerof money poured onto the stage．charlie stopped singing and toldthe audience he would pick up the money first and then finish thesong．the audience laughed．this was the first of millions oflaughs in charlie chaplin's fabulous career ．
in the 1920s and 1930s，charlie chaplin was probably themost celebrated man in the world．on a visit to his nativelondon， the motion－picture comedian received，73，000lettersin just two days．
no.29 曾被锁进放肉的笼子里
曾被锁进放肉的笼子里
默片明星玛丽·壁克馥被称为“美国的情人”，但她也得到全世界的崇拜。在她频繁的出国访问中，常常会受到过分热情的影迷们的滋扰。她在巴黎参观露天市场时影迷们对她构成了威胁，两个卖肉的只好把她锁进放肉的笼子里，直到警察赶来救她。后来在埃及亚历山大，她的汽车几乎被码头工人挤翻。他们要她在他们的耳朵上签名，以便刺成永久性纪念。
once locked in a meat cage
silent－movie saperstar mary pickford was known as“america's sweetheart”， but she was adored all over the world．on her frequent trips abroad， she would be mobbed by hordesof overenthusiastic fans． in paris， when she visited lee halles，the open－air market，her fans became so threatening that twobutchers had to lock her in a meat cage until the police couldrescue her． latef， in alexandria， egypt， her car was nearlywrecked by stevedores who wanted to autograph their ears sothat they could have the signature permanently tattooed ．
no.30 背诵波兰文字母表
背诵波兰文字母表
波兰女演员海伦娜·莫杰斯卡（1844－1909）以其真实而富有感情的表演深受观众的欢迎。一次在不懂波兰语的人举行的宴会上，她用波兰语朗诵了一段话。她朗诵完时，观众们都热泪盈眶。而事实上，她只是背诵了波兰文的字母表。
reciting the polish alphabet
the polish actress helena modjeska（1844－1909） waspopular with andiences for her realistic and emotional style ofacting．she once gave a dramatic reading in her native tongue ata dinner party of people who didn't know polish， and her listenerswere in tears when she finished． it turned out she had merely re－cited the polish alphabet．
no.31 美国最伟大的运动员
美国最伟大的运动员
火车站挤得水泄不通。拉斐德学院的学生们一齐拥上站台，热切地等待着卡莱尔印地安人学校田径队的到来。倘若在几个月前，准没有人相信，一个谁也没听说过的学校，会在田径场上突然大败许多有名的大学。不用说，这些卡莱尔的运动员抵达后，准会象一营海军陆战队队员那样，一个接一个冲下火车。
火车终于到站了，两个年轻人——一位，个儿高，体态魁梧；另一位，个儿矮，长相瘦弱——踏上了站台。
“田径队在哪儿？”一位拉斐德的学生问道。
“就在这儿，”大个子回答道。
“就你们两个？”
“不，就我一个，”大个子说。“这位小兄弟是领队。”
拉斐德的学生们诧异地摇摇头。一定有人在和他们开玩笑。如果卡莱尔田径队就只有大个子一人，那他就得和整个拉斐德田径队比试高低了。
确实如此。他短跑、跨栏、长跑、跳高、跳远。他又投标枪又掷铅球。大个子赢得八项第一，一个人击败了整个拉斐德田径队。
这位大个子就是美国现代最伟大的运动员吉姆·索普。
the greatest american athlete1
the railroad station was jammed． students from lafayettecollege were crowding onto the train platform eagerly awaiting thearrival of the carlisle indian school's track and field squad ．noone would have believed it a few months earlier．a school thatnobody had heard of was suddenly beating big， famous colleges intrack meets ．surely these carlisle athletes would come chargingoff the train，one after another，like a marine battalion．
the train finally arrived and two young men—one big andbroad，the other small and slight—stepped onto the platform．
“where is the track team？”a lafayette student asked．
“this is the team，” replied the big fellow．
“just the two of you？”
“nope ， just me，” said the big fellow．“this little guy is themanager．
the lafayette students shook their heads in wonder．some－body must be playing a joke on them． if this big fellow was thewhole carlisle track team， he would be competing against anentire lafayette squad．
he did．he ran sprints， he ran hurdles， he ran distantraces．he high-jumped， he broad-jumped． he threw the javelinand the shot．finishing first in eight events ，the big fellowbeat the whole lafayette team．
the big fellow was jim thorpe， the greatest americanathlete of modern times．
no.32 艾森豪威尔曾试图阻拦他
艾森豪威尔曾试图阻拦他
吉姆·索姆参加了多项运动。不管他参加哪项运动，他都表现得非常出色。他是棒球明星、田径明星、摔跤明星、长曲棍球明星、篮球明星和橄榄球明星。事实上，他的橄榄球打得十分出色，以至于大多数学校都拒绝与卡莱尔比赛。不久，这个印第安学校的橄榄球比赛日程上列出的都是些二十世纪初的一些强队，比如匹兹堡队、哈佛队，宾西法尼亚队、宾州队及陆军队等。
纽约的美国西点军校也一向拥有最佳橄榄球运动员。橄榄球队历来把击败西点引为极大的自豪。1912年卡莱尔队以27比6击败西点，索普一人独得22分。那天在试图阻拦索普的人中，有一个西点队队员名叫德怀特·d·艾森豪威尔，此人后来成为杰出的将军并作过美国总统。
eisenhower tried to stop him
jim thorpe played in many sports．in whatever sport heplayed， he excelled． he was a star in baseball，track and field，wrestling，lacrosse，basketball and football．he was so good infootball，in fact，that most other schools refused to play carlisle．the indian school's football schedule soon listed such major pow－ers of the early twentieth century as pittsburgh， harvard，pennsylvania， penn state and army．
the united states military academy at west point，newyork， has always had excellent football players， too． it has al－ways been a matter of great pride for a football team to succeed inbeating west point．in 1912 ，with thorpe alone scoring 22 points，the carlisle team defeated west point by a score of 27－6．one of the men who tried to stop thorpe that day was a member ofthe west point team named dwight d．eisenhower，who laterbecame an outstanding general and president of the united states．
no.33 他是公民的最高典范？
他是公民的最高典范？
年奥运会在斯德哥尔摩举行。吉姆·索普被选入美国奥林匹克田径代表团，随队去瑞典参加奥运会。在船上，别的运动员都在活动身体，索普却在床上睡大觉。到了瑞典，别的运动员在训练，索普却躺在吊床上休息。不到必要的时候，他从来不肯使劲。但从来不想练习却从未对自己的能力缺乏信心的索普，成了奥运会上的美国英雄。
五项全能比赛，即一系列的五种不同的田径项目；十项全能比赛，即一系列的十种不同的田径项目由一个人完成，可能是最需要耐力和体力的两个比赛项目了。在现代奥运会历史上，从来没有任何人在一届奥运会上既参加五项全能比赛又参加十项全能比赛的。索普这样做了，而且他在这些艰难的项目中都取得了胜利。瑞典国王古斯塔夫五世赠给索普两枚金质奖章和其他价值五万美元的奖品。“先生”，国王说，“你是全世界最伟大的运动员。我能和你握手深感荣幸。”美国总统威廉·霍华德·塔夫脱也说：“吉姆·索普是公民的最高典范。”
国王古斯塔夫五世说对了，但塔夫脱总统却没有说对。尽管吉姆·索普为他的國家赢得了很大的荣誉，尽管他回到美国时数千人前去热烈欢迎他，为他举行宴会和在纽约的游行，而他却不是一个美国公民。直到1916年，他才取得公民资格。而那还是经过政府特别裁决才授予他的，因为他是一个印地安人。
is he the highest type of citizen？
in the olympic games were held in stockholm ．jimthorpe was selected for the united states olympic track team，andwent to sweden ．on the ship，while the other athletes limberedup ，thorpe slept in his bunk．in sweden，while other athletestrained，thorpe relaxed in a hammock．he never strained when hedidn't teel it necessary ．but thorpe，who never wanted to prac-tice，but never lacked confidence in his ability，was the americanhero of the games．
the two competitions requiring perhaps the most endurance and strength are the pentathlon ，a series of five varied trackevents，and the decathlon ，a series of ten track events，all per-formed by one man．never before in the history of the modernolympics had one man competed in both pentathlon and decathlonat one meeting of the olympic games．thorpe did this and wonboth of these difficult events．the king of sweden，gustav v，presented thorpe with two gold meddals ，and other prizes whichwere valued at 0，000．“sir，” said the king，“you are thegreatest athlete in the world．i would consider it an honor to shakeyour hand．” and william howard taft，the president of the u－nited states，said，“jim thorpe is the highest type of citizen．”
king gustav v was correct，but president taft was not．though jim thorpe had brought great glory to his nation，thoughthousands of people cheered him upon his return to the united statesand attended banquets and a new york parade in his honor，hewas not a citizen．he did not become one until 1916．even then，ittook a special government ruling because he was an indian．
no.34 悲伤，迷惘的人—吉姆·索普
悲伤，迷惘的人—吉姆·索普
1912年斯德哥尔摩奥运会后，吉姆·索普成了英雄，但没过多久，他就成了一个悲伤和迷惘的人。原来，有人发现，奥运会前两年，他曾经为了几块钱参加过半职业性的棒球比赛。许多业余运动员使用假名参赛赚钱，而索普却用了自己的真名。结果，从技术上讲，他在斯德哥尔摩参赛时，已经不是一名业余运动员了，而根据规定，所有奥林匹克运动员必须是业余选手。于是，他的奥运会奖牌和奖品被收了回去，发给第二名的获得者。那两人都拒绝接受奖牌和奖品。他们说，奖章和奖品实际上应该归索普所有。于是那奖章和奖品就存放在瑞士卢塞恩城博物馆中。索普获胜的记录也从奥运会的历史中删除了。“我对于人情世故不甚通达，”索普说。于是他决定永远放弃业余运动。
索普的崇拜者们曾经多次试图让国会把索普在1912年奥运会上赢得的奖品退还给他，这一计划从未成功。但当体育新闻记者们告诉报纸读者说吉姆·索普没有钱买票去观看在洛杉矶举行的1932年的奥运会，于是成千上万的人便把自己的票寄给这位昔日斯德哥尔摩奥运会上的英雄人物，索普还应邀和美国副总统一起坐在总统席上观赏运动项目。年当人们得知他急需医疗费不得不动手术时，从全国各地寄来的赠款使他得到数千美元的基金。
1950年，美联社曾经组织全国的体育专栏作家和体育节目广播员举行投票，其中170人投票选举吉姆为二十世纪最伟大的橄榄球明星。据美联社统计在另一次选举中，有393个体育专栏作家和体育节目广播员投票选举他为二十世纪前五十年里最伟大的运动员。他的总票数几乎和其次的三个当选者的票数之和一样多。
大约七十年以后，在1982年10月，国际奥委会决定恢复这位伟大的美国印地安人运动员的业余运动员身份并交还两枚金牌。1983年1月，国际奥委会主席萨马兰奇先生在洛杉矶亲自把这两枚金牌赠还给索普的女儿和他的孙子威廉·索普。这样吉姆·索普，这位现代最伟大的运动员终于恢复他应得的地位。
jim thorpe，a sad，bewildered man
jim thorpe was a hero after the 1912's stockholm olympicsand a sad，bewildered man not too much later．someone discov－ered that two years before the olympics he had been paid a fewdollars to play semiprofessional baseball．though many ama－teur athletes had played for pay under false names ，thorpe hadused his own name．as a result，he was not technically an ama－teur when he competed at stockholm as all olympic athletes mustbe．his 0lympic medals and trophies were taken away from himand given to the runners－up ．both men refused to take them，saying they really belonged to thorpe．the medals and prizes werethen placed in a museum in lucerne ，swltzerland．the records ofthorpe's victories were removed from the history of the olympicgames．“i was not very wise in the ways of the world．”saidthorpe，and he then decided to give up amateur athletics forgood ．
several times，there was an attempt by thorpe's admirers to have congress to return to him the trophies he had won in the 1912 olympic games．this project was never successful．butwhen sports reporters told newspaper readers that jim thorpe didnot have enough money to buy a ticket to the 1932 olympics，heldin los angeles ，thousands of people offered their own tickets tothe man who had been the hero of stockholm，and thorpe wasinvited to sit in the presidential box with the vice-president of the united states．when he had to have an operation in and it became known that he needed money for hospital expenses，gifts of money from all over the country brought him a fund ofseveral thousand dollars．
the associated press took a vote in 1950 among the sportswriters and sports radio broadcasters all over the country，and 170of them voted for jim as the greatest football star of the twentiethcentury；he led every other candidate．in another election，theassociated press found that 393 sports writers and broadcastersvoted for him as the greatest athlete of the first fifty years of thetwentieth century．his total was almost as great as the combinedscore of the next three men in the pool ．
about seventy years later，in october 1982，the internationalolympic committee decided to restore the amateur status and the two gold medals to this great american indian athlete．and it was mr．samaranch，president of the ioc，who personallypresented the two medals to thorpe's daughter and his grandsonwilliam thorpe in los angeles in january 1983．thus，jimthorpe，the greatest athlete of the modern times，is finally backwhere he well deserves to be．
no.35 体育道德？体育薪水？
体育道德？体育薪水？
在过去的几百年里，美国人都被教诲“在体育比赛中，不论输赢都要尽最大的努力。”这一“体育道德标准”部分来自圣经的教诲，即不论你做什么，上帝都希望你“全力以赴”。对这一道德标准的另一个陈述在奥林匹克的纲领中有所表达：奥运会最重要的事情不是获胜，而是参与，就如人生最重要的事情不是胜利而是奋斗。首要的事情不是征服而是拼搏。
然而，由于各种体育运动已经变成赚钱的途径，所以，这一早先的体育道德宗旨正被获胜的需求所替代，因为优胜者要比失败者赚的钱多。职业选手现在被支付的工资令人难以置信，比最大公司的总裁挣得多，比美国总统挣得也要多得多。
例如在1944年，签订了一些庞大的美国体育合同——棒球方面：旧金山巨人棒球队同意向巴瑞·庞兹为该队打棒球6年支付4千4百万美元，即每年超过7百万美元！篮球方面：夏洛特·霍内兹将向拉里·约翰逊支付8千4百万美元，作为其为该队参加职业篮球比赛的12年的薪水，合每年7百万美元。克里夫兰·布朗兹将向伯尼·考沙支付2千7百万美元，作为其为该队参加美式足球比赛的7年的薪水，几乎每年4百万美元。
sports ethic？sports salaries？
for hundreds of years，americans were told “do your best insports，whether or not you win．”part of this “sports ethic”comes from the bible's teaching that no matter what you do，godexpects you to do it “with all your might．” another statement ofthis ethic is expressed in the olympic creed ：the most importantthing in the olympic games is not to win but to take part，just asthe most important thing in life is not the triumph but the strug－gle．the essential thing is not to have conquered but to havefought well．
however，as various sports have become ways to make money，this earlier sports ethic is being replaced by the need towin，tor winners make more money than losers．professionalplayers are now paid unbelievable salaries，more than the presi－dents of the biggest companies and much more than the presidentof the united states．
for example in 1944，some huge american sports contractswere signed：in baseball ，the san francisco giants baseball teamagreed to pay barry bonds almost forty－four million dollars to playfor six years，over seven million dollars a year for playing base－ball！in basketball，larry johnson will be paid eighty－four milliondollars by the charlotte hornets for playing twelve years，sevenmillion dollars a year for playing professional basketball．thecleveland browns will pay bernie kosar twenty－seven milliondollars for playing american football for seven years，almost fourmillion dollars a year for playing football．
no.36 国王约翰和修道院长
国王约翰和修道院长
以前，英格兰有个国王，名叫约翰。他是个不得人心的国王，因为他对他的臣民残暴苛刻，他只顾自己顺心，为所欲为，不管别人的死活。他是英格兰历代最坏的国王。
当时，在坎特伯雷市，有一个富有的老修道院长，他住在一所叫威斯敏斯特教堂的雄伟建筑里，过着豪华的生活。约翰国王听说老修道院长的生活方式以后，就打定主意加以制止。于是他派人把那个老人叫来见他。他说：“你的过错是一清二楚的，我提三个问题，你要是回答不出来，我就砍掉你的脑袋，而且你的全部财富都要归我所有。”
“我试试回答吧，国王！”修道院长说。
“首先，你必须告诉我，我能活多久。第二，你必须告诉我，我骑马周游世界要用多长时间。最后，你要告诉我，我在想什么。给你两个星期，如果到时候回答不上来，我就要砍掉你的脑袋，你的全部土地也将归我所有。”
于是修道院长来到牛津和剑桥。他想了解一下，看看那些聪明的教授有没有人能帮助他。但他们不能。
最后，他又发愁又伤心，骑马回家。然后，他遇到他家的牧羊人。“您从伟大的约翰国王那里给我们带来什么消息了？”
“不好的消息，不好的消息，”修道院长说，接着，他把发生的一切都告诉了他。
“振作起来，振作起来！好主人。我想我能够帮助你摆脱困境。”
大家都说他长得像修道院长。他精心打扮起来。在羊倌上衣外面套上了修道院长的长袍，并借来了修道院长的帽子和金手杖。一切准备就绪，世界上的任何人都不会认为他不是那位大人物本人。当然，国王是认不出他来的。
“我能活多久？”“你能活到你死的那天，多一天也活不了。”
“我骑马周游世界要用多长时间？”“你必须日出而起，而且你必须跟着太阳骑马赶路，直到第二天早晨太阳重新升起为止。只要你这样做，你就会发现，在小时里你已经骑马周游世界一周了。”
“我现在想什么？”“你在想我是坎特伯雷市的修道院长。但是我给你说实话，我只是他的穷牧羊人。我来这里是求您原谅他和我。”说罢，他脱下他的长袍。
国王放声大笑很久很久。“那么好啦！我要给你点东西，酬谢这次有趣的玩笑。只要你活着，我每个星期都给你个银币。另外，回家以后，你可以告诉老修道院长，你给他带来了约翰国王的特赦。”
king john and the abbot
there was once a king of england whose name was john．hewas a bad king；for he was harsh and cruel to his people，and solong as he could have his own way ，he did not care what becameof other folks．he was the worst king that england ever had．
now，there was in the town of canterbury a rich old abbotwho lived in a grand style in a great house called the abbey ．when king john heard of the way in which the abbot lived，hemade up his mind to put a stop to it．so he sent for the old man tocome and see him．he said，“your fault is plain，and unless youcan answer me three questions，your head shall be cut off，and allyour riches shall be mine．”
“i will try to answer them，o king！”said the abbot．
“firstly，you must tell me just how long i shall live．sec－ondly，you must tell me how soon i shall ride round the wholeworld；and lastly，you shall tell me what i think．two weeks youshall have．if then you fail to answer me，you shall lose yourhead，and all your lands shall be mine． ”
the abbot went to oxford and cambridge，and wanted to seeif any of the wise could help him．but they could not．
at last，sad and sorrowful，he rode towards home．then hemet his shepherd ．“what news do you bring us from great kingjohn？”
“sad news， sad news，”said the abbot；and then he told himall that had happened．
“cheer up，cheer up，good master．i think i can help you outof your trouble．”
everybody said he looked just like the abbot．he dressedhimself with great care．over his shepherd's coat he threw theabbot's long gown ，and he borrowed the abbot's cap and goldenstaff ．when all was ready，no one in the world would havethought that he was not the great man himself．of course，the kingdid not know him．
“how long shall i live？”“you shall live until the day thatyou die，and not one day longer．”
“how soon i will ride round the world？”“you must rise withthe sun，and you must ride with the sun until it rises again the nextmorning．as soon as you do that，you will find that you haveridden the world in twenty－four hours．”
“what do i think？”“you think that i am the abbot of can－terbury．but，to tell you the truth，i am only his poor shepherd，and i come to beg your pardon for him and for me．”and withthat，he threw off his long gown．
the king laughed long and long．“very well，then．i willgive you something to pay you for this merry joke．i will give youfour pieces of silver every week as long as you live．and whenyou get home，you may tell the old abbot that you have broughthim a free pardon from king john．”
no.37 布鲁斯和蜘蛛
布鲁斯和蜘蛛
从前，苏格兰有个国王，名叫罗伯特·布鲁斯。他所处的时代是个不文明的野蛮时代，因此他必须机智勇敢。英格兰国王向他开战，率领大军侵入苏格兰，要把他赶出国土。
他打了一次战役又一次战役。布鲁斯六次率领人数不多的英勇部队与敌人作战，可是六次都被打败了，被迫逃跑。最后，他的部队溃散了，他本人被迫躲在森林里和群山深处的僻静地方。
一天，正当他躺着思索的时候，看见一只蜘蛛在他头上，准备织网。他注视着这只蜘蛛慢慢地、小心翼翼地辛勤劳作。
她六次试图把她那纤弱的细丝从一道横梁系到另一道横梁上去。但是六次都失败了。
“可怜的东西！”布鲁斯说道，“你也知道失败的滋味。”
但是蜘蛛并没有由于六次的失败而灰心。她更加小心谨慎地准备第七次尝试。
当布鲁斯看见蜘蛛在柔弱的细丝上摆动时，他几乎忘记了自己的烦恼。她会再次失败吗？不会！这根丝被稳妥地带到横梁上，而且牢牢地系在那儿了。
“我也要做第七次尝试！”布鲁斯喊了起来。
他站了起来，把他的士兵召集在一起，他把自己的计划告诉了他们，并且派他们把振奋斗志的信息带给他那些灰心丧气的臣民。不久，他周围就组成了一支勇敢的苏格兰军队。另一场战斗打响了，英格兰国王只好返回自己的国土了。
从那天以后，凡是叫布鲁斯的人，没有一个伤害过蜘蛛。这个小小的生物给国王上的课永远没有被忘记。
bruce and the spider
there was once a king of scotland whose name was robertbruce．he had need to be both brave and wise，for the times inwhich he lived were wild and rude．the king of england was atwar with him，and had led a great army into scotland to drive himout of the land．
battle after battle had been fought．six times had bruce ledhis brave little army against his foes ；and six times had his menbeen beaten，and driven into flight ．at last，his army wasscattered ，and he was forced to hide himself in the woods and inlonely places among the mountains．
one duy，as he lay thinking，he saw a spider over his head，making ready to weave her web ．he watched her as she toiled slowly and with great care．
six times she tried to throw her frail thread from one beam to another，and six times it fell short ．
“poor thing！”said bruce．“you，too，know what it is tofail．”
but the spider did not lose hope with the sixth failure．withstill more care，she made ready to try for the seventh time．
bruce almost forgot his own troubles as he watched herswing herself out upon the slender line．would she fail again？no！the thread was carried safely to the beam．and fastenedthere．
“i，too，will try a seventh time！”cried bruce．
he arose and called his men together．he told them of hisplans，and sent them out with messages of cheer to his disheartened people．soon there was an army of brave scotchmenaround him．another battle was fought，and the king of englandwas glad to go back into his own country．
after that day，no one by the name of bruce would ever hurta spider．the lesson that the little creature had taught the kingwas never forgotten．
no.38 简洁的回答
简洁的回答
离罗马很远的地方，有一个著名的國家，我们都称它为希腊。希腊人不像罗马人那么团结，而是分成了很多个邦，每一个邦都有自己的统治者。
这个國家南部的一部分人叫做斯巴达，这里的人以习俗简朴、行为勇敢而闻名。这个地方叫拉科尼亚。因此，有时候他们被称为拉科人。
斯巴达人有些奇怪的规矩。其中之一是，说话要简练，而且从来不用不必要的多余的词儿。所以，人们对一种简短的回答往往说成了拉科人的答法，就是说拉科人是这样答复问题的。
希腊北部有一个地方，叫马其顿。这地方曾经一度被一个好战的国王菲利普所统治。
马其顿的菲利普想成为整个希腊的霸主。因此，他募集了一支大军，向其他邦开战，最后几乎所有的邦都被迫称他为王了。后来，他给拉科尼亚的斯巴达人送去了一封信。信上说，“假如我开进你们的國家，我要把你们这座大城市夷为平地。”几天以后，他收到了回信。他打开信，发现上面只写着一个词。
这个词就是“假如”。
这等于说“只要‘假如’这个小小的词儿还挡着你们的路，我们就不怕你。”
a laconic answer
many miles beyond rome there was a famous country whichwe call greece．the people of greece were not united like theromans；but instead there were several states，each of which hadits own rulers．
some of the people in the southern part of the country werecalled spartans ，and they were noted for their simple habits andtheir bravery．the name of their land was laconia，and so theywere sometimes called lacons．
one of the strange rules which the spartans had，was thatthey should speak briefly，and never use more words than wereneeded，and so a short answer is often spoken of as beinglaconic；that is，as being such an answer as a lacon would belikely to give．
there was in the northern part of greece a land calledmacedon，and this land was at a time ruled over by a warlike king named philip．
philip of macedon wanted to become the master of allgreece．so he raised a great army，and made war upon the otherstates，until nearly all of them were forced to call him their king．then he sent a letter to the spartans in laconia，and said，“if i godown into your country，i will level your great city to theground．”
in a few days，an answer was brought back to him．when heopened the letter，he found only one word written there．
that word was“if”．
it was as much as to say，“we are not afraid of you so longas the little word‘if'stands in your way．”
no.39 亚历山大和比塞弗勒斯
亚历山大和比塞弗勒斯
一天，国王菲利普（公年前—前年，马其顿国王）买来一匹好马，叫比塞弗勒斯。这是一匹良种马，国王是出了很高价格买来的。但是它既野又凶，谁都驾驭不了它。谁也对它没办法。
他们用鞭子抽它，但那只能使它更野更凶。最后，国王吩咐仆人把它牵走。
“把这么一匹好马毁了，真可惜，”国王的小儿子亚历山大说。“那些人不懂得怎么对待它。”
“也许你比他们都高明，”他父亲以讽刺的口吻说。
“我懂得，”亚历山大说，“只要您同意让我试试，我就可以把这匹马驯得比任何人驯得都好。”
“可是假如你做不到这一点，那又该怎么办？”菲利普问道。
“我就把您买这匹马的钱偿还给您，”小伙子说。
大家正笑着的时候，亚历山大就跑向比塞弗勒斯，把它的头对着太阳。他已经注意到，这匹马害怕自己的影子。接着他温和地对马说起话来，用手抚摸着它。他使它稍微安静下来以后，就飞快地一跃，跳上了马背。
大家都以为这个男孩会当场被摔死。但是他稳坐在马背上，让这匹马尽情地飞跑。不久，比塞弗勒斯跑累了，亚历山大就骑着它，回到他父亲的地方。
在场的人们看到这个男孩确实够资格成为这匹马的主人，都欢呼起来。
他跳下马来，他父亲跑过来吻他。“我的儿子，”国王说，“马其顿这个地方对你来说太小了。必须找一个更大的地方才容得下你。”
从那以后，亚历山大和比塞弗勒斯成了最好的朋友。人们都说他俩总在一起。因为只要看到其中的一个，另一个肯定就在不远的地方。可是，这匹马除了他的主人外，从来不许任何人骑它。
亚历山大成了最著名的国王和勇士。因为这个缘故，人们总称他亚历山大大帝。比塞弗勒斯曾驮着他去过很多國家，参加过许多激烈的战争，而且不止一次救过它主人的性命。
alexander and bucephalus
one day king philip（382-336 b．c．，king of macedon）bought a fine horse called bucephalus．he was a noble animal，and the king paid a very high price for him．but he was wild andsavage ，and no man could mount him，or do anything at all withhim．
they tried to whip him，but that only made him worse．atlast the king bade his servant to take him away．
“it is a pity to ruin so fine a horse as that，”said alexander，the king's young son．“those men do not know how to treat him．”
“perhaps you can do better than they，”said his fatherscornfully ．
“i know，”said alexander，“that，if you would only give meleave to try，i could manage this horse better than any one else．”
“and if you fail to do so，what then？”asked philip．
“i will pay you the price of the horse，”said the lad．
while everybody was laughing，alexander ran up to bu－cephalus，and turned his head towards the sun，for he had noticedthat the horse was afraid of his own shadow ．
he then spoke gently to the horse，and patted him with hishand．when he had quieted him a little，he made a quick spring ，and leaped upon the horse's back．
everybody expected to see the boy killed outright ．but hekept his place，and let the horse run as fast as he could．byand by when brucephalus had become tired，alexander reined him in and rode back to the place where his father was standing．
all the men who were there shouted when they saw that theboy had proved himself to be the master of the horse．
he leaped to the ground，and his father ran and kissed him．
“my son，”said the king，“macedon is too small a place foryou．you must seek a larger kingdom that will be worthy of you．”
after that，alexander and bucephalus were the best offriends．they were said to be always together，for when one ofthem was seen，the other one was sure to be not far away．but thehorse would never allow any one to mount him but his master．
alexander became the most famous king and warrior thatwas ever known；and for that reason he is always called alexanderthe great．brucephalus carried him through many countries and inmany fierce battles，and more than once did he save his master'slife．
no.40 朱利叶斯·凯撒
朱利叶斯·凯撒
大约两千年前，罗马有一个名叫朱利叶斯·凯撒的人。他是全体罗马人中最伟大的人。他为什么这么伟大呢？
他是个勇敢的战士，为罗马征服了许多國家。他计划周密，办事精明。他懂得如何让人们既爱他又怕他。
最后他让自己当上了罗马的统治者。有人说他想成为罗马国王。但那时候罗马并不信任国王。
有一次，凯撒途经一个小村庄，这个地方的男女老少都出来看他。总共不到50人，由他们的市长率领。市长告诉每一个人做什么。
这些纯朴的人站在路边看着凯撒走过。市长看上去既骄傲又得意，难道不是因为他是这个村庄的统治者吗？他感到自己几乎像凯撒一样伟大了。
随同凯撒的一些高级官员都笑了。他们说：“看，这群人前头的那个家伙有多神气呀！”
“你们想怎么笑就怎么笑吧，”凯撒说。“他有他骄傲的理由。我宁愿做一村之长，也不做罗马的第二号人物。”
还有一次，凯撒乘小船横渡一个不宽的海面。划出还不到一半的路程时，遇到了暴风雨。风猛烈地刮着，波浪冲天，电闪雷鸣。
看上去这条船马上就要沉没了。船长害怕极了。他曾多次横渡大海，但是从没有遇到过这样的暴风雨。他吓得浑身发抖，无法再掌舵了。他跪下嘟囔着：“全完了！全完了！”
但是凯撒一点也不害怕。他吩咐那个人站起来，重新拿起浆来。“你为什么害怕呢？”他问。“这条船不会沉没的，因为凯撒在船上。”
julius caesar
nearly two thousand years ago there lived in rome a manwhose name was julius caesar．he was the greatest of all theromans．why was he so great？
he was a brave warrior ，and had conquered many countriesfor rome．he was wise in planning and doing．he knew how tomake men both love and fear him．
at last he made himself the ruler of rome ．some said hewished to become its king．but the romans at that time did notbelieve in kings．
once when caesar was passing through a little country vil－lage，all the men，women and children of the place came out tosee him．there were not more than fifty of them，all together，andthey were led by their mayor，who told each one what to do．
these simple people stood by the roadside and watchedcaesar pass．the mayor looked very proud and happy；for was henot the ruler of this village？he felt that he was almost as great ascaesar himself．
some of the ranking officers who were with caesar laughed．they said，“see how that fellow struts at the head of his littleflock！”
“laugh as you will．”said caesar，“he has reason to beproud．i would rather be the head mam of a village than the secondman in rome！”
at another time，caesar was crossing a narrow sea in a boat．before he was half way to the farther shore ，a storm overtook him．the wind blew hard；the waves dashed high；the lightning flashed；the thunder rolled．
it seemed every minute as though the boat would sink．thecaptain was in great fright ．he had crossed the sea manytimes，but never in such a storm as this．he trembled with fear；he could not guide the boat；he fell down upon his knees；hemoaned ，“all is lost！all is lost！”
but caesar was not afraid．he bade the man get up andtake his oars again．
“why should you be afraid？”he said．“the boat will not belost；for you have caesar on board ．”
no.41 吞毒的国王
吞毒的国王
据说，伟大的本都国王、罗马的敌人米特拉达梯（约公元前131—63前年）曾有步骤地吞服各种有毒的东西，并不断地加大剂量，直到后来能不被毒药暗杀。
具有讽刺意义的是，当后来他被罗马人打败而走投无路，曾想服毒自杀时，却发现毒药对他没有效力，他不得不叫一个士兵用剑将自己杀死。
the great king who swallowed poison
mithradates（c．131—63 b．c．），the great king of pontus and enemy of rome，is said to have swallowed toxic substances systematically ，increasing the doses until he made himself im－mune from assassination by poison．
ironically ，when he was defeated and cornered by theromans，he tried to commit suicide by poison，only to find that it had no effect ．he had to get a soldier to kill him with asword．
no.42 尼禄最大的心愿
尼禄最大的心愿
尼禄当上罗马皇帝后，最热切的愿望是当众演唱。他在上了唱歌课以后在那不勒斯首次登台表演。一场地震使剧场摇晃起来，尼禄还在演唱，有的听众就离开了。
后来在另一个地方的一次演出中，尼禄让人把门锁上，他在舞台上时不许任何人出去。有的妇女在听众席上生了孩子。有的听众实在听厌了，拍手也拍烦了就偷偷翻墙跑了。有三个聪明的公民耍了个花招，让守卫放他们出去：其中一人装死，另外两人抬着他出去。
nero's dearest ambition
after becoming emperor of rome，nero cherished his dearestambition which was to sing in public．after taking lessons，hemade his debut in naples．an earth tremor shook the theater，causing some of the audience to depart while nero continuedsinging．
at a later performance elsewhere，he had the gates locked sono one could leave while he was on stage．some women gave birth in the stands ．some men，tired out with listening and applaud－ing，furtively leaped over the walls．three clever citizens tricked the guards into letting them an exit ：one pretended to be dead andthe other two carried him out．
no.43 竹手杖里的蚕卵
竹手杖里的蚕卵
查士丁尼皇帝贿赂了两个曾在中国居住的波斯僧侣，让他们返回中国，然后偷偷地在空心的竹手杖里带一些蚕卵回来。这样君士坦丁堡便开始了丝绸生产。那是在大约公元550年。直到当代，欧洲所有生产蚕丝的蚕都是那些蚕繁殖的后代。
silkworm eggs in bamboo canes
emperor justinian bribed two persian monks who hadlived in china to return there and bring back silkworm eggs bysecreting them in hollow bamboo canes．thus，constantinople was able to begin silk production，about 550 a．d． from thoseworms were descended all the silk－producing caterpillars ineurope down to modern times．
no.44 极受欢迎的亨利八世
极受欢迎的亨利八世
当岁的亨利八世（1491－1547）成为英格兰国王的时候，他非常受欢迎，因为他具有他的臣民们赞美的一切品质。外国人报告说他是欧洲穿着最好的国王，而他的主要兴趣是“姑娘和打猎”，但这些只对了一半。就象他那个时代大多数英国人一样，他不信任外国人；但他能说三种外语。他是一流的骑手和音乐家。他能够同样熟练地讨论宗教和造船。他是一位聪明的政治家，他信任议会并且充分利用它。最重要的是，他完全理解他的民众的心和他们的思想。他通过下议院统治，没有军队，而他的臣民们在宗教改革运动的困难岁月里一直忠诚于他。
henry ⅷ was extremely popular
when the eighteen－year－old henry ⅷ（1491－1547） becameking of england he was extremely popular，for he had all thequalities that his people admired．foreigners reported that he wasthe best－dressed king in europe and that his chief interest was“girls and hunting”，but this was only half the truth．he distrustedforeigners，as most englishmen did at that time；but he spokethree foreign languages．he was a first－class horseman and mu－sician．he could discuss religion and ship－building with equalskill．he was a clever politician who trusted parliament and madefull use of it．most important of all，he thoroughly understood thehearts and minds of his people．he ruled through the house ofcommons ，without an army，and his people remained loyal tohim through all the diffcult years of the reformation ．
no.45 亨利八世的婚姻
亨利八世的婚姻
当亨利当上英格兰国王时，他娶了西班牙国王的女儿，他哥哥的寡妇凯瑟琳。罗马教皇对他娶他哥哥的寡妇为妻给予特别的允许，因为这与教会法是相违背的。她给亨利生了一个女儿，玛丽，但所有的儿子都在出生时死了，而亨利极需一个儿子来做他的继承人。他开始感觉到上帝不赞成他的婚姻，而且教皇允许这一婚姻是错误的。
只有一个可能的补救方法。罗马教皇必须声明这一婚姻是错误地得到认可，是不合法的；然后亨利就可以自由地再次结婚了。罗马教皇本来可以轻易答应的，因为他也为两个有类似情况的法国国王这样做过。但是罗马皇帝查理五世是凯瑟琳的侄子，他的军队已经控制了罗马。罗马教皇在他的控制之下，不敢因帮助亨利而激怒他。
亨利在婚姻上的麻烦使他意识到大多数英国人早已意识到的东西：即外国对英国事务的干涉已经走得太远了，应该永远停止了。1529年的议会最强烈地感受到这一点，在七年之内，它完全摧毁了教会的封建势力。基督教协进会接受亨利作为它的首领。大主教克莱莫宣布他与凯瑟琳的婚姻是不合法的，并接受他的新妻子安妮·博里恩作为皇后。
亨利的家庭麻烦并没有随着他与安妮·博里恩的婚姻而结束。她为他生了一个女儿，伊丽莎白，但她对她的丈夫并不忠诚。三年后，亨利砍掉了她的脑袋。他的下一位妻子，珍妮·西莫，在生他的儿子爱德华时死了。然后他的秘书克伦威尔给他带来一位外国妻子，克利夫的安妮，以取悦他的德国朋友。不幸的是，她既没有受过良好的教育，也不漂亮。他把她送回了家，并砍了克伦威尔的头，然后娶了一个名叫凯瑟琳·霍华德的漂亮姑娘。但她也不忠诚，所以她的脑袋也随着克伦威尔的脑袋被砍掉了。他的第六位，也是最后一位妻子，凯瑟琳·巴尔，是一位聪明又文雅的姑娘，但她没有生过孩子。
marriage of henry ⅷ
when henry became king of england he married catherine，the daughter of the king of spain and widow of his elder brother．the pope had given special permission for him to marry his brother's widow，as this was against the laws of the church．she gave henry a daughter，mary，but all her sons died at birth，and henry badly needed a son to follow him．he began to feel that god had not approved of his marriage and pope had been wrong to allow it．
there was one possible remedy ．the pope must declare that the marriage had been allowed by mistake and was unlawful； henry would then be free to marry again．the pope could easily have agreed，as he had done for two recent kings of france in similar cases．but emperor charles v was catherine's nephew ， and his army had seized rome．the pope was in his power and did not dare to annoy him by helping henry．
henry's trouble over his marriage made him realize sone-thing that most english people had known for years：that foreign interference in english affairs had gone on too long and must be stopped for ever．the parliament of 1529 felt this most strongly．in seven years it destroyed the feudal power of the church completely．the church council accepted henry as its head．archbishop cranmer declared that his marriage to catherine was unlawful and accepted his new wife，ann boleyn，as queen．
henry's family trouble did not end with his marriage to ann boleyn．she bore him a daughter，elizabeth，but was unfaithful to her husband．after three years henry cut off her head．his next wife，jane seymour，died in giving blfth to’‘his son edward，hissecretary cromwell then brought him a foreign wlte， anne otcleves，to please his german friends．unfortunately she was nel－ther wei！－educated’“ nor beautiful． he sent her home， cut oltcromweh's bead，and mained a beautl刊lgld caned cathennehoward． but she too was unfalthful， so her head followedcromwell’s． his sixth and last wife， cathenne pars， was a wiseand gentle girl but she had no childfcn．
no.46 国王阿尔弗雷德和蛋糕
国王阿尔弗雷德和蛋糕
很多年前，英格兰有一个聪明、善良的国王，他的名字叫阿尔弗雷德。从来没有一个人像他那样，为自己的國家做过那么多的贡献。现在世人一谈起他，就把他称为阿尔弗雷德大帝。
凶恶、粗鲁的丹麦人远渡重洋到英国作战。他们人数众多而且勇敢强壮，很长一段时间他们都是战无不胜。如果照此继续下去，他们很快将成为这个國家的主人。
终于，在一场恶仗之后，英国军队被击败而四处溃散。人们必须尽可能地自保性命。阿尔弗雷德国王独自奔逃，急匆匆地穿过树林和沼泽地带。
天色已晚，国王来到一个樵夫的小屋。他又累又饿，乞求樵夫的妻子给他点儿吃的东西，并留他在小屋里过夜。
那个女人正在炉子上烤蛋糕。她用怜悯的目光审视着这个可怜的衣衫褴褛的家伙。他好象已经饿得饥肠辘辘了，她万万没有想到他就是国王。
“好吧，”她答应道，“如果你照看这些蛋糕，我就给你吃顿晚饭。我要出去挤牛奶，我不在的时候，你一定要留神，别把这些蛋糕烤糊了。”
阿尔弗雷德国王非常愿意照看这些蛋糕。他有更重要的事情要考虑。怎样把他的军队再集合起来？如何把凶恶的丹麦人赶出这块国土？他忘记了饥饿，忘记了蛋糕，忘记了他正置身于樵夫的小屋里。他心里正忙于为明天做计划。
过了一会儿，女主人回来了。蛋糕正在炉子上冒烟。它们已经烤成了脆饼。唉，她是多么生气呀！
“你这个懒鬼！”她大声喊道。“看看你干的好事！你想吃点儿东西，但却不想干活！”
没想到她的脾气是如此暴躁，她甚至用棍子打了国王。
国王一想到她用这种方法训斥自己，一定会暗自发笑。他太饿了，他对女主人的气话远没有对损失蛋糕那么在意。
我们不知道国王那天晚上是否吃东西了，也不知道他是否没吃晚饭就只好睡了。然而没过几天，他再次把部下召集在一起，在一次大战中打败了丹麦人。
king alfred and the cakes
many years ago there lived in england a wise and good kingwhose name was alfred．no other man ever did so much for hiscountry as he；and people now，all over the world，speak of himas alfred the great．
a fierce ，rude people，called the danes ，had come fromover the sea，and were fighting the english．there were so manyof them，and they were so bold and strong，that for a long timethey gained every battle．if they kept on，they would soon be themasters of the whole country．
at last，after a great battle the englisn army was broken upand scattered ．every man had to save himself in the best way hecould．king alfred fled alone，in great haste ，through the woodsand swamps ．
late in the day the king came to the hut of a woodcutter ．hewas very tired and hungry，and he begged the woodcutter's wife togive him something to eat and a place to sleep in her hut．
the woman was baking some cakes upon the hearth ，andshe looked with pity upon the poor，ragged fellow who seemedso hungry．she had no thought he was the king．
“yes，”she said，“i will give you some supper if you willwatch these cakes．i want to go out and milk the cow ；and youmust see that they do not burn while i am gone．”
king alfred was very willing to watch the cakes，but hehad far greater things to think about．how was he going to drivethe fierce danes out of the land？he forgot his hunger；he forgotthe cakes；he forgot he was in the woodcutter's hut．his mind was busy making plans for tomorrow．
in a little while the woman came back．the cakes weresmoking on the hearth．they were burned to a crisp ．ah，howangry she was！
“you lazy fellow！”she cried．“see what you have done！you want something to eat，but you do not want to work！”
she even struck the king with a stick；but i can hardly believethat she was so ill－natured ．
the king must have laughed to himself at the thought of beingscolded in this way；and he was so hungry that he did not mind thewoman's angry words half so much as the loss of the caks．
we do not know whether he had anything to eat that night，orwhether he had to go to bed without his supper．but it was notmany days until he had gathered his men together again，and hadbeaten the danes in a great battle．
no.47 克努特国王在海滨
克努特国王在海滨
阿尔弗雷德大帝（849－899，英格兰国王）之后100多年左右，有一个英格兰国王名叫克努特。克努特国王周围的高官显贵总是在不停地颂扬他。
“您是古往今来最伟大的人，”一个人这么说。
还有一个说：“噢，国王，再不会有别人象您这么有权威了。”
接着另一个则说：“伟大的克努特，世界上没有任何事物敢违抗您。”
国王是个明白人，他听了这些蠢话，非常厌恶。
有一天，他来到海滨，官员们陪着他。像他们惯常所做的那样，对他进行颂扬。他想，现在该教训他们一下了。于是，他叫他们把椅子放在海滩上，紧靠水边。
“我是世界上最伟大的人吗？”他问。
“噢，国王！”他们大声说道，“再没有一个人像您这样有威力了。”
“万物都服从我吗？”他问道。
“噢，国王！任何事物都不敢违抗您。”他们说，“世界都要向您鞠躬，向您致敬。”
“大海听我的吗？”他问，他俯视着拍打他脚下沙子的小浪花。
愚蠢的官员们被难住了，但是他们不敢说“不”字。
“噢，国王，命令它！它就会服从您，”一个人说。
“大海，”克努特大喊道，“我命令你，不要再向前来了！波浪，不许翻滚了，不许碰着我的脚！”
但是，潮水依然像往常那样上涨。海水越长越高。水涨到了国王的椅子周围，不仅打湿了国王的脚，而且连他的长袍也弄湿了。他的官员们站在四周吓傻了，他们都担心国王是不是要发疯。
这时克努特摘下他的王冠，扔在沙滩上。
“我再也不戴它了，”他说，“诸位，你们从看到的一切中吸取教训了吗？只有一个国王是万能的，那就是主宰大海，把海洋握在他手心的那个。你们应当颂扬和服务的首先是他而不是别人。”
king canute on the seashore
a hundred years or more after the time of alfred the great（king of england，849—899），there was a king of englandnamed canute．the great men and officers who were around kingcanute were always praising him．
“you are the greatest man that ever lived．”one would say．
and another would say，“o king！there can never be anotherman so mighty as you．”
then another would say，“great canute，there is nothing inthe world that dares to disobey you．”
the king was a man of sense ，and he grew very tired ofhearing such foolish speeches．
one day he was by the seashore，and his officers were withhim．they were praising him，as they were in the habit of doing．he thought that now he would teach them a lesson ，and so he bade them set his chair on the beach close by the edge of the water．
“am i the greatest man in the world？”he asked．
“o king！”they cried，“there is no one so mighty as you．”
“do all the things obey me？”he asked．
“there is nothing that dares to disobey you，o king！”theysaid．“the world bows before you，and gives you honour．”
“will the sea obey me？”he asked；and he looked down atthe little waves which were lapping the sand at his feet．
the foolish officers were puzzled，but they did not dare tosay “no”．
“command it，o king！and it will obey，”said one．
“sea，”cried canute，“i command you to come no farther！waves，stop your rolling，and do not dare to touch my feet！”
but the tide came in，just as it always did．the water rosehigher and higher．it came up around the king's chair，and wettednot only his feet，but also his robe ．his officers stood abouthim，alarmed ，wondering whether he was not mad．
then canute took off his crown，and threw it down upon thesand．
“i shall never wear it again，”he said．“and do you，mymen，learn a lesson from what you have seen？there is only oneking who is all powerful；and it is he who rules the sea，holds theocean in the hollow of his hand．it is he whom you ought topraise and serve above all others．”
no.48 征服者威廉的儿子们
征服者威廉的儿子们（1）
从前，英格兰有一位伟大的国王，名叫征服者威廉。他有三个儿子。
有一天，威廉国王忧心忡忡，好象在思索什么。他周围的贤士们问他是怎么回事。
“我在想，”他说，“我死了以后，我的儿子们能干些什么。我没有办法断定，我死了以后，他们三个人中哪一个应该继承王位。”
“噢，国王！”贤士们说，“只要我们事先知道您的儿子们最喜欢什么，我们就能够说出他们将来会是一个什么样的人。或许向他们每个人提几个问题，我们就能够看出他们中哪一个最适合接替你统治國家。”
“这个计策至少很值得一试，”国王说。
贤士们决定把年轻的王子们叫出来，一次叫一个，问他们同样的问题。
“殿下，”一个贤士问，“回答我这个问题：假如上帝不让你做男孩子，却要你做一只鸟，那么，你愿意做哪种鸟呢？”
“一只隼，”罗伯特回答。“我愿做一只隼，因为其他任何鸟都不能像它那样使人想起一个勇猛而英俊的骑士。”
“一只鹰，”威廉回答。“我愿做一只鹰，因为它强健而勇敢，其他的鸟都怕它，因此它是鸟中之王。”
“一只欧椋鸟，”最小的兄弟亨利回答。“我愿做一只欧椋鸟，因为它彬彬有礼，和蔼可亲，谁看见它谁就高兴。而且它从来不想掠夺和辱骂它的邻居。”
the sons of william
the conqueror （1）
there was once a great king of england who was calledwilliam the conqueror，and he had three sons．
one day king william seemed to be thinking of somethingthat made him very sad；and the wise men who were about himasked him what was the matter．
“i am thinking，”he said，“of what my sons may do after iam dead．i am at a loss to know which one of the three ought tobe the king when i am gone．”
“o king！”said the wise men，“if we only knew what thingsyour sons admire the most，we might then be able to tell what kindof men they will be．perhaps，by asking them a few questions，wecan find out which one of them will be best fitted to rule in yourplace．”
“the plan is well worth trying at least．”said the king．
the wise men decided that the young princes should bebrought in，one at a time，and that the same questions should beput to each．
“fair sir，”asked one of the wise men，“answer me thisquestion：if，instead of being a boy，it would please god that youshould be a bird，what kind of bird would you rather be？”
“a hawk ，”answered robert．“i would rather be a hawk，for no other bird reminds one so much of a bold and gallant knight．”
“an eagle，”answered william．“i would rather be an ea－gle，because it is strong and brave．it，is feared by all other birds，and therefore the king of them all．”
“a starling”answered henry，the youngest brother．“iwould rather be a starling，because it is good－mannered and kindand a joy to every one who sees it，and it never tries to rob orabuse its neighbour．”
no.49 征服者威廉的儿子们
征服者威廉的儿子们（2）
在问了征服者威廉（1027－1087，英格兰国王）的儿子们几个问题之后，这些贤士们互相交谈了一会儿，统一了意见之后，就去向国王报告。
“我们发现，”贤士们对国王说，“罗伯特将是一个勇猛而英俊的人。他将做出一些伟大的事业，扬名于天下。但是最后他将被仇人所征服，并死于监狱。威廉将象雄鹰一样勇敢而强健，但他的残暴行为将引起人们的恐惧和憎恨。他将过一种邪恶的生活，最后将可耻地死去。而亨利将是个聪明、谨慎而又温和的人。他只有在迫不得已的情况下才会和敌人作战。在国内他将受到人们的爱戴，在国外将受到人们的尊敬，他将在获得巨大的财富之后安享天年，寿终正寝。”
时间一天天过去了，当国王威廉躺在临终的床上时，他宣布罗伯特继承他在法国的领地，威廉为英格兰国王，而亨利没有得到一点土地，只得到一箱金子。
最后的结局和贤士们所预言的非常相似。罗伯特正如他所非常赏识的山隼一样，胆大而卤莽。他丢掉了父亲遗留给他的全部领地，最后被关进监狱，一直到死。威廉非常专横而残暴。他的全体臣民都怕他、恨他。他过着邪恶的生活，最后在森林打猎时被他自己的一个属下杀死。
而亨利不仅自己有一箱金子，而且不久还成了英格兰的国王和他父亲在法国的全部领地的统治者。
the sons of williamthe conqueror（2）
after asking some questions of the sons of william the con-queror（1027-1087，king of england），the wise men talked with oneanother for a little while，and when they had agreed among them－selves，they spoke to the king．
“we find，”said the wise men to the king，“that robert willbe bold and gallant．he will do some great deeds ，and make aname for himself ；but in the end he will be overcome by hisfoes ，and will die in prison．william will be as brave and asstrong as the eagle；but he will be feared and hated for his crueldeeds．he will lead a wicked life，and will die a shameful death ．henry will be wise and prudent and peaceful．he will go to waronly when he is forced to do so by his enemies．he will be lovedat home，and respected abroad ；and he will die in peace afterhaving gained great possessions．”
years passed by，and when king william lay upon his deathbed，he declared that robert should have the lands whichhe held in france，that william should be the king of england，and that henry should have no land at all，but only a chest of gold．
so it happened in the end very much as the wise men hadforetold ．robert was bold and reckless ．he lost all the landsthat his father had left him，and was at last shut up in prison，where he was kept until he died．william was so overbearing and cruel that he was feared and hated by all his people．he led awicked life，and was killed by one of his own men while hunting in the forest．
and henry had not only the chest of gold for his own，but hebecame by and by the king of england and the ruler of all thelands that his father had had in france．
no.50 英格兰国王不懂英语？
英格兰国王不懂英语？
英格兰1714—1727年的国王乔治一世既不会说也不会写英文。这位来自汉诺威的德国王子于54岁时继承了安妮女王的王位，成为英国君主。他根本不想学习这个新國家的语言，在他统治的年中也没有作过任何学习英语的尝试。
英语不是维多利亚女王的母语。她的母亲是一位德国公爵的女儿，在家里说德语。维多利亚女王虽然统治英格兰达年之久，始终未能学会说完美的英语。
king of england did not
know english？
george i，king of england from 1714 to 1727，could neitherspeak nor write the english language．this german prince fromhanover and heir to the throne succeeded queen anne when hewas fifty－four years old．he had no desire to learn the language ofhis new country and made no attempt to do so in the thirteenyears he ruled．
english was not the mother tongue of queen victoria ．hermother，the daughter of a german duke ，spoke german in thehome，and victoria—though she ruled england for sixty－fouryears—was never able to speak english perfectly．
no.51 爱德华七世的习惯
爱德华七世的习惯
爱德华七世（1841—1910，英格兰国王）有个习惯，把桑德灵厄姆王宫所有的钟拨快半个小时。他要他的客人们早起赶上最好的打猎时辰。1936年，他的儿子乔治五世临终时，由于桑德灵厄姆的时间和实际时间的差别造成了好几起麻烦。威尔士亲王（很快成为爱德华八世）一气之下，命令立刻将所有的钟按格林威治标准时间调整。为此，当地一个钟表匠从半夜一直忙到天亮。
the custom of king edward ⅶ
king edward ⅶ（1841－1910，king of england）establishedthe custom of keeping all the clocks at the royal residence ，sandringham，set half an hour fast．he wanted his guests to riseearly for the best shooting ．in 1936，when his son，george v，lay dying at sandringham，several mistakes were made because ofthe discrepancy between real time and sandringham time．in arage ，the prince of wales（soon to be edward ⅷ）ordered theclocks set immediately to greenwich mean time ．it took a localclockmaker from midnight to dawn to accomplish this．
no.52 三顶不同的王冠
三顶不同的王冠
伊丽沙白二世女王于1953年加冕的那天戴过三顶不同的王冠。在去威斯敏斯特大教堂的路上，她戴的是维多利亚女王的钻石环形王冠。正式加冕礼时，戴的是非常重的镶有珍珠的穹形纯金圣爱德华王冠。从威斯敏斯特大教堂走出来时，戴的是有很宽的貂皮缘饰的穹形银质帝国王冠。
three different crowns
queen elizabeth ⅱ wore three different crowns on the day ofher coronation ，in 1953．on the way to westminster abbey ，she wore queen victoria's diamond circlet diadem ．the officialact of crowning was done with the heavy st．edward's crown，which is made of solid gold with pearl－studded arches ．for theprocession from the abbey，her crown was the imperial crownof state，which has silver arches and a thick ermine fringe ．
no.53 两英尺长的鞋尖？
两英尺长的鞋尖？
十四世纪的法国，美男子腓力禁止公爵、伯爵、男爵以及他们的夫人拥有四件以上的服装。除了已经继承城堡的继承人外，未婚女子只允许拥有一件连衣裙。但是他的命令没有提及鞋子，于是鞋子成了高雅的象征。有一种以其发明者命名的普兰靴，其鞋尖有各种不同的长度。王子和贵族们穿的鞋尖长达两英尺，富人和级别较低者穿的鞋尖长达一英尺，而普通人穿的鞋尖只有半英尺长。法国十字军穿的这种靴子在尼科泊利斯战役（1396年）中成了累赘，为了能够得以逃跑，他们不得不把靴尖割掉。
15世纪末，男人的鞋子都是方头的，象鸭嘴一样。那是法国国王查理八世为了掩饰自己的一只脚有六个脚趾的缺陷而设计的式样。
two－foot shoe tips？
in fourteenth－century france，phillip the fair forbade dukes ，counts ，barons ，and their wives to own more than four gar-ments；unmarried women could only own one dress，unless theywere heiresses who had inherited castles．his edicts did notmention shoes，however，and they became a symbol of elegance ．named after its inventor，the poulaine was a shoe whose tip was aslong as two feet for princes and noblemen，one foot for rich peopleof lower degree ，and only half a foot for common people．suchshoes proved a hazard among the french crusaders at thebattle of nicopolis（1396），when they had to cut off their tips inorder to be able to run away．
toward the end of the fifteenth century，men's shoes had asquare tip，like a duck's beak ，a fashion launched by charlesⅶ of france to hide the imperfection of one of his feet，whichhad six toes ．
no.54 “培育’自己的巨人？
．“培育’自己的巨人？
弗雷德里克大帝的父亲有一支出名的私人卫队，被称为“波茨坦精锐部队”。他贿赂，购买，甚至不惜绑架那些身高近7英尺的人，让他们参加他的精锐部队。他还让这些巨人与女巨人结婚，这样他就可以“培育出”自己的巨人来。
．“raise”his own giants？
the father of frederick the great had a famous private guard company—the potsdam grenadiers ．he would bribe ，buy，or even kidnap tall men，close to seven feet in height，toget them for the grenadiers；he made the giant men marry giantwomen so he could “raise ”his own giants．
no.55 沙皇尼古拉二世的日记
沙皇尼古拉二世的日记
俄国沙皇尼古拉二世（1868-1918）每天坚持记日记。尽管他统治期间充满了政治变革和社会动乱，但他的日记通常只记载描述关于他散步和喝茶的情况。1906年反对派的候选人在杜马（俄国立法机构）中获得多数，他解散了这一代表机构。那天，他在日记中记述了天气以及他散步、用餐的情况和晚上的阅读。关于当天的要闻，他只简单地记了一句：“签署了一份解散杜马的命令。”
diauy of czar 1 nicholas ⅱ
czar nicholas ⅱ（1868-1918）of russia faithfully wrote inhis diary every day．though his reign was filled with politicalchange and social upheaval ，the entries usually consisted merelyof descriptions of walks and teas．on the day in 1906 that hedissolved the duma （the russian legislature ）when a majorityof opposition candidates were elected to the representative body ，nicholas described the weather，his walk，his dinner，and hisevening reading．there was only one sentence about the day'shighlight news：“signed a decree dissolving the duma．”
no.56 拿破仑是怎样越过阿尔卑斯山的
拿破仑是怎样越过阿尔卑斯山的
大约在一百年前，有一个伟大的将军，名叫拿破仑·波拿巴。他是法国军队的统帅。当时法国几乎对所有的邻国作战。他非常迫切地想把军队开进意大利。但是在法国和意大利之间，有一座高山，叫阿尔卑斯山，山顶上覆盖着积雪。
“能越过阿尔卑斯山吗？”拿破仑问。
被派去查看山道的人都摇摇头。其中一个说：“也许可能，但是——”
“别让我再听到这些，”拿破仑说。“向意大利前进！”
人们觉得这种想法非常可笑。一支六万人的军队想翻越没有道路的阿尔卑斯山？但是拿破仑只等看到一切都准备就绪，就下令出发。
大队人马和大炮绵延20英里。当他们来到一处看起来无路可走的陡峭的山地时，吹起了冲锋号。“冲啊！”这时每个人都尽了最大的努力，整个军队继续顺利前进。
不久他们就平安地翻过了阿尔卑斯山。四天后，他们就在意大利的平原上行军了。
“下定决心要取得胜利的人，”拿破仑说，“永远不会说‘不可能’。”
how napoleon crossed the alps
about a hundred year ago there lived a great general whosename was napoleon bonaparte ．he was the leader of the frencharmy；and france was at war with nearly all the countries around．he wanted very much to take his soldiers into italy；but betweenfrance and italy there are high mountains called the alps，the topsof which are covered with snow．
“is it possible to cross the alps？”asked napoleon．
the men who had been sent to look at the passes over themountains shook their heads．then one of them said，“it may bepossible，but—”
“let me hear no more，”said napoleon．“forward to italy！”
people laughed at the thought of an army of sixty thousandmen crossing the alps where there was no road．but napoleonwaited to see that everything was in good order ，and then he gavethe order to march．
the long line of soldiers and horses and cannons stretchedfor twenty miles．when they came to a steep place where thereseemed to be no way to go farther the trumpets sounded“charge！”then every man did his best，and the whole armymoved right onward．
soon they were safe over the alps．in four days they weremarching on the plains of italy．
“the man who has made up his mind to win，”said napoleon，“will never say ‘impossible’．”
no.57 邱吉尔父亲的预言
邱吉尔父亲的预言
温斯顿·邱吉尔曾考了两次都未能考上英国陆军学校——桑德赫斯特学院。他父亲打算用他同罗斯柴尔德家族的关系替邱吉尔在商界谋一个差事。可是邱吉尔为桑德赫斯特的考试找人辅导，第三次勉强通过了考试。他父亲对他的分数十分不满，写了一封尖刻的信，预言他的儿子将是一个一事无成的“饭桶”。
prediction of churchill's father
winston churchill failed in his first two attempts to gainadmittance to sandhurst，the british army school，and his fatherconsidered using his social connections with the rothschilds inorder to obtain winston a position in business．however，winstonwas tutored for the sandhurst exam and passed—barely—onhis third try ．his father was greatly displeased by the marks andwrote a scathing letter predicting his son's future to be that of a“wastrel” leading a futile life ．
no.58 邱吉尔的广播演讲
邱吉尔的广播演讲
第二次世界大战期间，温斯顿·邱吉尔任英国首相。一天，他要在英国广播公司向全国人民发表一个重要的广播讲话。
在演说开始前一小时，他在街上拦住一辆出租车，让司机送他到英国广播公司。但是，这位没有认出他的出租车司机说，这个时候他哪儿也去不了，因为他要赶回位于伦敦另一端的家中去听邱吉尔的广播讲话。
邱吉尔听了他的回答非常高兴，兴奋之余给了他一英镑，而那时的一英镑是很值钱的。
“好吧，上车，”司机高兴地说，并给邱吉尔打开车门，“我送你去，让邱吉尔和他的演说见鬼去吧。”
broadcasting speech of churchill
during the second world war，winston churchill was thebritish prime minister ．one day he had to go the britishbroadcasting corporation （the bbc）to make an importantspeech to the nation．
an hour before the time of his speech，he stopped a taxi inthe street and asked the driver to take him to the bbc．but the taxidriver，who did not recognize him，said he could not take himanywhere just then，because he wanted to go back to his home atthe other end of london to hear churchill make a speech on theradio．
churchill was so pleased when he heard this answer that hegave the man a pound，which was worth quite a lot in those days ．
“all right，get in，” said the driver happily，opening the doorof the taxi，“i'll take you，and to hell with churchill and hisspeech．”
no.59 乔治·华盛顿和他的斧子
乔治·华盛顿和他的斧子
乔治·华盛顿小的时候，他的父亲给了他一把斧子。这把新斧子闪闪发亮，乔治非常喜欢带着它四处走动，用它砍东西。
他跑进花园，看见一棵树，这棵上好象在对他说：“来吧，来砍倒我吧！”
乔治经常看见他父亲的工人们在森林里把大树砍倒。他想，看着这棵树轰隆一声倒在地上，一定是一种很有趣的游戏。于是乔治用他的小斧子砍了起来。因为这棵树很小，所以他没用多长时间就把它砍倒了。
过了不久，他的父亲回家了。
“谁砍了我那棵可爱的小樱桃树？”他喊道，“这是本地唯一的一棵这种树，是我花了很多钱买来的。”
他进屋时非常生气。“如果一发现是谁砍了那棵樱桃树，我就要——，是的，我就要——。”
“父亲！”小乔治喊道，“我告诉您是怎么回事儿。是我用我的那把斧子把树砍倒了。”
他父亲的气消了。
“乔治，”他说，把这个小家伙搂在怀里，“乔治，你把事情对我说了，我很高兴。我宁愿失去一打樱桃树，也不愿意你说一句谎话。”
george washington and his hatchet
when george washington was quite a little boy，his father gavehim a hatchet．it was bright and new，and george took great delight in going about and chopping things with it．
he ran into the garden，and there he saw a tree which seemed tosay to him， “come and cut me down！”
george had often seen his father's men chop down the greattrees in the forest，and he thought that it would be fine sport to seethis tree fall with a crash to the ground．so he set to work with islittle hatchet，and，as the tree was a very small one，it did not takelong to lay it low．
soon after that，his father came home．
“who has been cutting my fine young cherry tree？”he cried．“it was the only tree of this kind in this country，and it costme a great deal of money．”
he was very angry when he came into the house．
“if only i knew who killed that cherry tree，”he cried，“iwould——yes，i would——”
“father！”cried little george．“i will tell you the truth about it．ichopped the tree down with my hatchet．”
his father forgot his anger．
“george，”he said，and he took the little fellow in his arms，“george，i am glad that you told me about it．i would rather lose adozen cherry trees than that you should tell one falsehood．”
no.60 杰斐逊的新婚旅行
杰斐逊的新婚旅行
婚礼之后，杰弗逊（1743-1862，美国第三任总统）和他年轻的新娘出发到他们在蒙蒂塞洛的新家。到那儿去的路是一条崎岖的山路，上面还覆盖着两英尺深的雪。
太阳落山时他们到了离蒙蒂塞洛还有八英里的他们的一个邻居家。等他们深夜到了目的地时几乎要冻僵了。他们发现所有的火都灭了，没有一盏灯亮着，食橱里没有一口吃的，房子里没有一个人。所有的仆人都回到他们的小屋睡觉去了，他们的男女主人不会回来。
这对感觉对方才是最重要的年轻夫妇来说，对这种令人遗憾的欢迎感到很快乐，他们开心地大笑起来。
jefferson's bridal journey
jefferson（1743—1862，the third president of america）andhis young bride ，after the marriage ceremony ，set out for theirmonticello home．the road thither was a rough mountain track，upon which lay the snow to a depth of two feet．
at sunset they reached the house of one of their neighborseight miles distant from monticello ．they arrived at their desti－nation late at night thoroughly chilled with the cold．they foundthe fires all out，not a light burning，not a morsel of food in thelarder ，and not a creature in the house．the servants had allgone to their cabins for the night，not expecting their master andmistress．
but the young couple，all the world to each other ，mademerry of this sorry welcome to a bride and bridegroom，andlaughed heartily over it．
no.61 不为当选总统而做任何承诺
不为当选总统而做任何承诺
当总统选举正在众议院进行的时候，在决定到底应该是杰斐逊还是博尔作國家总统的异常激烈而又充满斗争和阴谋的一幕幕当中，一天，正当杰斐逊走出参议院的时候，他被莫里斯州长，一个卓越的北部联邦同盟盟员的领导人拦住了。
莫里斯先生说：“杰斐逊先生，我想就这一令人担忧的形势和你进行一次诚恳的交谈。”
“我非常愿意，”杰弗逊说，“和你讨论这些问题。”
“正象你所熟知的那样，”莫里斯先生说，“我一直都在坚决反对你，就象美国的绝大多数人那样。我们都很怕你。我们担心，第一，你会把所有的联邦主义者赶出政府。第二，你会削减海军。第三，你会了结公债。现在，如果你宣布，或者授权你的朋友们宣布你将不采取这些措施，那么你的选举就会得到保证。”
杰斐逊先生回答道：“莫里斯州长，我自然想当总统，然而我不能为获得这一职位而达成任何协议。我将永远也不会通过投降而就职的。我的双手不能被任何将妨碍我追求那些我认为对公众利益最有利的措施的情况所束缚。我必须完全自由。世界可以判断迄今为止我一直在遵循的未来的路线。我感谢你对此的兴趣，但我不能做丝毫的承诺。”
make no promises forthe presidency
while the presidential election was taking place in the houseof representatives，amid scenes of great excitement，strife andintrigue，which was to decide whether jefferson or burr shouldbe the chief magistrate of the nation，jefferson was stopped oneday，as he was coming out of the senate chamber，by governormorris，a prominent leader of the federalists．
mr．morris said，“i wish to have an earnest talk with you，mr．jefferson，on the alarming situation of things．”
“i am very glad，”said jefferson，“to talk matters over withyou．”
“as you well know，” said mr．morris，“i have been stren-uously opposing you，as have also the large majority of thestates．”
“to be frank with you，”he continued，“we are very muchafraid of you．we fear，first，that you will turn all the federalistsout of office；second，that you will put down the navy；third，that you will wipe off the public debt．now，if you will declare，or authorize your friends to declare that you will not take thesesteps，your election will be made sure．”
mr．jefferson replied，“governor morris，i naturally wantto be president，and yet i cannot make any terms to obtainthe position．i shall never go into the office by capitulation．i cannot have my hands tied by any conditions which wouldhinder me from pursuing the measures which i deem best forthe public good．i must be perfectly free．the world canjudge my future course by that which i have hitherto fol- lowed．i am thankful to you for your interest，but i cannotmake the slightest promise．”
no.62 阻力最小的模板
阻力最小的模板
a．j．斯坦伯里先生对杰斐逊先生说：“我有一次听约翰·鲁道夫（此人憎恨杰斐逊）以他尖锐、刻薄的方式描述他对一种新型犁的模板所表达的喜悦。这种模板叫‘阻力最小模板’；发明人已经进行了非常深奥的数学论证，以证明它配得上这个名字。”
杰斐逊听了，也信了；而且认为这是一个伟大的发现，所以热忱地推荐给了他所有的农业朋友们。
把他们的伟人的一切都看作是自然哲人的弗吉尼亚的许多种植园主们也因此同意使用这一新的“阻力最小模板”。
新的模板也就铸造了，并被送到了农庄；瞧！当试用的时候，没有一组联畜能把它拉过土地。
the mould-board of
least resistance
mr．a．j．stansbury once said to mr．jefferson：“i heardjohn randolph（who hated jefferson） once describe，in his ownbiting，caustic manner，the delight expressed by him in a newmodel for the mould-board of a plough．it was called ‘themould-board of least resistance’；and the inventor had gone intoa very profound mathematical demonstration，to prove that itdeserved its name．”
jefferson listened and was convinced；and deeming it agreat discovery，recommended it，with zeal，to all his agricul-tural friends．
the virginia planters，accordingly（who thought everything of their great man as a natural philosopher），agreed，manyof them，to take this new“mould-board of least resistance．”
it was accordingly cast，and forwarded to their farms；when lo！on trial，no ordinary team could draw it through thesoil．
no.63 发明家杰斐逊
发明家杰斐逊 （1）
托马斯·杰斐逊有时把自己扮演成一个发明家。有一个轶事可以生动地描述他这种思想特征。
离蒙蒂塞罗不远，在他的庄园范围之内，有一座荒凉而高耸的山峰，它的位置正好处于两股从它的不同侧面穿过山谷而来的气流之中。杰斐逊先生想这可能是风车的一个极好的位置，而且他最近已经为锯木厂发明了一种由垂直翼板推动的模型，他派人请来一位工程师，将模型交给他请他作出判断。这位具有专业科学知识的人检查了他的计划，以极大的专心与尊敬听取了杰斐逊先生对该计划的解释，以及他对它将带来的好处所做的雄辩的说明。
“你认为我的计划怎么样？”杰斐逊说。
“我认为这是一个最富有独创性的计划，”他回答说，“而且显然是我曾经见过的最好的锯木厂计划。”
杰斐逊非常高兴，并立即签订了一个在临近的高地上建立这样一个工厂的书面协议。
jefferson as an inventor（1）
thomas jefferson sometimes figured as an inventor himself，and there is an anecdote which vividly portrays the character ofhis mind．
not far from monticello，and within the bounds of hisestate，was a solitary and lofty hill，so situated as to be ex-posed to the blast of two currents of wind，coming up throughvalleys on different sides of it．
mr．jefferson thought this would be an admirable positionfor a wind-mill；and having recently invented a model for asaw-mill to be moved by vertical sails，he sent for an engineerand submitted it to his judgment．the man of professionalscience examined his plan，and listened with profound attentionand deference to mr．jefferson's explanations of it，and to hiseloquent illustration of the advantages it would secure．hevery attentively heard him through，but made no comment uponthe plan．
“what do you think of my idea？”asked mr．jefferson．
“i think it is the most ingenious one，”was the reply，“anddecidedly the best plan for a saw-mill i have ever seen．”
jefferson was delighted，and forthwith entered into a writ-ten agreement for the erection of such a mill on the neighboringheight．
no.64 发明家杰斐逊
发明家杰斐逊 （2）
工作在大胆地进行着；发明人经常骑马过去看看进展情况。
当架子搭上去，建筑接近完工的时候，工程师骑马到蒙蒂塞罗，一是要取备好的钱，二是想得到一些关于锯子的指示。
杰斐逊留他吃饭；当桌布被撤去，葡萄酒被放在桌子上时，他转向他的客人，带着满意的神情说：“这么说，你喜欢我的工厂。”
“是的，先生，确实，非常喜欢；它肯定是我所见过的对锯木厂建筑的最伟大的改进。”
“你认为这些翼板这样挂不会不转动吧？”
“当然，它肯定会转动，它不能不转的。”
“而且那山上总有一股风；如果它不从这一个山谷吹来，它肯定会从另一个山谷吹来；山又那么高，那么陡，不管风从哪个方向来，什么也阻挡了它直吹进来。那么，总的来说，你认为这事不会不成功吧？”
“我认为应该这样，先生，但有一件事情。”
“啊！什么事？”
“我脑子里一直在想，你怎样把要锯的木头弄上去？”
杰斐逊举起双手，惊呆了：“我从来也没有想过这个！”
当然，这个工厂最终被放弃了。
jefferson as an inventor（2）
the work went bravely on；the inventor very frequentlymounting his horse，and riding over to see how it proceeded．
when the frame was up，and the building approached itscompletion，the engineer rode over to monticello to obtain a sup-ply of money，and to get some directions about the saws．
jefferson kept him to dinner；and when the cloth was re-moved and wine sat upon the table，he turned to his guest，andwith an air of much satisfaction，exclaimed：
“and so，you like my mill．”
“i do，sir，indeed，very much；it is certainly one of thegreatest improvements in the construction of saw mills i ever wit-nessed．”
“you think the sails are so hung that it cannot fail to work？”
“certainly；it must work，it cannot help it．”
“and there's always a wind upon that hill；if it does not comeup one valley，it is sure to come up the other；and the hill is sohigh and steep that there is nothing to interrupt the full sweep ofthe wind，come which way it will．you think，then，on thewhole，that the thing cannot fail of complete success？”
“i should think so，sir，but for one thing．”
“ah！what's that？”
“i have been wondering in my own mind，how you are to getup your saw-logs．”
jefferson threw up his hands and eyes：“i never thought ofthat！”
the mill was abandoned，of course．
no.65 杰斐逊与赛马骑师
杰斐逊与赛马骑师
杰斐逊最喜爱的运动是骑马，他是鉴别马的专家，他自己就骑一匹好马。一天，在他的总统任职期间，他正在华盛顿附近的某个地方骑马，当他骑过一个十字路口的时候，走来一位知名的赛马骑师兼做马匹买卖的商人，人们管他叫琼斯。
那人不认识总统，但他那专业性的眼睛立刻就被他骑的骏马吸引住了。那人卤莽地走上前来和骑马的人搭话，并马上开始用他那一套行话谈论起那匹马：马的品种的优劣，马的年龄以及他的价值，并表示要换马。
杰斐逊简单地回答着他，彬彬有理地谢绝了他提出的所有的交换建议。那家伙提出用靴子换，并不断劝说，不断抬高出价，因为他越仔细看这匹陌生人骑的马，就越喜欢他。
他所有的建议都被冷冷地拒绝了，他被激怒了。然后他变得很粗鲁，但他的粗野行为就象他的钱一样没有对杰斐逊起任何作用，因为杰斐逊能最完美地控制自己的脾气，没有人能够激怒他。
这个赛马骑师让他展示一下这匹马的步法，竭力要他骑马慢跑和他打个赌。但是一切都无济于事。
最后，看到这个陌生人不会成为他的主顾，而且是绝对地难对付，他举起马鞭在杰斐逊的马的侧面抽了一下，让马突然疾跑起来，这会使造诣不高的骑手摔到地上来。与此同时，他猛催自己的座骑，希望赛一下。
杰斐逊依然坐在马鞍上，用缰绳控制着烦躁的马，并同样有效地控制了自己的脾气。
赛马骑师惊讶了；但只是粗鲁地付之一笑，还是走在他这个新认识的人的旁边，开始谈论起政治来。作为一个坚定的联邦制的拥护者，他开始大肆谴责杰斐逊以及他执政时期的政策。杰斐逊加入了谈话，并鼓励他对某些事情作出回答。
与此同时，他们骑马进入了市里，沿着宾西法尼亚大道往前走。最后，他们来到了总统官邸大门的对面。杰斐逊勒住缰绳，很有礼貌地请那人进去。
赛马骑师瞠目结舌，问道：“怎么，你住在这儿？”
“是的。”回答很简单。
“嗨，陌生人，你究竟叫什么名字？”
“我叫托马斯·杰斐逊。”
说到这儿，赛马骑师的厚脸皮变白了，他猛踢自己的马，喊道：“我叫理查德·琼斯，我很好。”说着，以加倍的速度冲上大路，而总统则满脸微笑地看着他，然后骑进了大门。
jefferson and the jockey
jefferson's favorite exercise was riding．he was a judge ofa horse，and rode a very good one．one day，during his presi-dential term，he was riding somewhere in the neighborhood ofwashington，when there came up a crossroad a well-known jockeyand dealer in horse-flesh，whose name we will call jones．
he did not know the president，but his professional eye wascaught，in a moment，by the noble steed he rode．coming upwith an imprudent boldness characteristic of the man，heaccosted the rider，and forthwith began talking in the slang ofhis trade，about the horse，his points，his age，and his value，and expressed a readiness to‘swap’ horses．
mr．jefferson gave him brief replies，and civilly declinedall offers of exchange．the fellow offered boots，and pressed andincreased his bids，as the closer he looked at the stranger'ssteed，the better he liked him．
all his offers were refused with a coolness that nettled him．he then became rude，but his vulgarity made as little impressionas his money，for jefferson had the most perfect command of histemper，and no man could put him in a passion．
the jockey wanted him to show the animal's gait，andurged him to trot with him for a wager．but all in vain．
at length，seeing that the stranger was no customer，andutterly impracticable，he raised his whip and struck mr．jefferson's horse across the flank，setting him off in a suddengallop，which would have brought a less accomplished rider tothe ground．at the same time he put spurs to his own beast，hoping for a race．
jefferson kept his seat，reined in his restive steed，and putan equally effective rein upon his own temper．
the jockey wondered；but impudently turned it off with alaugh，and still keeping by the side of his new acquaintance，began talking politics．being a staunch federalist，he com-menced to launch out against jefferson and the policy of hisadministration．jefferson took his part in the conversation，andurged some things in reply．
meanwhile they had ridden into the city，and were makingtheir way along pennsylvania avenue．at length they came op-posite the gate of the presidential mansion．
here mr．jefferson reined up，and courteously invited theman to enter．
the jockey raised his eye-brows，and asked：“why，do youlive here？”
“yes，”was the simple reply．
“why，stranger，what the deuce might be your name？”
“my name is thomas jefferson．”
even the jockey's brass turned pale then．putting spurs tohis nag，he exclaimed：“and my name is richard jones，and i'mok！”saying that，he dashed up the avenue at double quick time，while the president looked after him with a smile，and then rodeinto the gate．
no.66 石头从天上掉下来？
石头从天上掉下来？
托马斯·杰斐逊做过不少重要的科学工作。他实验过新的粮食品种，研究并为化石分过类，当时这些方面还处于起步阶段。在另一方面，他却拒不相信陨石是从天上掉下来的。当康涅狄格州的科学家报告说亲眼看到天上落下的陨石时，杰斐逊声明说；“我宁可相信两个北方佬教授会说谎，也不相信天上会有石头掉下来。”
stones fell from the sky？
thomas jefferson did important scientific woek．he experi-mented with new varieties of grain and studied and classifiedfossils at a time when the investigation of these objects was inits infancy．on the other hand，he refused to believe meteorites fell from the sky．when scientists in connecticut reported wit-nessing such falls，jefferson is reported to have stated：“i wouldrather believe that two yankee professors would lie than thatstones fall from the sky．”
no.67 诚实正直的亚伯
诚实正直的亚伯
亚伯拉罕·林肯年轻的时候曾经在一家商店工作。作为店员他既诚实效率又高。一天，一位妇女来到店里买一些杂货。这些杂货总计两美元六美分，或者说年轻的店员认为应该这么多。帐付完了，这位妇女非常满意。但是年轻的店员对他的计算的准确性不很肯定，又逐条重新加了一遍。令他惊愕的是他发现总数本应该只有两美元。“我让她多付了六美分，”亚伯拉罕说，感到非常不安。这是一件小事，许多店员根本不考虑这样的事情。但亚伯拉罕却太认真了，他不能忘记多收的钱。
“这钱一定要还回去，”他决定。如果那位妇女住在附近事情就简单多了，但是，正象年轻人知道的那样，她住在两三英里以外。然而，这并没有改变他的主意。天黑了，他关了门，锁上店铺，向他的顾客居住的地方走去。到了那儿以后，他做了解释，退了那六美分，满意地返了回去。
honest abe
when abraham lincoln was young he worked in a store．asa clerk he proved honest and efficient．one day a woman cameinto the store and purchased sundry articles．they added up totwo dollars and six cents，or the young clerk thought they did．thebill was paid， and the woman was entirely satisfied．but theyoung store-keeper，not feeling quite sure as to the accuracy ofhis calculation，added up the items once more．to his dismay he found the sum total should have been but two dollars．“i'vemade her pay six cents too much，”said abraham，disturbed．itwas a trifle，and many clerks would have dismissed it as such．but abraham was too conscientious to forget about the over-charge．
“the money must be paid back，” he decided．this would have been easy enough had the woman lived just round the corner，but，as the young man knew，she lived between two and three miles away．this，however，did not alter the matter．it wasnight，but he closed and locked the store，and walked to the res-idence of his customer．having arrived there，he explained thematter，paid over the six cents，and returned satisfied．
no.68 我比你还丑？
我比你还丑？
亚伯拉罕·林肯用自我嘲解的才智支撑他度过许多灾难。他经常回想起的一个例子，是有一次一个丑陋的恶棍用一把左轮枪顶在了他的脸上。亚伯拉罕努力保持镇静，问那人想要什么。那人用枪指着他的头回答说：“几年前我发誓如果我见到一个比我还丑的人，我就当场击毙他。”
一丝欣慰掠过林肯那粗糙的面庞，他的紧张和焦虑一扫而光。“开枪吧，”他对那个陌生人说，“因为要是我比你还丑，我就不想活了。”
am i uglier than you ？
abraham lincoln's ability to laugh at himself sustained himthrough his many adversities．on example he often recalled wasthe time when an ugly thug thrust a revolver in his face．abetried to remain calm，asking the man what he wanted．the manreplied，holding the gun to lincoln's head，“some years ago iswore that if i ever came across an uglier man than myself i'dshoot him on the spot．”
relief crossed lincoln's craggy countenance and he lostall his tension and anxiety．“shoot me，”he said to the stranger，“for if i am an uglier man than you，i don't want to live．”
no.69 林肯的胡子
林肯的胡子
全世界的人们都熟悉林肯的脸，至少熟悉他留着大胡子的脸。但是他的胡子是在他后来的日子里才留起来的。当他开始当法官后来当律师的时候，他有两个绰号。第一个是诚实正直的亚伯。有许多关于林肯小时候和他以后一生中的诚实的故事。他的第二个绰号是其貌不扬的亚伯。他长得不好看。然而在1860年发生了一件事。那一年亚伯·林肯成了共和党的被提名者，即新近成立的共和党选出作为美国总统的候选人。
总统选举前的几个星期，林肯收到一封短信。信来自纽约州的一个小姑娘。她叫格雷丝·伯戴尔。她写信给林肯是关于他那其貌不扬的脸，但信写得很有礼貌。这事发生在一百五十年前，所以格雷丝在信中没有使用现代英语语法。但是她的信写得很有意思。在此摘录几段：
我是一个11岁的小姑娘，但我非常想让您成为美国总统，所以我希望您不要认为我给您这样一个伟大的人写信太卤莽了……
然后格雷丝接着写道：
我有四个哥哥，无论如何有几个要投您的票，而且如果您让您的胡子长起来的话，我就设法让另外几个也投您的票。您会好看得多，因为您太瘦了。所有的夫人都喜欢胡子，而且她们会缠着她们的丈夫投您的票，这样您就能当上总统了……
林肯果然听从了格雷丝·伯戴尔的话，在随后两个星期里他没有刮胡子。到1860年11月6日的选举日，他的胡子已经长得可以成为短的络腮胡子。而且他确实被选上了。或许这与他新留的胡子有关。在以后的岁月里他一直都留着络腮胡子。
lincoln's beard1
lincoln's face is familiar to people all around the world，atleast his face when he was wearing a beard．but he didn't wear abeard until later in his life．when he started out as a judge andthen a lawyer，he had two nicknames．the first was honest abe．and there are many stories of his honesty both as a child and as hewent on throughout all of his life．his second nickname washomely abe．he was not good looking．then something hap-pened in 1860．that year abe lincoln was the republican partynominee，the man the recently formed republican party chose asits candidate for president of the united states．
just a few weeks before the presidential election，lincolnreceived a short letter．it was from a girl who lived in new yorkstate．her name was grace bedell．grace wrote to lincoln abouthis homely face，but in a polite way．this was over a hundred andfifty years ago，so grace didn't use modern english grammar inher letter．but she did write a very interesting letter．here aresome parts of it：
i am a little girl only years old，but i want you should bethe president of the united states very much so i hope you won'tthink me very bold to write such a great man as you are……
and then grace went on，
i have got four brothers and part of them will vote for youanyway，and if you will let your whiskers grow，i will try to getthe rest of them to vote for you．you would look a great dealbetter for your face is so thin．all the ladies like whiskers and theywould tease their husbands to vote for you，and then you wouldbe president……
lincoln took grace bedell's advice，and over the next twoweeks he did not shave．by election day on november th of 1860，he already had enough whiskers to make a short beard．and he did get elected．maybe his new beard had something to dowith that．and he did wear the beard for the rest of his life．
no.70 美国总统的“第一”
美国总统的“第一”
西奥多·罗斯福作为美国总统有许多第一，其中包括他是第一个乘汽车和乘飞机的总统。他是第一个在任期间访问外国的美国总统。1906年11月他乘坐美国轮船“路易斯安那”号出访巴拿马和波多黎各。安德鲁·杰克逊是第一位乘坐火车的美国总统。第一位使用电话的总统是詹姆士·加菲尔德。直到1929年赫伯特·胡佛当总统之后，美国总统的办公室才有了私人电话。（电话早在那之前53年就发明了。）在椭圆形办公室安装电话之前，白宫过道电话间里的电话就是总统的私人电话。
the “first”of american presidents
theodore roosevelt was the first united states president toride in an automobile and the first to fly in an airplane，amongthe many other firsts．he was the first u．s．president to visit aforeign country while in office．in november，1906，he sailedon the u．s．s．louisiana for panama and puerto rico．an-drew jackson was the first president to ride in a railroad train．thefirst president to use a telephone was james garfield．not untilherbert hoover was president，in 1929，did the u．s．chief ex-ecutive have a private telephone in his office．（the telephone hadbeen invented fifty-three years earlier．）the booth in the whitehouse hallway had served as the president's private phone beforeone was installed in the oval office．
no.71 只用一只眼睛？
只用一只眼睛？
美国第26届总统西奥多·罗斯福写过40本书。他的第一本书是在哈佛大学读四年级时写的—《1812年的海战》。罗斯福活得很长，一生中从事过多种工作。他曾是纽约市警察委员会主席、西班牙-美国战争中的英雄、纽约州州长、猎人、探险家和自然保护主义者。
但是当年美国最多只有五六个人知道西奥多·罗斯福总统左眼丧失了视力。在1904年同一位年轻军官的一次猛烈的拳击练习中，罗斯福的眼睛被击中，随后视力逐渐衰退，1908年以后完全失明。罗斯福对这一缺陷非常敏感，十分小心地避免让人家看出来他只用一只眼睛。
using only one eye？
theodore roosevelt，twenty-sixth president of the unitedstates，wrote forty books．his first was written during his senioryear at harvard university —the naval war of 1812．roosevelt had a long and varied career．he headed the newyork city police board and was a spanish-american war hero，governor of new york state，big-game hunter，explorer，and conservationist．
but not more than a half-dozen people in the country knewthat president theodore roosevelt had lost his sight of his lefteye．he was struck in the eye during a vigorous boxing ex-ercise with a young army officer，in 1904，and his vision be-came dimmer and dimmer until there was no sight at all from 1908 on．t．r．was sensitive over the defect，and carefully avoidedgiving the impression that he was using only one eye．
no.72 体重 350 磅的总统
体重 350 磅的总统
美国第27届总统威廉·霍华德·塔夫脱体重350磅。一次在白宫洗澡时被卡在澡盆里出不来，只好叫人来把他拉出来。后来他定制了一只专门的澡盆。那只澡盆特别大，运到白宫之后，四个工作人员爬进去拍了一张照片。
the 350 pound president
william howard taft，the twenty-seventh president of theunited states，weighed 350 pounds．once he got stuck in abathtub in the white house and someone had to be called to pullhim out．he then had a special tub made．it was so big that，when it was delivered， four white house workmen climbed intoit and had their picture taken．
no.73 担任过一天的美国总统
担任过一天的美国总统
从技术上讲，美国第12届总统是大卫·赖斯·艾奇逊——这使得扎卡里·泰勒成了第13届总统。艾奇逊只当了一天总统。根据宪法，詹姆士波尔克的4年任期于1849年3月4日，星期日中午届满，他的后任扎卡里·泰勒要到3月5日，星期一才宣誓就职。从星期日中午到星期一，波尔克和泰勒都不是总统。副总统乔治·达拉斯已于前一个星期五辞去了参议院议长的职务，参议院选举密苏里州的参议员艾奇逊临时代替他。美国宪法规定，在总统和副总统暂缺的情况下，国会可以提名一个人代替。因此，在泰勒宣誓就职以前，作为参议院议长的艾奇逊，就是法定的國家元首。密苏里艾奇逊纪念碑上刻着：“大卫·赖斯·艾奇逊，1807—1886，担任过一天美国总统。
．“president of the u．s．， one day”
technically speaking，the twelfth president of the unitedstates was david rice atchison—which would make zachary taylor the thirteenth．atchison was president for a day．jamespolk's four-year term had ended constitutionally at noon，sun-day，march 4，1849；his successor，zachary taylor，did nottake the oath of office until monday，march 5；from noon sun-day until the inauguration monday，there was no president polkand no president taylor．vice-president george dallas hadresigned as president of the senate on the previous friday andmissouri's senator atchison was elected by the senate to fill hisplace pro tempore．the constitution declares that，in the absenceof0 the president and a vice-president，the congress can name asubstitute．atchison，as president of senate throughout thatweekend，was therefore the legal president of the nation untiltaylor was sworn．on his monument in missouri is written：“david rice atchison，1807-1886，president of the u．s．，oneday．”
no.74 最长的总统就职演说
最长的总统就职演说
最长的美国总统就职演说——持续了将近2个小时，有8，445个词，几乎是其他总统就职演说的两倍——是1841年一个下雪天由威廉·亨利·哈里森发表的。他没有戴帽子，也没有穿外套。他于一个月以后死于肺炎——他的任期是最短的。48年之后，中间隔了14个总统，哈里森的孙子本杰明·哈里森在他的宣誓典礼中成功地经受住了狂风暴雨。
the longest presidential inaugural
address
the longest american presidential inaugural address—nearly two hours ，8，445 words，almost twice as many as anyother president's— was delivered during a snowfall by a hat-less，coatless william henry harrison in 1841．he died ofpneumonia exactly a month thereafter —his was the shortestadministration．forty-eight years and fourteen presidencies later，harrison's grandson benjamin harrison successfully with-stood torrential rains and strong winds during his inaugural．
no.75 ．“罗斯福”，一个不好的词？
．“罗斯福”，一个不好的词？
富兰克林·d·罗斯福是美国二十世纪，或许是美国整个历史上最重要的领导人之一。他极大地改变了联邦政府在美国制度中的作用，他的思想和偏见帮助确立了第二次世界大战后世界的格局，而且他改变了民主党的性质和选民。另外，他的政府为赋予美国劳工和美国农业今天的结构形式做了大量的工作。
罗斯福造福國家的主张被称作“新政”。尽管他没有亲自负责他执政时期所实行的计划以及所颁布的法律，但这些工作都是在他主持下进行的。支持者和批评者以同样的方式，以他为例来对比这些计划和法律、评估以后继任的总统和其他领导人。
对于那些崇拜罗斯福的人来说，继任领导人与罗斯福同样好，或不如他好。那些不喜欢，甚至恨罗斯福的人抱怨说继任的总统象罗斯福一样坏甚至比罗斯福还坏。这种正面与反面的强烈感情在新政时期是非常普遍的。
罗斯福本人也喜欢某些批评。他最喜欢的一个卡通片演一个小姑娘站在她那看上去很富有的家的前面对她妈妈说：“看，妈妈，威尔福雷德写了一个不好的词。”她是指她弟弟在人行道上写的是“罗斯福”。
不管人们喜欢还是不喜欢罗斯福，他们都不能忽视他已经和继续带来的影响。罗斯福以后的几乎每一位总统都支持过或反对过罗斯福的“新政”，但都未能而且也不能忽略它。如果一位领导人的意义是由他对其继任者和后代的持续不断的影响来判断的话，那么富兰克林·d·罗斯福就是二十世纪最重要的人物之一了。
．“roosevelt”，a bad word？
franklin d． roosevelt（f．d．r）was one of the most im- portant leaders of twentieth-century america and perhaps in thewhole span of american history．he significantly changed therole of the federal government in the american system，his ideasand prejudices helped to determine the shape of the post-worldwar ⅱ world，and he changed the nature and constituency of the democratic party．in addition，his administration did muchto give american labor and agriculture the form they have today．
roosevelt's ideas for helping the country were labeled “thenew deal”．though he was not personally responsible for all theprograms tried and laws passed in his years as president，he wasthe man in charge．supporters and critics alike measured suc-ceeding presidents and other leaders against him．
for those admired roosevelt，a later leader was as good as，or not as good as their hero．those who disliked，even hated f．d．r．complained that a later president was as bad as，or worsethan roosevelt．such strong feeling pro and con was commonduring the new deal years．
roosevelt himself enjoyed some of the criticisms．one of hisfavorite cartoons showed a girl in front of a prosperous-lookinghome telling her mother，“look， mama，wilfred wrote a badword．” her brother had written“roosevelt”on the sidewalk．
whether people liked or disliked f．d．r．they could notoverlook the impact he had had and continues to have．almostevery president since roosevelt's time has supported or opposedthe roosevelt legacy but could not and cannot ignore it．if thesignificance of a leader is measured by the lasting impact on suc-ceeding leaders and generations，then franklin d． roosevelt isone of the most important people of the twentieth century．
no.76 总统的宠物
总统的宠物
住在白宫的宠物，通常因为总统家的照片经常包括宠物狗或宠物猫而全国闻名。二战开始时的美国总统弗兰克林·罗斯福的照片上就有他和他那叫“法拉”的小黑狗，一种苏格兰狗。
林登·约翰逊总统在他德克萨斯的牧场上养着叫作小猎兔犬的猎狗。一天他揪着狗的两只长耳朵把它提了起来，被拍了照片。全国的宠物热爱者们立即抱怨说他对狗太残忍。
理查德·尼克松总统和夫人有一条黑色的西班牙长耳狗。尼克松家一搬进白宫，这条西班牙长耳狗很快就变成全国最常见的一种狗。后来乔治·布什总统和夫人有一条叫“米莉”的有名的狗。她在白宫下了小狗，布什夫人还给她那只狗专门写了一本书。再以后比尔·克林顿总统和克林顿夫人的女儿非常爱她的小猫“桑可丝”，尽管她父亲对猫过敏，猫会使他的眼睛和鼻子感觉非常不好，但它还是随克林顿一家搬进了白宫。
the presidents’pets
the kind of pet that lives in the white house usually becomespopular across the nation because photos of the president's familyoften include a pet dog or pet cat．pictures of frank roosevelt，who was the american president at the beginning of world warⅱ，show him with his little black dog named “falla”， a scotchterrier。
president lyndon johnson had hunting dogs on his texasranch called beagles． one day he picked up his beagle by its twolong ears，and pictures were taken，immediately pet lovers allover america complained that he was being cruel to the dog．
president and mrs．richard nixon had a black cockerspaniel． soon after the nixons moved into the white house， thecocker spaniel became the most common breed of dogs in thecountry．more recently president and mrs．george bush had afamous dog named “millie”．she had puppies at the whitehouse， and mrs． bush even wrote a book about the dog．thenpresident and mrs．bill clinton’ daughter loved her cat named“socks”so much that it，too，moved to the white house with theclintons， even though her father was allergic to cats whichmade his eyes and nose feel bad．
no.77 渴望当水手
渴望当水手
本杰明·富兰克林是制蜡商人乔赛亚·富兰克林十七个孩子中最小的。全家人都在一个小店铺里干活，用羊脂制造蜡烛。
年轻的富兰克林不喜欢蜡烛的气味，在没有人看管的时候，他常常离开店铺到港口去玩。因为波士顿是美国殖民地最大的港口城市，所以他能看到来自所有國家的船舶。在他后期的一部著作中，他告诉我们他曾经有过“当水手的强烈愿望”。要是他父亲允许这件事的话，他本来是可能离开波士顿去当水手的。乔赛亚·富兰克林对这个招惹麻烦的儿子非常生气。
他不肯让他儿子当水手，却让他挑选做蜡烛或者在他哥哥印刷商詹姆斯的厂里干活。本杰明选择了印刷业，并且签订了合同给他哥哥干活，直到年满二十二周岁。
hankering1 for the sea
benjamin franklin was the youngest son among the seven－teen children of josiah franklin，a candle maker．the wholefamily worked in the little shop，making candles from the fat ofsheep．
young franklin did not like the smell of candles and， whenno one was watching，often left shop to go down to the harbor．because boston was the largest port in the american colonies，young ben was able to see ships from every nation．he tells us inone of his later writings that he had “a hankering for the sea．” ifhis father had allowed it，he would have left boston and become asailor． josiah franklin grew very angry with this troublesomeson．he refused to let him go to sea，but he gave him his choicebetween making candles and working in the shop of his brotherjames，a printer．ben chose printing and signed a paper that re－quired him to work for his brother until he had reached the age oftwenty－two．
no.78 本杰明·富兰克林，杜古德夫人？
本杰明·富兰克林，杜古德夫人？
1721年，詹姆斯·富兰克林（本杰明·富兰克林的哥哥）开始出版一种报纸，叫《新英格兰报》。本杰明通过阅读著名作家的作品，自学写文章写得很好。他常常模仿一位著名作家的风格表达自己的思想，然后再把这位作家的作品读一遍，看看他模仿得是否逼真。他假装名叫“赛伦思·杜古德”的老太婆，开始替这家报纸撰稿。1722年春夏期间，詹姆斯在《新英格兰报》上刊登了杜古德夫人的来信。这些信嘲讽了波士顿形形色色的人物和事件，正因为这些信，詹姆斯被关进了监狱。虽然詹姆斯不愿向当局说明这些信出自谁的手笔，他还是被释放了。本杰明害怕有人说出他就是这些具有冒犯性的信件的炮制者，他打定了主意，要离开波士顿。
benjamin franklin，mrs．dogood？
in 1721， james franklin（brother of benjamin franklin）be－gan to publish a newspaper，the new england courant．ben hadtaught himself to write well by rcading good authors．he wouldput down his own thoughts，copying the style of a famous writer，and then would read the author's book again to see how exact hisimitation was．he began to write for the courant， pretending tobe an old woman called“silence dogood”．james printed lettersfrom mrs．dogood in the courant during the spring and summer of 1722．these letters made fun of various people and things inboston， and because of them james was put in prison． eventhough he would not tell the authorities who had written theletters，james was released．because ben was afraid of being named as the author of the offensive letters，he decided to leave boston．
no.79 奇怪而笨拙的本杰明
奇怪而笨拙的本杰明
本杰明·富兰克林离开波士顿，到了纽约。那时候，纽约是个非常小的城市，连一种报纸也没有。实际上，那里只有一个印刷商。当本杰明向他要活儿干时，他说他并不需要帮手，还劝告本杰明到当时殖民地最大的城市费城去。本杰明到达费城时，身边只带着很少的钱。他做的第一件事就是买了三大块面包。他在腋下夹着两块面包，吃着另外一块，沿着费城的大街走去，一面走着一面观察着所有的建筑物和行人。一位年轻妇女看到他那奇怪而又笨拙的样子，便嘲笑起他来。这次邂逅相遇使本杰明终身难忘，这位叫黛博拉·里德的年轻妇女，后来成了本杰明·富兰克林夫人。
strange and awkward1 benjamin
benjamin franklin left boston and went to new york．inthose days，new york was such a small city that it did not have anewspaper．in fact，there was only one printer．when benjaminasked him for a job，ha said he did not need help and advised bento go on to philadelphia，the largest city in the colonies at thattime．ben arrived at philadelphia with very little money．the firstthing he did was to buy three large loaves of bread．he put twoot the loaves under his arms，and ate the other one，walking up themain street of philadelphia and looking at all the buildings andpeople．a young woman who saw how strange and awkward helooked laughed at him．ben remembered this meeting all his life；deborah read，the young woman，later became mrs．benjaminfranklin．
no.80 ．“皮围裙”
．“皮围裙”
到达费城后不久，本杰明·富兰克林就成了那里的最佳印刷工。在空闲的时间，他组织了一个俱乐部。大多数成员都是工人，因此这个俱乐部就以他们的工作服而取名为“皮围裙”。
俱乐部的成员们每星期五晚上聚会，谈论科学、政治、文学和哲学。每次会议结束时，他们就决定下周讨论何种问题，以便通过阅读为所选题目做好准备。本杰明建议“皮围裙”设立一座公共图书馆，人们可以参加这个图书馆，每月缴纳少量的钱，就能使用图书馆房间并借阅新书。这就是美国的第一座公共图书馆。
．“the leather apron”
benjamin franklin became the best printer in philadelphiasoon after he arrived there．during his free time，he organized aclub．most of the members were workers，and the club was namedfor their woking clothes，“the leather apron”．
the members met every friday evening and talked aboutscience， politics，literature，and philosophy．at the end ofeach meeting the members decided what they would discuss thefollowing week in order to be able to prepare by reading about thechosen subject．benjamin proposed that “the leather apron”establish a public library to which people could belong by paying asmall amount every month for the use of the library room andnew books．this was the first public library in america．
no.81 富兰克林与“可怜的理查德历书”
富兰克林与“可怜的理查德历书”
年，本·富兰克林开始出版历书。他佯称这些历书都是一位名叫理查德·桑德斯的人撰写的。富兰克林称他为“可怜的理查德”，他的历书不久就闻名全殖民地。这些小册子被译成了几乎所有已知的文字。
《可怜的理查德历书》为什么如此受欢迎呢？首先，富兰克林是个科学家，他所刊登的关于恒星和行星的每件事都是正确的。除可靠的信息外，还印有很多诗和简短的名言。可怜的理查德认为人们应当努力工作，节省金钱，生活简朴，真诚老实。他用各种方法使全殖民地的人民认识到：建设一个繁荣昌盛國家的方法就是他们无论做什么工作总要诚诚恳恳，贯彻始终。
这里引用《可怜的理查德历书》里的几则劝告：
与智者交谈，一言已足。
用旧了的钥匙总是明亮的。
如果你热爱生命，就不要浪费时间，因为生命是由时间组成的。
一个“今天”等于两个“明天”。
保护你的店铺，你的店铺就会保护你。
如果你想有一个忠实的仆人并且是你喜欢的人，那你就给自己当仆人吧。
小漏洞可以沉大船。
你要想知道金钱的价值，就去试试向别人借点钱。
经验包涵珍贵的学问，但蠢人却不能从中获得教益。
早睡早起使人健康、富裕和聪明。
franklin and “poor richard's
almanacs”
ben franklin began to publish almanacs in 1732．he pretended that they had been written by a person called richardsaunders．“poor richard”，as franklin called him， and his al-manacs soon were known all over the colonies．these little pam－phlets have been translated into almost every known language．
why was poor richard's almanacs so popular？ first，franklin was a scientist，and every thing he printed about the starsand planets was correct．in addition to dependable information，there were pieces of verse and many short，wise sayings．poorrichard believed that people should work hard，save their mon－ey， live simply，and be honest．in all sorts of ways he taught thepeople of all the colonies that the way to build a prosperouscountry was to be absolutely honest and thorough in whatever theydid．here are some pieces of advice from poor richard's almanacs：
a word to the wise is sufficient．
the used key is always bright．
if you love life，do not waste time，for that's what life ismade of．
one today is worth two tomorrows．
keep your shop and your shop will keep you．
if you would have a faithful servant，and one that you like，serve yourself．
a small leak will sink a great ship．
if you would know the value of money，go and try to borrow some．
experience keeps a dear school，but fools will learn in noother．
early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy，wealthy，and wise．
no.82 富兰克林的风筝
富兰克林的风筝
本杰明·富兰克林的风筝的故事闻名遐迩．他一直在进行有关电学的实验。1751年他发表了一篇论文，其中谈到电流和闪电是同一样的东西。两者都是闪亮的，都是黄色的，都发出响声，都引起弯曲的闪光，而且都能通过金属。
为了证实他的主张，他和他的儿子拿了一只用丝绸制成的风筝（因为丝绸比纸更结实），把一根长金属丝接在风筝的顶端，并且把一块丝绸系在他用来控制风筝的绳子末端。在丝绸和绳子的连接处，挂着一只金属钥匙。他们把风筝放入雷雨中去，自己站在屋顶下，以免被雨淋湿。当风筝到达风暴云时，富兰克林注意到，绳子的全部松弛部分开始向上竖起并且摆动起来。当风筝接触闪电时，便有一个火花沿着绳子飞向金属钥匙，随后一大串电火花开始在钥匙上出现；绳子越湿，火花来得越快。这些就是电火花。闪电确实就是电火花。
富兰克林决定把这一知识运用到实际中去。他发明了避雷针。1753年，本杰明·富兰克林在他的历书《改进了的可怜的理查德》上发表了如何制造避雷针，这之后一种风尚开始了——欧洲的妇女们开始在帽子上装一个避雷针，还拖着一根接地线。
franklin's kite
the story of benjamin franklin's kite is known everywhere．he had been experimenting with electricity，and in 1751 hadpublished a paper saying that electricity and lightning were thesame thing．both were bright，both were the same yellow color，both made a noise，both made crooked flashes， and both wouldpass through metal．
in order to test his claim，he and his son took a kite made ofsilk（because it is stronger than paper）， and added a long wire tothe top and a piece of silk to the end of the string with which hecontrolled the kite．a metal key was hung where the silk andstring met． they flew the kite up into a thunderstorm， keepingthemselves dry under a roof． when the kite reached the stormclouds，franklin noticed that all the loose parts of his string beganto stand up and shake．when the kite touched lightning，a sparkran down the string to the key；a rush of electric sparks beganto appear on the key．as the string became wetter，the sparkscame faster．they were sparks of electricity．lightning was in－deed electricity．
franklin decided to use this knowledge in a practical way．heinvented the lightning rod．ladies in europe took to wearinglightning rods on their hats and trailing a ground wire—a fadthat began after benjamin franklin published instructions on howto make them，in his almanac，poor richardh improved， in 1753．
no.83 ．“您的特别成就？”“没有。”
．“您的特别成就？”“没有。”
一位英国作家要写一本《英国科学家的性格和教养》的书，事先作了一些调查。当他调查到达尔文时，他和达尔文有这样一段对话：
问：“您的专门成就？”
答：“没有。”
问：“您的主要缺点？”
答：“不懂数学和新的语言，缺乏观察力，不善于合乎逻辑的思维。”
问：“您的治学态度？”
答：“很用功，但没有掌握学习方法。”
达尔文在回顾自己的一生时，总是老实地说：“很用功，但没有大的才能。”达尔文这话，倒也并非出于谦虚，了解他的人都相信他说的是实话。在成功的路上，达尔文的确是很用功的。
．“your special achievements1？
“none”
one british writer wanted to write a book named characterand breeding of british scientists，so he made some investiga－tion beforehand．when he investigated darwin，there was aconversation between them：
question：“your special achievements？”
answer：“none．”
question：“your main shortcomings？”
answer：“do not understand mathematics and new languages，lack of the capacity of observation，and not good at logicalthinking．”
question：“your attitude in pursuing your studies？”
answer：“working very hard，but not having a good com－mand of study method．”
when looking back on his life，darwin always said frankly，“working very hard，but not having great ability．”
those words of darwin's were not out of modesty，allthose who knew him would believe that what he said was true．onthe path of his success，darwin worked really very hard．
no.84 他嘴里的甲虫
他嘴里的甲虫
一天，达尔文剥开一片树皮，发现了两只罕见的甲虫，赶忙一手捉一只。突然，又出现了第三只另一种甲虫。他不忍让它白白跑掉，于是毫不犹豫地把右手那只甲虫放进了嘴里。结果，甲虫排出的辛辣液体烧痛了他的舌头。但他已经如痴如醉，全然不顾自己的舌头了。
还有一天，达尔文的一个朋友正在入迷地看书。突然，“砰”的一声，把这位朋友吓得从椅子上跳了起来。原来破门而入的是达尔文，只见他气喘吁吁，脸涨得通红，浑身上下都湿透了。
“哎呀！你冒这么大的雨，从老远赶来，一定有什么事吧？”这位朋友连忙问道。
“听说你的一只鸽子死了，我生怕你把它扔掉，所以我特地来向你索要这只鸽子的尸体。”那位朋友听了以后，如释重负。
beetle in his mouth
one day，darwin took a piece of bark off a tree，and foundtwo rare beetles．he quickly caught them，one in each hand．suddenly，he found the third one of another kind．he could notbear to let run away，so he put he one in his right hand into hismouth without hesitation．as a result，the pungent liquid thebeetle squeezed burnt his tongue．but he was already infatuated，in utter disregard of his tongue．
one day，a friend of darwin's was engrossed in his book，suddenly he was shocked by a thump and sprang up from hisseat it was darwin who broke into the house．he was breathless，his face blushed，and he was drenched with sweat．
“oh，you came all the way here in spite of the heavyrain．there must be something important，”the friend asked atonce．
“i heard that one of your pigeons had died．i came here justto ask for its dead body for fear that you threw it away．” afterhearing it，the friend was greatly relieved．
no.85 古怪的卡文迪什
古怪的卡文迪什
亨利·卡文迪什（1731－1810），是个脾气古怪的英国化学家和物理学家。他没有合适的仪器测量电流强度，只好用一个直接的方法：他让自己触电，以疼痛的程度估计电流的强度（他居然活到了近80岁高龄）。
亨利·卡文迪什非常怕羞，只能勉强同一个人说话——绝不同时和两个人讲话。他在女人面前十分害怕（怕羞或者别的原因），同女佣人只通过字条谈话。如果哪一个女仆在家里碰上他，会被当场解雇。他给自己的屋子单独弄了个入口，这样进出时就不会碰到别人。临终时他坚持自己一个人孤独地死去。
eccentric1 cavendish
henry cavendish（1731－1810），the eccentric englishchemist and physicist，had no appropriate instruments for thepurpose，so he measured the strength of an electrical current in adirect way．he shocked himself with the current of the chargeand estimated the pain（he managed to live to nearly eighty）．
henry cavendish was painfully shy and could barely speak toone person—never to two．he was so afraid（or so shy，orsomething）in the presence of women that he communicated withhis female servants by notes only．if one crossed his path in hishouse，she was fired on the spot．he built a separate entrance tohis house so he could come and go without meeting anyone．inthe end he insisted on dying alone．
no.86 空白的书
空白的书
“空白的书”的想法不是什么新玩意儿。
以《化学基础》一书闻名的荷兰医生和化学家赫尔曼·布尔哈夫于1738年去世时留下了一本题为《医学艺术唯一的和最深刻的秘密》的封着的书。这本封着的书后来以相当于20，000美元黄金的价格被拍卖。书的新主人打开书的封缄后，发现这本100页的书中99页都是白纸。只有扉页上有“作者”手写的一句话：“让你的头保持凉爽，双脚保持温暖，你会使最好的医生成为穷光蛋。”
nothing book
the idea of a“nothing book”is not new．
when hermann boerhaave，a dutch physician and chemistbest known for his elementa chemae，died in 1738，he left behinda sealed book with the title the onliest and deepest secrets ofthe medical arts．the book，still sealed，was auctioned for＄20，000 in gold．when the new owner broke his seal，he found that 99 of the 100 pages were blank．only the title page bore thishandwritten note by the“author”：“keep your head cool， yourfeet warm，and you'll make the best doctor poor．”
no.87 心不在焉的安培
心不在焉的安培
有些科学家的确心不在焉。
法国伟大的物理学家安德烈·马里耶·安培（1775－1836）曾经被邀请和拿破伦一起共进午餐；安培却把此事忘得一干二净，根本没有露面。安培的心不在焉也许和他个人生活的悲怆有关。他的父亲在法国大革命中被送上了断头台；他深爱的妻子婚后几年即去世。1836年安培临终时为自己的墓碑上所选的话是：“最后终于幸福了。”
absent-minded ampère
some scientists are really absent-minded．
the great french physicist andrè-marie ampère（1775-1836） was invited to have dinner with napoleon；ampère forgotand never showed up．maybe ampère's absent－mindedness hadsomething to do with the sadness of his private life；his fatherwas guillotined in the french revolution； his wife， with whomhe was deeply in love， died after they had been married only a fewyears．when ampère was dying，in 1836，he chose the in－scription to be placed on his tombstone．it was tandem felix-“happy at last．”
no.88 欧姆没有得到大学教授的职位
欧姆没有得到大学教授的职位
几乎所有的中学生都学过有关电流的一个关系是欧姆定律：电流的强度等于电压除以电阻。于1827年发现这一定律的是一位德国中学教师格奥尔格·西蒙·欧姆。发现这一关系后，他希望能得到一个大学教授的职位。结果，他不但没有得到大学的任命，反而由于他的发现引起了一些科学家的反对，他不得不辞去中学教师的职位。当时德国等级分明，一个中学教师想要寻个大学职位是不可想象的。
ohm did not get the university
professorship
the one relationship involving the electric current that almostevery high－school student learns is ohm's law —the flow ofcurrent is equal to the voltage pided by the resistance．theman who worked this out，in 1827，was a german high－schoolteacher，george simon ohm．he hoped to get a university pro－fessorship as a result of discovering the relationship．not onlydid he not get the university appointment，but the finding pro-duced such opposition from some other scientists that ohm wasforced to resign his high－school position．in the thenclass－conscious germany it was unthinkable for a high－schoolteacher to seek a university position．
no.89 他在比赛回合之间演奏小提琴
他在比赛回合之间演奏小提琴
匈牙利数学家福尔考什·鲍耶（1775－1856）于1831年出版了一本数学教科书。他在书后附了他20岁的儿子亚诺什写的一个26页的附录。结果这一附录被证明为非欧几何的基础之一，它是数学上的一个里程碑，远比那本书中其他任何内容都重要得多。
一般认为非欧几何的共同发现者之一的19世纪数学家亚诺什·鲍耶（1802－1860），象真正的匈牙利贵族一样精通小提琴与击剑。有一次他曾经先后同13名剑手交锋，将他们全部击败。他还在比赛回合之间演奏小提琴。当有消息说德国著名数学家和天文学家卡尔·弗里德里希·高斯（1777-1835）略早于他也曾经有过非欧几何的同样想法，只是没有发表，鲍耶感到难堪和耻辱，于是放弃了在数学方面的研究。
he played violin between bouts
a hungarian mathematician， farkas bolyai（1775-1856），published a textbook on mathematics in 1831．he included a twenty-six-page appendix written by his twenty-year-old son，janos．this appendix proved to be one of the foundations of non－euclidean geometry；it was a mathematical landmark worth farmore than anything else in the book．
the 19th century mathematician janos bolyai（1802－1860），who generally shares the credit for having discovered non－euclidean geometry，specialized in the violin and duelingsword，in the true tradition of the hungarian aristocrat．he oncefenced wiht swordsmen，one after the other，vanquishing them all and playing the violin between bouts0．bolyai gave upwork in mathematics when he felt embarrassment and humilia－tion at the disclosure that a little earlier karl friedrich gauss（1777—1835）， the german mathematician and astronomer， hadhad the same idea about non－euclidean geometry but hadn't pub－lished．
no.90 他多方涉足
他多方涉足
波兰天文学家尼古拉斯·哥白尼（1473－1543）涉足的方面很多。他发现了作为现代天文学基础的体系，认为“太阳是宇宙的中心”。他参与了货币改革的工作，研究出破损的钞票会使人将好钞票收藏起来的理论。（今天这一理论被称为“格雷沙姆定律”，因为人们误认为这个想法是一个叫格雷沙姆的英国经济学家首先想出来的。）他还在弗隆堡当过牧师，并参加了波兰人与普鲁士条顿骑士的外交谈判。
哥白尼了解希腊的阿利斯塔克（公元前310-前230年，古希腊天文学家）在天文学上的观点。阿利斯塔克认为，如果假设包括地球在内的行星都围绕太阳旋转，而恒星因为看上去不动而无限遥远，那么天体运动就非常容易理解。哥白尼在《天体运行轨道》一书中有一段提到了阿利斯塔克的观点，但后来又删去了，好象不希望有损于自己的独创性。
he had his hand in many pies
nicholas copernicus，the polish astronomer（1473-1543），had his hand in many pies．he founded the system on whichmodem astronomy is based，holding that “the sun is the center ofour universe”．he worked on currency reform，coining thenotion that the appearance of debased currency drives goodmoney into hiding．（it's today called “gresham's law”，for anenglish economist who was incorrectly thought to have originatedthe idea．）he was a canon at frombork and was involved in diplomatic negotiation between the poles and the teutonicknights of prussia．
copernicus knew of the astronomical views of the greekaristarchus（310 b．c．—230 b．c．，ancient greek as tronomer），who believed that the motions of the heavenly bodies could easily beunderstood if it were assumed that all the planets，including earth，revolved about the sun and that the stars must be infinitely far awaybecause they seemed motionless．copernicus mentioned aristarchus views in a passage in de revolutionibus orbiumcoelestium that he later eliminated，as though not wishing tocompromise his own originality．
no.91 阿基里斯永远也追不上乌龟？
阿基里斯永远也追不上乌龟？
芝诺在公元前425年提出的关于阿基里斯和乌龟的悖论，在以后的21个世纪里一直未能用一个数学公式表示出来。芝诺说，假设阿基里斯的速度是乌龟的十倍，乌龟在阿基里斯前面十码处开始赛跑。其结果是，芝诺说，阿基里斯永远也追不上乌龟；当阿基里斯跑完十码的距离差别时，乌龟又向前跑了一码；当阿基里斯跑完那一码时，乌龟又向前跑了1/10码，依此类推。可是人们的感觉会清楚地告诉我们：跑得快的人会追上并超过跑得慢的人。苏格兰数学家詹姆士·格里高利在十七世纪中叶演示了“收敛级数”的存在，说明无数个条件相加会得出一个确定的数字。芝诺不知道阿基里斯和乌龟的悖论就包含了这样一个收敛级数。
achilles can never overtake
the tortoise？
zeno's logical paradox of achilles and the tortoise，articulated ab out 425 b．c．，could not be expressed in a mathe－matical formula for twenty-one centuries．suppose，zeno hadsaid，that achilles can run ten times as fast as a tortoise and thetortoise has a ten－yard head start．it follows，then，he said，thatachilles can never overtake the tortoise；while achilles coversthe ten－yard difference， the tortoise will have moved ahead oneyard．when achilles covers that one yard，the tortoise will havemoved on a tenth of a yard．and so on．our senses， however，clearly show us a faster runner overtaking and passing a slowrunner．the scottish mathematician james gregory，in the mid－1600s，was to demonstrate the existence of “convergingseries0” in which an infinite number of terms added up to afinite sum．the achilles and the tortoise paradox involved， with-out zeno's knowledge，such a converging series．
no.92 克劳德·贝尔纳的抱负
克劳德·贝尔纳的抱负
法国生理学家克劳德·贝尔纳（1813-1878）曾中途辍学，因为他的抱负是成为一名伟大的作家。他在21岁那年写了一部名叫《布列塔尼的阿瑟》的五幕悲剧，将剧本送交巴黎一位有名的批评家。那位批评家读了剧本以后坚决叫他立刻回学校去念书，打消写作的念头。克劳德果真回了学校，后来成了历史上最伟大的生物学家之一，事实上创建了“实验生理学”。1878年他去世时，为他举行了国葬，他是法国第一位得到这一荣誉的科学家。
claude bernard's ambition
french physiologist claude bernard（1813－1878） droppedout of school because it was his ambition to become a greatwriter．at the age of twenty－one，he wrote a five－act tragedycalled arthur of brittany and brought it to a well-known parisiancritic．the critic read the play and strongly advised young claudeto return to school at once and forget all about writing．claude did— and became one of the greatest biologists in history，virtuallyfounding“experimental physiology”．when he died in 1878，hewas given a state funeral，the first scientist upon whom france hadbestowed this honor．
no.93 好多年？8分钟？
好多年？8分钟？
根据严格的科学原理，第一个提出望远镜对光的作用的人是德国天文学家约翰·开普勒。但是他的视力太差，所以对他自己来说，望远镜没有什么用处。
约翰·开普勒花了好多年的时间对天体进行观察、计算才引发了1609年的发现，即行星以椭圆形轨道运行。1973年，开普勒的数据被输入一台计算机里，结果只用了8分钟的时间就完成了必要的计算。
many years？eight minutes？
the first person to work out the manner in which a telescopehandled light according to strict scientific principles was the ger-man astronomer johann kepler．his eyesight was so poor，however，that it was useless for him to try to use a telescopehimself．
it took many years for johann kepler to make his observa－tions of the heavenly bodies and work out the computationsthat led to his discovery in 1609 that the planets moved in ellipticalorbits．in 1973，a computer given kepler's data performed thenecessary computations in eight minutes．
no.94 发现1847年彗星
发现1847年彗星
1847年10月1日的晚上，玛丽亚·米切尔（美国天文学家，1818 -1889）做出了一项重要的发现。米切尔家里来了些客人，但是他们的在场并没有妨碍玛丽亚的工作，她向他们说了声“请原谅”，就径直登上屋顶，用望远镜观察测星，这是她每天晚上天空晴朗时经常要做的事情。她通常只在那里停留一会儿，可是那天晚上她却在外面屋顶上待了一个多小时。最后她下楼回到屋里，走到父亲跟前，对他低声说了几句话。看来她非常激动。米切尔先生悄悄离开了客人，跟玛丽亚一起回到屋顶上，就在那里，她请她父亲看望远镜。他朝望远镜里一看，就看见天空中有一个不熟悉的发光体，还有一簇光跟在它后面。那是一颗彗星，而玛丽亚就是观测到这颗彗星并且报导它的情况的第一个人。
discovery of the comet1 of 1847
on the night of october 1，1847，maria mitchell（americanastronomer，1818-1889）made an important discovery．therewere guests in the mitchell house，but their presence did notprevent maria from excusing herself and going up to the roof tolook through her telescope，as she did every night when the skywas clear．usually she stayed only a short time，but on thisoccasion she waited on the roof for more than an hour．when shefinally came back downstairs，she went to her father and whis-pered a few words to him．she seemed to be quite excited．mr．mitchell left his guests quietly and went back to the roof withmaria．there，she asked him to look through the telescope，and，when he did so，he saw an unfamiliar bright object in the skywith a shower of light trailing behind it．it was a comet，andmaria had been the first person to see it and to report on it．
no.95 因为她是妇女而被拒绝了
因为她是妇女而被拒绝了
玛丽亚·米切尔（1818－1889，美国天文学家）曾经向美国东部各学院请求担任天文学教师的工作。她每次申请，都因为她是个妇女而遭到拒绝。虽然她的著作为世界上最伟大的科学家中许多人所赏识，但她去美国任何大学任教都是不受欢迎的。当时大多数学院只收男生，他们认为妇女教男生是不合适的。玛丽亚颇感伤心和失望，但她决心独自继续天文学的研究工作。
后来她决心再次谋求到大学教书的工作。就在这时，她陆续发表了有关天文学的论文，因而她的名望渐渐大起来了。可是直到1860年，还没有一所大学同意请她去教书。
1861年，马休·瓦萨创办了美国第一所女子学院即瓦萨学院。玛丽亚的朋友们建议她向该校请求任教。他们说，女子学院一定会需要女教师的。可是玛丽亚拒绝了。她果真有能力在学院任教吗？她如今有了机会，却开始对自己的能力有所怀疑了。假如她当上第一个天文学女教授而站不住脚的话，其他女科学家就越发感到大学教师难当了。她觉得这件事风险太大，她是承担不起的。
可是，最后玛丽亚确实当了瓦萨学院第一个天文学教授，同时也是美国所有的学院中讲授天文学的第一个妇女。从1865年到1888年，她在瓦萨学院教了二十三年书。她对自己的能力本来是不必有所怀疑的。她是一名优秀教师，又是为自己的专业增光的人。甚至那些对天文学一无所知的人也都很喜欢她，她的学问给人们留下了深刻的印象。
玛丽亚·米切尔是第一个观测到1847年彗星并报导它的情况的人。她是入选美国文学科学协会会员的第一个妇女。1852年，印地安那州汉诺佛学院授予她名誉法学博士学位，于是她成了荣获名誉学位的第一个美国妇女。
first woman to teach astronomy in any american college．shetaught at vassar for twenty-three years，from 1865 to 1888．sheneed not have doubted her ability．she was an excellent teacherand an honor to her profession．even those who knew nothingabout astronomy liked her and were impressed by her knowledge．
maria mitchell was the first person to see the comet of 1847 and report on it．she was the first woman to be elected as a fellowof the academy of arts and sciences of the united states．in 1852 hanover college in indiana made her an honorary doctor of laws，the first woman in the united states to receive an honorarydegree．
no.96 比老师还棒的报务员
比老师还棒的报务员
一天，托马斯·爱迪生看见一个孩子正在铁轨上玩耍，一辆火车迎面驶来。他跳下站台，把那个男孩从车轮前边抢救了出来。那个孩子的父亲碰巧就是这个车站的站长，他非常感激爱迪生。作为报答，他主动教爱迪生做报务员。他利用夜间车站关闭的时间，每星期给爱迪生讲课四天。爱迪生在三个星期内就成了比老师还棒的报务员。实际上，他很快成了美国最好最快的电报员之一。接着，他要求在休伦港当一名夜班报务员。爱迪生那时才岁，依然对他父母家中的实验室感兴趣。因为他把白天的大量时间用在做实验上，晚上就不能保持清醒，因而他很快就失去报务员的工作。
better telegrapher1 than his teacher
one day thomas edison saw a child playing on the tracks infront of an oncoming locomotive．he jumped off the stationplatform and snatched the child from the wheels of the train．thefather，who happened to be the stationmaster，was so gratefulthat he offered to teach tom to become a telegraph operator as areward．he gave him lessons four days a week after the stationhad closed for the night，and in three weeks edison was a bettertelegrapher than his teacher．actually，he quickly became one ofthe best and fastest telegraphers in the u．s．then he asked forwork as a night operator of the telegraph at port huron．he wasonly sixteen and still very much interested in the laboratory in hisparents house．because he spent so much of the day working onhis experiments，he was unable to stay awake at night，and hesoon lost his job as telegrapher．
no.97 爱迪生的首次重大成功
爱迪生的首次重大成功
1869年，爱迪生借了一笔钱去到纽约。他在纽约的头三年里，几乎要饿死了。他住在给纽约各商行传送股票价格消息的一个公司的一个房间里。一天，那部印刷黄金消息的机器发生了故障。六百家银行和商行都得不到当天收售黄金的消息。爱迪生修好了那台机器，于是他被推荐担任经理，每月工资三百美元。他不久就努力从事改进机器和发明新部件的工作。那时他所发明的万能印刷机印出了关于黄金价格的全部消息，而不是仅仅用几个字母或数字把它们表示出来。这是他的首次重大成就。
edison's first big success
in 1869 edison borrowed some money and went to new york．during the first three years he spent there， he nearly died ofstarvation．he slept in a room belonging to a company that sentinformation on stock prizes to the business houses of newyork．one day the machine that printed news about gold stopped．six hundred banks and business houses were without informationabout what was being bought and sold that day．edison succeededin repairing the machine，and he was then offered a job as managerfor＄ 300 a month．he was soon hard at work making improve-ments in the machine and inventing new parts．his universalprinter，invented at this time，printed full information about goldprizes，instead of showing them only by a few letters and num-bers．this was his first big success．
no.98 用莫尔斯电码“交谈”
用莫尔斯电码“交谈”
托马斯·阿尔瓦·爱迪生很早就聋了。他同他未来的妻子谈恋爱时就教会了她莫尔斯电码。当她学会发送和接收信息时，爱迪生通过在她手里拍信号向她求婚，她用同样的方法做了回答。婚后，他们经常用莫尔斯电码“交谈”。他们在看话剧时，爱迪生夫人把一只手放在丈夫的膝盖上，把演员的台词“发电报”给他，使他也能欣赏。
．“spoke”to each other in morse code1
thomas alva edison suffered early from deafness andtaught his wife-to-be morse code while he was courting her．when she was able both to send and receive messages，edisonproposed to her by tapping out the message in her hand．sheanswered in the same way．after they were married，they often“spoke”to each other in morse code．when they attended a play，mrs．edison kept her hand on her husband's knee and telegraphedthe actor's words to him so he could appreciate it．
no.99 一种伟大工业的开端
一种伟大工业的开端
1877年的一天，爱迪生正在进行电话机的实验。他注意到当他对着电话机说话或唱歌时，这机器里的一个零件，即一根针，随着说话的声音上下移动。他立即开始设计一部能记录这些运动从而能记录声音本身的机器。他把自己绘的图样送给一位助手。这位助手就按照爱迪生的指示制成了那种奇怪的机器。爱迪生对着它反复念出儿童的诗句“玛丽有只小羊羔”，以便检验这个机器的性能。他念完以后，又把机器倒转回来，机器里就重复了他的声音。他发明了留声机。他的机器非常简单，但它却是一种伟大工业的开端。
the beginning of a great industry
one day in 1877 edison was experimenting with the tele-phone．he noticed that when he spoke or sang into it，a needle，part of the machine，moved up and down to the sound of hisvoice．he quickly began to plan a machine that would record thesemovements， and thus record sound itself．he sent his drawingsto an assistant，who built the strange machine according to edis-on's instructions． edison tested the machine by repeating thechildren's verse “mary had a little lamb” into it．after he hadfinished，he turned the machine again，and his voice came back．he had invented phonograph．his machine was primitive，but itwas the beginning of a great industry．
no.100 他们是偶尔被发现的
他们是偶尔被发现的
1845年，德国化学家克里斯蒂安·f·舍恩拜因（1799—1868）在家里的厨房里用一种硝酸和硫酸的混合物做实验。他的夫人严格禁止在家里进行这类实验，不过她当时不在家。舍恩拜因不小心溅出了一些酸，惊慌中随手抓起手边一件东西——他妻子的棉围裙——去擦那种混合液，然后把围裙挂在炉子边上，以便在他妻子回家之前烘干。那条围裙干了以后突然烧了起来，而且烧得快极了，好象突然消失了一样。吃惊的舍恩拜因进行研究，发现了现在被称为“硝化纤维”或者“棉火药”的东西，这是战场上火药被它取代的开始。此前，火药盛行了500年。
直到19世纪30年代，橡胶仍不是非常有用的材料。天冷时它变得僵硬，而天暖时又变得又软又粘。并不是化学家、做生意也不成功、还曾经因为负债而被监禁过的查尔斯·古德伊尔决心要找到一种改进橡胶的办法以重振家业。他最初加硫的实验没有成功。有一天他无意中把这种混合物溅到了炉子上，当他拣起这块热的橡胶和硫的混合物时，发现这种材料已经干了，而且在不同的温度下都有弹性。他于1844年申请了这种“硫化橡胶”的专利，这是如今称为“高分子化学”的第一个重大进展。但是古德伊尔的办法太简单，许多人侵犯这一专利。1860年古德伊尔去世时债台高筑，欠了几万美元的债务。
第一种抗菌青霉素是1928年偶然发现的。亚历山大·弗莱明（英国细菌学家，1881－1955）在他的英国实验室里无意中忘了将一只进行细菌试验的玻璃器皿盖上。楼上一位实验人员不小心让他使用的霉菌从开着的窗户飘进来落在弗莱明没有盖好的培养的葡萄球菌上。第二天，这位苏格兰细菌学家发现玻璃器皿里有一块地方很干净。在那块地方霉菌里的青霉素将细菌杀死了。
亚历山大·弗莱明发现青霉素之后又过了十年，才有两位英国医学研究人员研究出一种纯化的技术，将这种“神奇的药”从架子上拿下来用于临床医疗，恰好赶上在第二次世界大战中使用。弗莱明和这两位研究人员共同分享了一份诺贝尔奖金。
they were discovered by accident
the german chemist christian f．schonbein（1799-1868）was experimenting with a mixture of nitric acid andsulfuric acid in the kitchen of his house in 1845．his wifestrictly forbade such experiments in the home，but she was outat the time．schonbein accidentally spilled some of the acidand，in a panic， he seized the first thing at hand，his wife'scotton apron， sopped up the mixture， then hung it over thestove to dry before his wife came home．when the apron dried，it suddenly burned，and so rapidly that it seemed simplyto disappear．the astonished schonbein investigated and foundhe had formed what is now called “nitrocellulose”or “guncotton”．this was the beginning of the replacement ofgunpowder on the battlefield，where it reigned supreme for 500 years．
until the 1830's， rubber was not a very useful material．itgrew stiff and hard in cold weather and soft and sticky in warmweather．charles goodyear， no chemist，a business failure，andonce imprisoned for debt，decided to recoup his fortune byfinding a way to improve rubber．he first experimented by addingsulfur and failed．but one day he spilled his mixture on the stoveby accident and found when he picked up the hot rubber-sulfurmixture that he had something that was dry and flexible at alltemperatures．he patented his discovery of”vulcanized rubber”in1844 ．it was the first important advance in what is now calledpolymer chemistry”．goodyear's process was too simple，however，and many people infringed on the patent．when he died in 1860， goodyear was more in debt than ever．he owedhundreds and thousands of dollars．
penicillin，the first antibiotic，was discovered in 1928 byaccident．a shallow glass dish for bacteriological experimentswas left uncovered unintentionally by alexander fleming （british bacteriologist，1881—1955） in his laboratory in england．an experimenter upstairs was careless with the mold he was usingand some drifted in through an open window and landed in flem-ing's uncovered staphylococci culture． the following day， thescottish bacteriologist found in the dish a clear area where thepenicillin in the mold had been killing bacteria．
a decade passed between the discovery of penicllin byalexander fleming and the development of a purification tech-nique by two british researchers that took the “miracle 0 drug”offthe shelf and placed it into medical practice，in time for use duringworld war ⅱ．fleming and the two researchers—ernst chainand howard florey—shared a nobel prize．
no.101 被爱迪生欺骗？
被爱迪生欺骗？
1912年曾有将诺贝尔奖授予托马斯·阿尔瓦·爱迪生和电气工程师尼古拉·特斯拉的打算。他们俩都无愧于这一荣誉。可是脾气古怪的特斯拉讨厌爱迪生，因为他相信爱迪生在一次金融交易中欺骗了他。特斯拉拒绝和爱迪生分享这一荣誉。结果当年物理学奖被授予成就不如他们的一名瑞典发明家。
cheated by edison？
there was some intention in 1912 of giving a nobel prizejointly to thomas alva edison and the electrical engineer nikolatesla．both were well deserving of the honor．tesla， who waseccentric，loathed edison because he believed he had beencheated by edison in a financial transaction．tesla refused to beassociated with edison in the honor，and the physics prize insteadwas awarded to a swedish inventor of lesser merit ．
no.102 通过电话所讲的第一句话
通过电话所讲的第一句话
1876年，亚历山大·格雷厄姆·贝尔在装试电话时，蓄电池里的酸液溅到他的裤子上，他叫助手说：“沃森，请过来帮个忙。”在另一层楼的沃森通过他正在连接的电话听到了呼唤跑到贝尔的房间。贝尔上述所讲的话是人类通过电话所讲的第一句话。1915年第一条跨洲电话开通时，第一个通话的人是在东海岸的贝尔。他说道：“沃森，请过来帮个忙。”这一次沃森可来不了了。他听到了呼唤，但他远在3，000英里以外的加利福尼亚。
the first words spoken
on the telephone
when alexander graham bell was working on the telephone in 1876， he spilled battery acid on his pants and called out tohis assistant，“watson，please come here，i want you．” watson，who was on another floor， heard the call through the instrument hewas hooking up， and ran to bell's room． bell's were the firstwords anyone spoke on the telephone．in 1915，when the firsttranscontinental telephone line was opened，the first person whospoke into it was bell on the east coast．his words were，“watson，please come here，i want you．”this time watsoncouldn't come．he heard the plea，but he was in california，3，000miles away．
no.103 爱因斯坦的青年时代
爱因斯坦的青年时代
没有人觉得很害羞而又年轻的艾尔伯特·爱因斯坦长大后会改变世界。他学说话非常慢，人们认为他的智力有点迟钝。
艾尔伯特·爱因斯坦在学校从不快乐。他不喜欢记忆事实与规则。他回答问题时很慢，因为他总是要经过认真思考。他会问很难的问题，这就使得老师们认为他是在存心找麻烦。德国学校的严格纪律使他非常不愉快。
然而，年轻的爱因斯坦确实学到了使他感兴趣的东西。他感兴趣的是藏在事物表面之下的东西。例如，他岁时，他的父亲给了他一个带有磁针的指南针。这使得艾尔伯特对那使指南针的针永远指向北边的看不见的力量很好奇。在他十几岁的时候就读了非常深奥的科学书籍。他已经开始想了解宇宙的奥秘。
17岁时，爱因斯坦进入了瑞士苏黎士的专科学院，学习数学和物理学。有许多课他都不去听，因此没有给教授们留下印象，但他确实一直都在刻苦学习。1900年毕业时，他曾经要求在物理系留任作助教，却被拒绝了。
einstein's youth
no one suspected that shy， young albert einstein wouldgrow up to change the world．he was so slow in learning to speakthat he was considered a bit dull-witted．
albert einstein was never happy in school．he did not like tomemorize facts and rules．he answered slowly because he wasvery thoughtful．and he asked difficult questions，which made histeachers think that he was trying to make trouble．the strict dis-cipline of a german school made him very unhappy．
however，young einstein did learn what interested him．andhe was interested in what lay below the surface of things．whenhe was ，for instance，his father gave him a compass with amagnetic needle．this made albert curious about the unseenforces that could keep a compass needle always pointing north．inhis teens he read deep in science．he had already started to won-der about the mysteries of the universe．
when he was 17，einstein entered the polytechnic institutein zurich，switzerland，where he studied mathematics andphysics．he stayed away from many lectures and did not impresshis professors，but he was actually studying very hard all the time．when he graduated in 1900，he asked to be appointed as anassistant in the physics department but was refused．
no.104 ．“没有本事解决人的问题”？
．“没有本事解决人的问题”？
艾尔伯特·爱因斯坦于1921年被授予诺贝尔物理奖，但不是为了奖励他年前发表的著名的相对论，而是为了他的不太为人所知的光电效应研究。
为了帮助筹集资金救济柏林挨饿的穷人，艾尔伯特·爱因斯坦于1930年出售他的亲笔签名，签名每个3美元，签名的照片每个5美元。
艾尔伯特·爱因斯坦曾被邀请担任以色列总统，但他拒绝了这一机会。他说他没有本事解决人的问题。
．“having no head for
human problems”？
albert einstein，who was awarded the nobel prize for physics in 1921，was honored not for his famous theory of relativity pub-lished sixteen years earlier，but for his lesser－known work on thephotoelectric effect．
to help raise funds for the starving poor of berlin，alberteinstein in 1930 sold his autograph for＄3 a signature andautographed photographs for＄5 each．
albert einstein was offered the presidency of israel．herefused the opportunity，having no head，he said，for humanproblems．
no.105 爱因斯坦与刮胡膏
爱因斯坦与刮胡膏
为了做他的工作，爱因斯坦只需要一支铅笔和一本拍纸簿。物质的东西对他毫无意义。他身上从不带钱，因为他从来都不需要用钱。他信奉简朴，甚至于只用一把安全剃刀和清水刮胡子。当他的朋友建议他用一下刮胡膏时，他说：“剃刀和水就够了。”
“但是，教授，为什么您就不能仅仅试用一次刮胡膏呢？”他的朋友争辩道。“它可以让你刮起胡子来又平滑又不痛。”
他耸耸肩。最后，他的朋友送给他一管刮胡膏。第二天早上，当他下楼来用早餐时，他因为有了一大新发现而高兴得满脸含笑，“你知道，那种刮胡膏还真有效，”他说。“它不扯胡子，感觉好极了。”打那以后，他每天早晨都用那管刮胡膏，直到那一管用完为止。然后他又回复到只用清水刮胡子了。
einstein and shaving cream
to do his job einstein needed only a pencil and a pad of pa-per．material things meant nothing to him．he never carriedmoney because he never had any use for it．he believed in sim-plicity，so much so that he used only a safety razor and waterto shave ．when his friend suggested that he try shaving cream，he said，“the razor and water can do the job．”
“but professor，why don't you try the cream just once？”hisfriend argued．“it makes shaving smoother and less painful．”
he shrugged．finally，his friend presented him with a tube ofshaving cream．the next morning when he came down to breakfast，he was beaming with the pleasure of a new，greatdiscovery．“you know，that cream really works，”he announced．“it doesn't pull the beard．it feels wonderful．”thereafter，he usedthe shaving cream every morning until the tube was empty．thenhe reverted to using plain water．
no.106 一个完完全全的理论家
一个完完全全的理论家
爱因斯坦完完全全是个理论家。他对自己思想和理论的实际应用丝毫不感兴趣。他提出的 e＝mc2 也许是有史以来最著名的公式——然而爱因斯坦却不愿费举足之劳去看反应堆产生原子能。他因其光电理论——他认为比较次要的一系列公式——而获得诺贝尔奖金，但对于观察他的理论怎样使得电视得以产生却没有一点好奇心。
一个年轻的朋友曾经送给爱因斯坦教授一个玩具，那是一只立在盛水的碗边保持平衡并把脑袋反复浸入水中的鸟。爱因斯坦高兴地注视着它，一边试图推断出它的运动原理。但他没有推断出来。
第二天早晨他宣布说：“关于那只鸟，我上床前想了很久，它一定是这样运转的……”他开始做起了长篇解释。后来他意识到自己推理中的一个漏洞便停了下来。“不，我想不是这样的。”他连续几天试着用各种理论来加以解释，后来有人建议把玩具拆开看看它到底是怎样运转的。他迅速现出的不赞成的表情表明，他并不同意这种切实可行的作法。他一直没有研究出这个答案。
purely and exclusively a theorist
einstein was purely and exclusively a theorist．he didn'thave the slightest interest in the practical application of his ideasand theories．his e=mc2 is probably the most famous equation inhistory—yet einstein wouldn't go down the street to see areactor create atomic energy． he won the nobel prize for hisphotoelectric theory， a series of equations that he consideredrelatively minor in importance，but he didn't have any curiosityin observing how his theory made tv possible．
a young friend once gave professor einstein a toy，a bird thatbalanced on the edge of a bowl of water and repeatedly dunkedits head in the water． einstein watched it in delignt， trying todeduce the operating principle．but he couldn't．
the next morning he announced，“i had thought about thatbird for a long time before i went to bed and it must work this way…”he began a long explanation． then he stopped， realizing aflaw in his reasoning．no， i guess that's not it．” he pursuedvarious theories for several days until someone suggested theytake the toy apart to see how it did work．his quick expression ofdisapproval showed that he did not agree with this practical ap-proach．he never did work out the solution ．
no.107 他的司机替他做了报告
他的司机替他做了报告
一次，爱因斯坦在美国各地巡回做报告。他是坐汽车巡回旅行的，并很快就与司机非常友好了。
司机认真听了这位伟大的科学家爱因斯坦反复做的报告。一天，他告诉爱因斯坦他非常了解这个报告，而且他肯定他自己就可以做这一报告。爱因斯坦微笑着说，“那为什么你下次不替我做报告呢？”司机同意了。
那天晚上他们两人一同去了报告大厅。那里的人以前没有见过爱因斯坦。当司机代替他走上台时，所有的人都鼓起掌来。然后他开始做报告。果然，他一个错都没出。这次报告是一个巨大的成功，结束时人们一再鼓掌。然后他起身离开，和所有的人握手，而爱因斯坦则在他身后几步远的地方静悄悄地跟着。
就在他们快到门口的时候，一个人拦住他们，问了司机一个十分难的问题。司机认真听着。当然，他一点也不懂，但他点着头好象他听懂了。等那人说完，司机说他认为这个问题很有意思，但却真的很简单，实际上，为了表示它到底有多么简单，他将请他的司机来回答。
his driver gave the lecture
for him
at one time einstein traveled all over the united states givinglectures．he traveled by car and soon became quite friendly withthe driver．
the driver listened carefully to einstein's lecture，which thegreat scientist gave again and again．one day he told einstein thathe knew the lecture so well that he was sure he could give ithimself．einstein smiled and said，“why don't you give the lec-ture for me next time？”the driver agreed．
that evening two of them went along to the lecture hall．nobody there had seen einstein before．as the driver took hisplace on the stage everybody clapped．then he began the lec-ture．sure enough，he did not make a single mistake．it was agreat success，and when it was over，people clapped and clapped．then he started to leave，shaking hands with everybody，whileeinstein followed quietly a few steps behind．
just before they got to the door，a man stopped them andasked the driver a very difficult question．the driver listenedcarefully．of course，he did not understand a thing，but he noddedhis head as if he did．when the man stopped talking，the driversaid that he thought the question was very interesting but reallyquite simple．in fact，in order to show how simple it was，hewould ask his driver to answer it．
no.108 名望使他迷惑不解
名望使他迷惑不解
爱因斯坦一直没能解开的另一个谜是他自己的名望。他提出的理论都是些非常深奥、只能使比较少的科学家感到兴趣的理论。然而他的名字在整个文明世界却家喻户晓。有一次他说：“我有一些很好的思想，别人也有一些很好的思想。只是我的运气好，我的思想被接受了。”他的名望使他迷惑不解：人们都想会见他；陌生人在街上盯着他看；科学家、政治家、学生和家庭主妇都给他写信。他一直不能理解，为什么他会受到这样的注意，为什么单单把他挑出来当作特殊人物对待？
bewildered by his fame
another puzzle that einstein could never understand was hisown fame．he had developed theories that were profound andcapable of eciting relatively few scientists．yet his name was ahousehold word across the civilized world．“i've had good ideas，and so have the other men，” he once said．“but it's been mygood fortune that my ideas have been accepted．”he was bewildered by his fame：people wanted to meet him；strangersstared at him on the street；scientists，statesmen，students，andhousewives wrote him letters．he never could understand why hereceived this attention，why he was singled out as somethingspecial．
no.109 爱因斯坦与小姑娘
爱因斯坦与小姑娘
爱因斯坦在普林斯顿大学时，工作在该大学的高级研究院，生活很安静，也经常有人来拜访他。有一段时间，一个12岁的小姑娘养成了从学校回家的路上来拜访他的习惯，最后，小姑娘迷惑不解的妈妈碰到爱因斯坦博士，询问他和她女儿到底谈些什么。博士微笑着解释道：“哦，她给我带来小甜饼，我为她做算术作业。”
einstein and the little girl
einstein lived quietly in princeton， working at the institutefor advanced study．often there were visitors like the twelve-year-old girl who，for a time，formed the habit of visiting him onher way home from school．finally，the puzzled mother of thegirl met dr．einstein and asked him what he and her daughtertalked about．the doctor smiled and explained，“oh，she bringsme cookies，and i do her arithmetic homework for her．”
no.110 最尖锐的眼睛
最尖锐的眼睛
眼睛最尖锐的天文学家也许要数美国的e．e．巴纳德。他于19世纪90年代认为自己发现了火星上的火山口，但是他没有正式宣布这一发现，怕别人不会看到而嘲笑他。但他却是百分之百对的。70年后火箭推动的火星探测器证明了这一事实。
the sharpest eyes
perhaps the astronomer with the sharpest eyes was theamerican e．e．barnard．in the 1980s，he thought he haddetected craters on mars ；but he didn't announce this for-mally．he didn't think anyone else would see them and he fearedhe'd be laughed at．but he was one hundred percent right．ittook seventy years and the development of rocket-poweredmars probes to demonstrate the fact．
no.111 一封非常简短的信
一封非常简短的信
一位著名的黑人教师在亚拉巴马州开办了一所学校。此人名叫布克·特·华盛顿，学校的名称是特斯基吉黑人师范工业学院。起初学校工作进展很小。附近的居民家里很穷苦，土地贫瘠，而且没有谁懂得什么种田或喂养牲畜的科学方法。华盛顿博士给乔治·华盛顿·卡弗写信说：“我只能给你很少的钱，却让你干很繁重的工作。但是我们极需要你。请你来吧。”过了一段时间，一封非常简短的信寄到了特斯基吉，信上说：“我一定来。乔·华·卡弗。”
a very short letter
in the state of alabama，a famous negro teacher hadopened a school．the man was booker t．washington，and thename of the school was tuskegee normal and industrial institute ofnegroes．at first，the school made little progress．the peoplenearby were poor，the soil was worn out，and nobody seemed toknow anything at all about scientific ways of farming or raisinganimals．dr．washington wrote to george washington carver，“i can offer you very little money and much hard work．but weneed you desperately．please come．”some time later，a veryshort letter arrived at tuskegee．it said，“i will come．g．w．carver．”
no.112 卡弗最早进行的花生研究
卡弗最早进行的花生研究（1）
1904年，一种在棉株上产卵而破坏棉株的微小的昆虫——棉花象鼻虫从墨西哥传进德克萨斯州，到了1910年它已经扩展到亚拉巴马。乔治·华盛顿·卡弗（美国植物学家1864-1943）知道棉花的收成已濒临极大的危险。当人们问这位农业部门的头头该怎么办时，他说：“犁掉你们的棉花，在田里喷洒毒药。一个月后种上花生。”
“花生！”人们叫嚷道。“花生是猪食呀！人们只是吃上几颗，但却吃不多的。谁也不会找我们买花生的。我们可不能单单靠花生过日子。”
“你们错就错在这里了，”乔治·卡弗说道。“花生是人的极好的食品。咱们还能用花生制作各种各样的东西。只管种花生吧。我会告诉你们花生有什么用处的。”
他写了一篇论文并把它寄给几百个自耕农。论文里说，花生株能使土地肥沃，它易于生长，人吃了花生对身体有好处，用花生喂猪，就能长出很好的肉，而且花生油是世界上一种最好的植物油。
亚拉巴马的许多自耕农听卡弗的话种起花生来。
carver's pioneer work with
peanuts（1）
in 1904 the boll weevil，a small insect that destroys thecotton plant by laying its eggs within it， crossed from mexicointo texas．by 1910 it had spread to alabama．george wash- ington carver（american botanist，1864-1943） knew that thecotton crop was in great danger．when he was asked，as a head ofan agricultural department， what should be done，he said，“plowdown your cotton．spray the earth with poison．then a monthlater， plant peanuts．”
“peanuts！”the people cried．“peanuts are food for pigs！people will eat few of them but not many．nobody will buypeanuts from us．and we can't live on them and nothing else．”
“that's what you're wrong，”george carver said．“peanutsare excellent food for men．you can make all sorts of things frompeanuts．just grow them．i'll show you what to do with them．”
he wrote a paper and had it mailed to hundreds of farmers．itsaid that the peanut plant makes the soil rich， that it is easy togrow，that it is good for the human body when the peanut is eaten，that pigs fed on peanuts will produce excellent meat，and thatpeanut oil is one of the best vegetable oils in the world．
many farmers in alabama listened to carver and plantedpeanuts．
no.113 卡弗最早进行的花生研究
卡弗最早进行的花生研究（2）
亚拉巴马的许多自耕农听卡弗的话种起了花生。卡弗很高兴，但也很担心。他们怎么处置这么多的花生呢？怎样才能卖掉这样多的花生呢？他带了几篮子花生走进自己的实验室并且锁上了门。过了几天，他走出实验室对他的几个学生说：“跟我来。”实验室里摆着全是用花生制作的人造干酪、人造牛奶、粉扑、油墨、黄油、肥皂、咖啡和着色剂的样品。当学生们称赞他时，他只是说：“是上帝教给我怎样把花生分解开，然后再把它的各种成分放在一起的。”
1921年，花生种植者联合会邀请卡弗去华盛顿对美国参议院的一个委员会发表讲话。他仍然穿1896年他第一次来特斯基吉时穿的那一套黑色衣服。他带了一口大木箱，里面装满了他用花生制作的产品——奶、干酪、黄油、咖啡、纸张、墨水、肥皂和橡胶。他向参议员们证明，花生是一种极其珍贵的食品，理应规定进口税率加以保护。
carver's pioneer work with
peanuts（2）
many farmers in alabama listened to carverand planted peanuts．carver was pleased，but also frightened．what would they do with all those peanuts？how could so many be sold？hewent into his laboratory with several baskets of peanuts and lockedthe door．after several days，he came out and told some of hisstudents：“follow me．”in the laboratory were samples of artificialcheese，milk， face powder， printer's ink，butter，soap，coffee，and coloring substances all made from peanuts．his only replywhen the students praised him was：“the creator taught me howto take the peanut apart and then put the parts together again．”
in 1921 the united peanut growers’association invitedcarver to come to washington to talk before a committee of theu．s．senate．he arrived，dressed in the same black suit he hadworn when he had first come to tuskegee in 1896．he brought alarge wooden box filled with products he had made from peanuts—milk， cheese， butter， coffee， paper，ink，soap，and rubber．he proved to the senators that the peanut was valuable enough as afood to be protected by a tariff．
no.114 卡弗还发展了……
卡弗还发展了……
以最早进行花生研究而著名的植物学家乔治·华盛顿·卡弗，用植物的叶子、果实、茎和根作试验研制成了536种染料。仅从一种野葡萄中就得到了49种不同的染料。
后来卡弗转而对亚拉巴马人种的另一种食粮甘薯发生了兴趣。他成功地用甘薯制作了一百多种产品。其中有面粉、胶和人造橡胶。在1914年到1918年第一次世界大战期间，卡弗带着甘薯去到华盛顿。美国政府立刻把甘薯面粉用作美军、英军和法军的食粮。
carver also developed…
the botanist george washington carver，who is best knownfor his pioneer work with peanuts，developed 536 dyes when ex- perimenting with plant leaves，fruits，stems，and roots．forty-nine separate dyes were derived from the scuppernong grape alone．
later carver turned his attention to another food growth inalabama， the sweet potato． he succeeded in making more thanone hundred products from it．among these were flour， glue ，and artificial rubber．during the world war i of 1914-1918，carver went to washington with sweet potatoes．the united statesgovernment at once started to use sweet potato flour to feed itsown soldiers and those of england and france．
no.115 他改变了美国耕作方法
他改变了美国耕作方法
新英格兰和加利福尼亚州的路德·伯班克（园艺家）是一个改变了美国耕作方法的人。他根据达尔文关于植物生长变化方式的发现所作的实验为我们提供许多种新的水果、蔬菜和花卉。
一天，他在自己的一只马铃薯上发现一颗不同寻常的胚珠。当他收获由这颗胚珠长出的马铃薯时，他发现其中的两株生长着他从未看到过的又大又白的马铃薯。他所做的所有杂交植物试验生产的马铃薯，都不比亲本生出的马铃薯大得多或好得多。但这两株上的马铃薯却大得惊人。他精心地栽培它们，直到后来他培养出的那种伯班克马铃薯十分健壮，能抗病害，因而在其他品种的马铃薯无法生长的地方，这一品种极为珍贵。
伯班克自己卖这些新的马铃薯幼苗只挣了大约150美元。但是他敢肯定凭着他所知道的和他所发现的，他可以对自然加以改进。
he changed american farming
a man who changed american farming was luther burbank（horticulturist） of new england and california． his experi-ments，based on the discoveries of darwin about the way plantsgrow and change，gave us many new kinds of fruits，vegetables，and flowers．
one day he discovered an unusual seedball on one of hispotatoes． when harvesting potatoes from this seed， he found thattwo of the plants had larger and whiter potatoes than any he hadseen before．in all of his attempts to mix plants，the potatoes thatresulted had never been much larger and better than those of theparents．but the potatoes from these plants were wonderfullylarge．he cultivated them carefully until he had developed theburbank potato， strong enough to resist disease and thereforevaluable in places where other kinds of potatoes could not begrown．
burbank himself made only about＄150 from the sale of thesenew potato plants．but he was sure that，with what he knew andwhat he had discovered，he could improve on nature．
no.116 ．“杏-梅”树？
．“杏-梅”树？
有一个果树栽培者想找一家公司在九个月内为他提供两万棵梅子树。这件事看来是不可能的，而且多数种植树木的人都拒绝填写他的订货单。但伯班克（美国园艺家）断定他能够生产出这些树。起先他种了两万棵杏树，这些树能够在很短的时间里长得相当高大。等到这些树长到足够高大的时候，他就把它们移开，然后他把从健壮梅树上取下的芽嫁接在这些幼小的杏树上，即把梅子树的一部分插在杏树上的洞里，这样就使杏树上生出了一种新的生长物。那个果树栽培者对他的“杏-梅”树感到惊奇，但他也很高兴。不久，远近的自耕农都得知这一惊人的成就。伯班克本人也认识到现在他能够加快自然界的活动进程而不至于损害植物的品质——也许他能够对自然界加以改进了。
．“almondprune1”trees？
there was a fruit grower who was looking for a company thatcould furnishhim twenty thousand prune trees in only ninemonths． this seemed impossible，and most plant growers refusedto try to fill his order． but burbank（american horticulturist）decided that he could produce the trees．first，he planted twentythousand almond trees， these would grow to a large size in a rathershort time．when the plants were large enough，he moved them．then he took prune buds from healthy prune trees and grafted them onto the young almond trees，placing part of a prune plantinto a hole in the almond plant to make a new growth on the al- mond tree．the fruit grower was surprised by the“almondprune”plants；but he was pleased，too．soon，the whole world offarmers had heard of this wonderful accomplishment．burbankhimself knew that now he could hurry nature's actions withouthurting the quality of plants—that perhaps he could improve onnature．
no.117 ．“树木巫师”
．“树木巫师”
有时，伯班克通过把不同的果树枝嫁接在一起加快自然的进程。他又常常使一百个不同的品种在一棵苹果树上生长，并且使它比单一品种长在自身树上提前两到三年结出苹果。
他所作实验的结果除其他作物外，有一种特别茁壮的樱桃树、一种不长刺的黑莓和一种更大更甜而且更圆润的木莓。好多人喜欢他培育的新花卉，既有硕大的沙斯塔山雏菊、伯班克玫瑰、一种开重瓣花的唐菖蒲属植物，又有一种中心部分呈银白色的罂粟花。他还创造出一种“李子杏”，这是一种一半是李子味一半是杏味的水果；此外还有四种新的温柏树、十种新的李子树和梅子树，还有一种新坚果。所以伯班克被称为“树木巫师”是不会令人感到惊奇的了。看来他确实是一个利用魔法改变自然的人。
他的实验有一些没有成功。例如，他一直没有培育出马铃薯与番茄的真正的结合体。他也没能种成可以在沙漠地带生长并能为牲畜提供饲料的仙人掌。
伯班克结下了一些仇人。他常常烧掉作实验剩下来的作物。他的邻居们认为这种习惯是一种浪费，他破坏那么好的树木是发了疯。而后，他在1893年出版了《水果与花卉之新创造》一书，在该书的末尾他说到他相信一种作物的环境能够改变它的特性。这种主张激怒了那些相信只有遗传才能导致改变的人们。此外，他关于自己“造出”了新植物的说法，也惹恼了那些认为他使用了只属于上帝的权力的人们。他常常受到攻击，但自耕农们却继续购买他的作物。
．“plant wizard”
burbank（american horticulturist） would hurry nature bygrafting together branches of different fruits．often he would haveas many as one hundred separate varieties growing in one appletree，and bearing fruits two or three years earlier than they wouldhave done if only one variety had grown on its own tree．
the results of his experiments were，among other plants，anespecially strong cherry tree； a blackberry plant without thorns ；and a larger，sweeter and smoother raspberry．he pleased manypeople by developing new flowers：the big shasta daisy，theburbank rose，a gladiolus plant with a double flower，and apoppy with a silver inner part to its flower． he also created the“plumcot”． a fruit that is half plum and half apricot；four newtypes of quince tree； ten new kinds of plums and prunes； and anew kind of nut． it is not surprising that burbank was called “plantwizard”．he seemed indeed to be a man who used magic tochange nature．
some of his experiments were not successful． for example，he never made a true combination of the potato and the tomato．he was never able to grow a cactus that could live in desertclimates and provide food for animals．
burbank made enemies．he often burned all the plants leftafter his experiments． his neighbors thought that his habit waswasteful， that he was crazy to destroy good fruit trees． then，in 1893， he published new creations in fruits and flowers； atthe end of this book he stated his belief that the surroundings ofa plant could change its characteristics． this claim angered those who believed that heredity alone brought change． in addition，his statement that he had “made” new plants angered those whothought he had been using powers belonging to god alone．he wasoften attacked， but farmers continued to buy his plants．
no.118 他们自杀了
他们自杀了
德国化学家艾密尔·费雪对重要的组织化合物糖和嘌呤进行了研究，并因此于1902年获得诺贝尔奖。由于对德国在第一次世界大战中战败（及失去了个儿子中的两个，和自己的身体不佳）而感到心灰意冷，艾密尔于战争结束不久即自杀了。他的一个年轻助手汉斯·费雪——两人没有亲戚关系——对重要的组织化合物卟啉进行了研究，并因此于1930年获得诺贝尔奖。由于对德国在第二次世界大战中战败（及自己的实验室为空袭所毁）而感到心灰意冷，所以汉斯在战争结束后不久也自杀了。
they killed themselves
the german chemist emil fischer worked on important tissue compounds， the sugars and purines ，and was awarded anobel prize in 1902 for that work．despondent over germany'sdefeat in world war i（and over the loss of two of his three sonsand his own ill health），he killed himself shortly after the war'sconclusion．a young assistant of his was hans fischer —norelation—who also worked on important tissue compounds， the porphyrins， and was awarded a nobel prize in 1930 for thatwork．despondent over germany's defeat in world war ⅱ（andover the destruction of his laboratory by air raids）， he killedhimself shortly after the war's conclusion．
no.119 两小时之内他证明了自己的理论
两小时之内他证明了自己的理论
生理学家奥托·勒韦正在研究神经反射的机制，特别是关于神经末端产生的各种化学物质。1921年的一个晚上，他半夜点钟醒来，脑子里产生了一个完美的实验方案。可是到了早上，他自己也辨认不清在黑暗中记下的字。第二天半夜3点钟他又醒了，思路又很清楚。这次他径直去实验室着手试验。两个小时之内他证明了自己的理论。由于这一发现的结果十分重要，勒韦于1936年和另一人共获诺贝尔生理学或医学奖金。
he proved his theory within
two hours
the physiologist otto loewi was working on me mechanism of nerve action， in particular on the chemicals produced bynerve endings． one night in 1921 he woke at three o’clock withthe perfect experiment in mind， but in the morning he couldn'tread what he had jotted down in the dark ．the next night heagain woke at three with the clear thought once more in mind．butthis time， he went straight to the laboratory and began work．within two hours， he had proved his theory． the consequences of his findings became important enough so that in 1936 loewi shared in the nobel prize for physiology or medicine．
no.120 多普勒公式
多普勒公式
为了计算出“多普勒效应”的一个数学关系，即音调和运动中的声源和观察者之间的相对关系，奥地利科学家克里斯蒂·约翰·多普勒让几位吹号人坐在一节平板火车上，让几个对音调特别敏感的音乐家坐在铁轨附近。一辆机车拉着那节平板车厢用不同的速度来来回回开了两天，在地面的音乐家们“记下了”火车接近和远离时号声不同的音符，得出了多普勒公式。
doppler's equation
to work out a mathematical relationship of the“dopplereffect”，relating the pitch to the relative motion of source andobserver，the austrian scientist christian johann doppler placedtrumpeters on a railroad flat car and musicians with a sense ofabsolute pitch near the tracks．a locomotive engine pulled theflat car back and forth at different speeds for two days．themusicians on the ground “recorded”the trumpet notes as the trainapproached and as it receded． in this way doppler's equation washeld up．
no.121 死后赢得这场斗争
死后赢得这场斗争
1847年，意大利化学家阿斯卡尼奥·索布雷罗首先制造出了Xiao化甘油。可是当他将第一滴Xiao化甘油加热时，发生了极猛烈的爆炸。索布雷罗惊恐地意识到这可能被利用到战争中去，于是停止了这方面的试验。问题是别的科学家没有止步。
1864年，阿尔弗雷德·诺贝尔的Xiao化甘油工厂爆炸，他的弟弟被炸死。瑞典政府禁止重建该工厂。发明了炸药的诺贝尔被看作是罪恶地制造毁灭的疯子科学家。他终生与这一坏名声作斗争，终于因留下遗嘱建立诺贝尔奖金而于死后赢得这场斗争。
winning out posthumously
in 1847，the italian chemist ascanio sobrero produced nitro- glycerine for the first time． but when he heated a drop of it， therewas a shattering explosion．realizing，in horror，its possisle ap- plication to warfare， sobrero stopped all research in that direc- tion．the trouble was that other scientists didn't．
when alfred nobel's nitroglycerine factory blew up in 1864， killing his brother， the swedish government refused toallow the factory to be rebuilt．nobel， who had invented dynamite，came to be looked upon as a mad scientist viciously manufac- turing destruction． he fought that reputation all his life，finallywinning out posthumously with the establishment of nobel prize inhis will．
no.122 诺贝尔——一个反差鲜明的人
诺贝尔——一个反差鲜明的人
瑞典发明家、实业家阿尔弗雷德·诺贝尔是个集多种时立现象于一身的人。他是破产者的儿子，日后却成了百万富翁；他是科学家，却爱好文学；他是个始终保持理想主义本色的实业家；他发了大材，生活却很简朴；他与人相处笑逐言开，独处时却常常落落寡欢。他热爱人类，却从没有妻子或儿女来爱他。他热爱祖国，却客死他乡。为了发展和平时期的采矿业和筑路业，他发明了一种新型炸药——甘油炸药，却目睹此发明被用作残杀、伤害同类的战争武器。在他颇有成就的一生中，他常常觉得自己毫无用处。“阿尔弗雷德·诺贝尔，”他曾经这样写到他自己，“本该在呱呱坠地之时就让一位好心的大夫给弄死。”他虽因为自己的发明而闻名世界，但世人对其个人生活却知之甚少，因为他毕生都避免抛头露面。“我真不明白自己为何得此虚名，”他曾经说过，“我对虚名不感兴趣。”可是在他死后，他的名字却给别人带来名望与荣誉。
nobel——a man of contrasts
alfred nobel，the swedish inventor and industrialist， was aman of many contrasts． he was the son of a bankrupt， but be- came a millionaire； a scientist with the love of literature， anindustrialist who managed to remain an idealist． he made a for- tune but lived a simple life，and although cheerful with companyhe was often sad in private．a lover of mankind， he never had awife or family to love him； a patriotic son of his native land ， hedied alone on foreign soil． he invented a new explosive， dyna- mite， to improve the peacetime industries of mining and roadbuilding， but saw it used as a weapon of war to kill and injurehis fellow men．during his useful life he often felt he was use- less：“alfred nobel，” he once wrote to himself，“ought to havebeen put to death by a kind doctor as soon as，with a cry，heentered life．” world-famous for his works he was never personallywell known，for throughout his life he avoided publicity．“i donot see，” he once said，“that i have deserved any fame and i haveno taste for it，”but since his death his name bad brought fameand glory to others．
no.123 他磨制了自己的望远镜
他磨制了自己的望远镜
出生于德国的英国天文学家威廉·赫歇尔（1738-1822）发现了天王星，成为他那个时代最伟大的天文学家。起初他是一名音乐教师，天文学只是他的业余爱好。因为买不起好的望远镜，他就自己磨制，制成了当时世界上最好的望远镜。他常常坐着一连磨上好几个小时，他妹妹卡罗琳就读书给他听，让他提提神，有时还喂他吃点东西。卡罗琳自己后来也从事了天文学工作，发现了8颗彗星，一直活到98岁。她完全致力于帮助哥哥威廉和他的儿子约翰（另一位伟大的天文学家），终身未嫁。
he made his own telescope
william herschel（1738-1822）， the german-englishastronomer who discovered the planet uranus and became themost famous astronomer of his time， was a music teacher to beginwith and entered astronomy as a hobby．because he couldn'tafford to buy a good telescope， he made his own—the bestinstrument in the world．he would sit grinding the lenses forhours and hours while his sister caroline read aloud to him todistract him and fed him a mouthful at a time．caroline went onto do astronomical work of her own，discovering eight comets，and lived to the age of ninety-eight．she devoted herself entirelyto william and his son， john（another great astronomer）， andnever married．
no.124 讲究精确的查乐斯·巴贝奇
讲究精确的查乐斯·巴贝奇
在读了丁尼生勋爵的著名诗句“每分钟有一个人死去／每分钟有一个人出生”后，讲究精确的查尔斯·巴贝奇（英国数学家和发明家，1792-1871）给诗人写信说：“如果这是真的，那么显然世界上的人口将没有变化。”巴贝奇建议改成这样：“每分钟有一个人死去／每分钟有17/16个人出生。”
accuracy-crazed1 charles babbage
after reading lord tennyson's poetic-licensed notedline，“every moment dies a man／every moment one is born，”the accuracy-crazed charles babbage（english mathematician andinventor，1792-1871） wrote to the poet：“it must be manifest that if this were true， the population of the world would be at astandstill．”babbage's recommended change：every momentdies a man／every moment 17/16 is born．”
no.125 苏格拉底和他的房子
苏格拉底和他的房子
从前，在希腊有一个非常聪明的人，名叫苏格拉底。全国各地的年轻人都来投奔他，向他学习聪明智慧。他讲了许多开心的事情。他讲述的方式非常生动，所以听的人都不感到厌烦。
一个夏天，他为自己建造了一所房子。房子非常小，他的邻居都很纳闷，这房子怎么会使他满意呢？
“您这么一个大人物，却把自己的房子盖成这么一个小盒子，有什么道理吗？”
“确实没有什么道理。”他说，“不过这个地方虽小，但是如果我能使它容下真正的朋友，我将会认为自己是快乐的。”
socrates and his house
there once lived in greece a very wise man whose name wassocrates． young men from all parts of the land went to him toleram wisdom from him； and he said so many pleasant things，and said them in so delightful a way， that no one ever grew tiredof listening to him．
one summer he built himself a house， but it was so smallthat his neighbors wondered how he could be content with it．
“what is the reason，” asked they，“that you， who are sogreat a man，should build such a little box as this for your dwellinghouse？”
“indeed， there may be little reason，” said he，“but，small asthe place is，i shall think myself happy if i can fill even it withtrue friends．”
no.126 一星期只工作一天？
一星期只工作一天？
亨利·戴维·索洛（1817-1862，美国博物学家及哲学家）1817年出生于康科德。康科德后来以哲学家的家乡出了名，但索洛是他们中间唯一的真正的当地人；其他几位哲学家都是从外地来的。
索洛于1837年二十岁的时候就成功地读完了哈佛学院。他并不喜欢继续学习系统的课程，却宁愿把大量的时间花在图书馆里，他在那里细心读书，成为他所受教育的基础。他在青年时期就表现出喜爱过无拘无束的简单朴素的生活。在他的学院论文中，有一部分是写他的反对“盲目喜爱财富”的文章，他主张一个人一星期中应该只工作一天，“把其余几天用来享乐和漫游”——不是为了追求金钱、财产和权势。他把工作看作是排遣时间的不高明的方法，并且认为与享受大自然的乐趣相比，那样使用精力是愚蠢的。他在《沃尔登》一书中说，他认为劳动、财产和职责并不会使人更善良或更高尚。他写道，所有人中最贫穷的人是那些“收集了毫无价值的东西，却不知道怎样使用它们或怎样抛弃它们，因而为自己制成了金锁链或银锁链”的人。
work only one day
during the week？
henry david thoreau（1817-1862， american naturalist andphilosopher） was born in concord in 1817． concord later becamefamous as a home for philosophers， but thoreau was the only realnative among them； the others came there from different places．
thoreau successfully completed his education at harvardcollege in 1837，at the early age of twenty．he did not like tofollow an organized course of study but preferred to spend manyhours in the library where the careful reading of books became thebasis of his education． even as a young man，he showed love fora free， simple life． in some of his college papers he wrote againstthe “blind love of wealth ”，and stated that a man should workonly one day during the week and “keep the rest of it for joy andwander”—not for getting money， property， or power． heconsidered work a poor way to spend one's time， and believed thatsuch effort was foolish when compared with enjoyment ofnature． in walden， he said that he did not believe that labor，property and responsibility made man better or more spiritual．the poorest men of all， he wrote，are those who have“gatheredworthless things but do not know how to use them， or to get ridof them， and thus have made their own gold or silver chains．”
no.127 仆人，还是家庭成员？
仆人，还是家庭成员？
拉尔夫·沃尔多·埃默森是先验论者的领袖，他搬到康科德后，与索洛（美国博物学家及哲学家）相识。埃默森认识到索洛的思想和自己的思想有相似之处，很佩服这个有独立见解的人——他通晓名家著作，而且对大自然很敏感。埃默森把索洛请进家里来。索洛替埃默森家做各种零活，包括照料小孩。埃默森不把索洛作为仆人对待，几乎把他看作家庭的一员。人们有时也把索洛包括在以埃默森为代表的思想家中。然而索洛通常仍是孑然独处的，不受其他人思想或行为的影响。他认为人们在过着毫无意义的生活。他最爱指出世人言行自相矛盾的地方。康科德人不知道怎样理解这个奇怪的人，但却都很尊重他。埃默森很欣赏他的见解，因而鼓励他按照自己的信念继续过自由自在、独主自主的生活。
servant or family member？
ralph waldo emerson，who had become the leader of thetranscendentalists， moved to concord where he met thoreau（american naturlist and philosopher）． emerson recognized a simi- larity between thoreau's thinking and his own．and admired thisindependent man—familiar to great books and responsive tonature．emerson invited thoreau into his home．thoreau didvarious jobs for the emerson family．including taking care of thechildren．he was treated not as a servant， but almost as a memberof the family．he was also included，from time to time，amongemerson's group of thinkers．but thoreau usually remained alone，unimpressed by the ideas or actions of the others． it was his be- lief that men lived senseless lives．he loved to point out howinconsistent humanity was． the people of concord did notknow what to think of this strange man，but they respected him．his opinions delighted emerson，who encouraged him to continuea life as free and independent as his beliefs．
no.128 他的住房造价只有八美元十二美分
他的住房造价只有八美元十二美分
1845年3月，索洛二十八岁时向一个朋友借了一把斧子，到康科德附近的乡间一个名叫沃尔登池塘的地方去了。他的目的是想试试看若是孑然一身，除了必需的物品外一无所有，他能否在大自然的环境中愉快地生活下去。
在沃尔登他用斧子砍伐树木，造了一座宽十英尺，长十五英尺的简陋的小屋。屋里有一间储藏室，上面是一个小房间，还有一个砖垒的壁炉，窗户开在两旁，屋门面对池塘里的水。他这座住宅的全部费用不过是八美元十二美分。
在小屋里面，索洛有一张书桌，一张餐桌，三把椅子和一面镜子，所有这些东西都是他亲手制成的。其余家具，包括饭锅和盘子在内，都是他的朋友们作为礼物送给他的。
索洛在沃尔登住了将近两年，只花了很少的钱。在这段时间里，他靠做零活和卖掉他在屋旁的地里种的蔬菜来赚几美元。他用一部分蔬菜来交换自己不能种的粮食。这样一来，他就能一年只劳动六个星期而生活下去，而把整个冬天以及夏天的大部分时间用来读书和在森林里进行考察。
他根据自己的经历撰写了《沃尔登》（或《林中生涯》）一书。该书于年问世时，买书的人极少，结果是勉强凑够印刷成本费，但是后来这本书的读者遍及全世界，被公认为美国文学中一本重要的书。
在沃尔登，索洛从来不锁门，因为常常有人来访问他。他接待了形形色色的人，其中包括逃亡的奴隶、伐木工人、以及许多知名人士。除一本希腊诗集外，他家里从来没有丢过任何东西。
his home cost 8．12
in march，1845 ， when thoreau was 28 years old， he bor-rowed an axe from a friend and went out into the country nearconcord to a lake called walden pond．his purpose was to seewhether or not he could be happy by living alone close to nature，without any possessions except what was absolutely necessary．
at walden he used the axe to cut down trees， and made asimple little cabin， ten feet wide and fifteen feet long， with acloset，a small room above，a brick fireplace，windows at thesides， and a door facing the waters of the pond． altogether， thecost of his home was only eight dollars and twelve cents．
inside，thoreau had a desk， a table， three chairs， and amirror，all of which he had made himself． the rest of his furni- ture， including cooking pots and dishes， came as gifts fromfriends．
thoreau lived at walden for almost two years， spending verylittle money．during this time he earned a few dollars by doingsmall jobs and by selling vegetables which he had grown on theland near his cabin． he traded some of the vegetables for foodthat he could not grow himself．he was thus able to live byworking only six weeks of the year， leaving all of the winter andmost of the summer free for reading and for exploring in thewoods．
he wrote walden， or life in the woods， about his experi- ences．when the book was published in ，so few peoplebought it that it barely paid for the cost of printing，but it has sincebeen read around the world and attained recognition as an important book in american literature．
thoreau never locked his door， and he often had visitors． heentertained people of all kinds—— escaped slaves， woodsmen，and many famous men as well． nothing was ever stolen from himexcept a book of greek poetry．
no.129 索洛拒绝纳税
索洛拒绝纳税
1845年，索洛（美国博物学家及哲学家）因为拒绝交纳一项税款而被捕入狱，被关闭了一个晚上。虽然税款的数目很小，可是索洛认为一个允许奴隶制存在或对其他國家进行战争的政府，他是不应该给予支持的。他觉得“在一个没有正当理由就关押人的政府统治下，监狱也是一个正直的人应该去的地方。”埃默森去看望他时问他：“亨利，你在里面干些什么？”索洛回答说：“拉尔夫，你在外边干些什么？”
索洛并没有因为一夜的牢狱之灾而意志消沉。他懂得思想意识是不能象人一样被禁锢起来的。
thoreau refused to pay a tax
in 1845 thoreau（american naturalist and philosopher）wasarrested and sent to prison for one night because he refused to paya tax ．although the amount of the tax was small，thoreauthought that he should not support a government that allowedslavery to exist or which made war．he felt that “under a gov-ernment which imprisons any person without justice ，the trueplace for a just man is also in prison．”when emerson went tosee him and asked，“henry，what are you doing in here？”thoreau answered，“ralph，what are you doing out there？”
thoreau was not discouraged by his night in prison．heknew that ideas could not be imprisoned like people．
no.130 找金子的人是傻瓜
找金子的人是傻瓜
索洛很少离开他的家乡康科德镇，因为他相信一个人可以通过研究一个六英里见方的地区而见多识广。他不希望到欧洲或加利福尼亚去，因为他不想与新英格兰失去联系。在他那个时代，成千上万的人奔赴加利福尼亚去寻觅黄金。索洛认为这样的人都是傻瓜。他的信念是美国人应该留在东部地区种地，而不要去寻觅黄金，寻觅黄金这件事对社会是没有真正的好处的。在他看来，到西部去仅仅意味着逃走而已。
尽管如此，他还是认为短途旅游可以有助于振作精神，有助于给他以新的思想力量，所以他三次到缅因州去旅行，访问亲友。他在这几次旅行中，也享受了见到森林和印地安人的乐趣；那些原始人遵循着更朴实更美好的生活方式，对他很有吸引力。他为自己想要写一本关于印地安人的书而收集了约有十一卷之多的笔记。在森林里，在波涛汹涌的水面和礁石上，驾小船也好，吹长笛也好，他都十分轻松愉快，象在自己家里一样舒适、自在。
people searching for goldwere fools
thoreau did not leave his hometown concord very often，forhe believed that one could be well-informed by studying an areasix miles square ．he did not have any desire to go to europe orcalifornia ，for he did not want to lose touch with new eng-land ．in his day，thousands of people were rushing to californiato search for gold．thoreau thought that such people were fools．itwas his belief that americans should stay and plow the land in theeast ，rather than look for gold，which was of no real benefit tosociety ．going to the west，to him，only meant running away．
nevertheless，he thought that a little travel might help to re-fresh his mind，to give him new power of thought，and so hemade three trips to maine to visit relatives．he also enjoyedseeing the forest and indians on these trips；primitive peoplewere attractive to him as followers of a simpler and better way oflife．he gathered about eleven volumes of notes for a book hehoped to write about indians．in the woods he was completelyhappy and at home ，whether he was guiding a boat over roughwater and rocks or playing the flute．
no.131 卡内基一星期挣一美元二十美分
卡内基一星期挣一美元二十美分
安德鲁·卡内基（1835-1919，美国工业家和慈善家）十二岁开始工作，在一家棉纺厂当线轴工。他从早上六点钟工作到晚上六点钟，把线缠到织机用的线轴上。他一天挣二十美分，也就是说，一星期挣一美元二十美分。
安德鲁决定要当个比线轴工稍微体面些的工人。他努力干活，几个月后，有人叫他干一种新活儿——给为织机提供蒸汽动力的炉子加煤，一星期挣一美元六十五美分。这个活儿又辛苦又危险，因为要是他不小心，这锅炉也许会爆炸，把他炸死，但卡内基家里需要额外的收入。
后来，安德鲁成为一名小邮递员，每星期挣二美元五十美分。在对一个十四岁的男孩来说已是很优厚的工资了。他比其他四个邮递员个子矮些，但他是他们中间跑得最快的一个。不久，他每星期就挣三美元了。安德鲁要是不在镇上四处送电报，他就学着认识莫尔斯电码。最后，他因为学得很好而当上了报务员，每月工资二十五美元。那时他才十六岁。
安德鲁·卡内基是美国历史上最富有的人之一，然而随着财富和年龄的增长，他几乎对钱感到厌恶。他说，他只要看到钱或者接触到钱就生气，因此身上从来不带钱。有一次他因为没有钱买车票，被从伦敦的一辆电车上轰了下来。
carnegie earned ＄1.20 a week
andrew carnegie （1835-1919，american industrialist andphilanthropist ）began to work，when he was only twelve yearsold，as a bobbin boy in a cotton mill ．he worked from six inthe morning until six at night，putting thread on the bobbins thatwere used in the weaving machines．he earned 20 cents a day，or＄1.20 a week．
andrew was determined to become something better than abobbin boy．he worked very hard，and in a few months he wasgiven a new job at＄1.65——putting coal into the furnace thatprovided the steam power for the looms ．the work was hardand dangerous because the boiler might explode and kill him if hewere not careful，but extra money was needed in the carnegiehome．
later，andrew became a messenger boy for＄2.50 a week．this was very good pay for a boy of fourteen．he was smaller thanthe other four messengers，but he was the fastest of all．soon hewas earning＄3.00 a week．when he was not running aroundtown with messages，andrew learned to understand the morsecode．finally，he studied well enough to become a telegraph op-erator ，earning＄25 a month．he was then sixteen years old．
andrew carnegie，one of the richest americans ever，prac-tically became allergic to money as he grew richer and older．he was offended ，he said，just by the sight and touch of it，andnever carried any．because he had no money with him with whichto pay the fare ，carnegie was once put off a london tram ．
no.132 他的公司估价五亿美元
他的公司估价五亿美元
1853年，安德鲁·卡内基遇到了宾夕法尼亚州铁路的一位年轻主管托马斯·斯科特。铁路局听从卡内基的建议，建起了自己的电报线路。斯科特请安德鲁管理新电报机，还请他在自己的办公室作一名助理。安德鲁接受了。工资是每月三十五美元，除此之外，它还给安德鲁提供了飞黄腾达的绝好机会。
1862年，他创办了基斯东桥梁公司，承建横跨俄亥俄河上第一座铁桥。1873年他创办了杰·埃德加·托马森钢铁厂。
这个新厂从开张起就很成功。在十六年中，美国炼的钢比英国的多，尽管英国炼钢比美国早得多。1888年，安德鲁·卡内基买进了跟自己的厂差不多一样大的一家钢厂和匹兹堡附近另外几家钢厂的大部分股权。他把所有这些公司联合成为卡内基有限公司。这个机构包括矿山、钢厂、船舶和铁路，把原料从全国各地运入匹兹堡并把成品钢材运走。卡内基有限公司拥有炼钢和销售钢材所需的一切手段。1901年，他的公司估价五亿美元，卖给由美国著名银行家约翰·皮埃庞特·摩尔根创办的美国钢铁有限公司。那时摩尔根先生就说，卡内基是“世界上最富有的人”。他是从每星期挣一美元二十美分发展到这步田地的。
his company was valued ＄500 million
in 1853，andrew carnegie met thomas scott，a young su-perintendent of the pennsylvania railroad．the railroad acted oncarnegie's suggestions and did build its own telegraph lines．scottasked andrew to operate the new telegraph and to be his assistant inthe office．andrew accepted．the pay was＄35.00 a month andbesides，it offered andrew a wonderful opportunity to rise in theworld．
in 1862，he organized the keystone bridge company to buildthe first iron bridge across the ohio river ．in 1873 he establishedthe j．edgar thomason steel mill ．
the new mill was a success from the start．in 16 years moresteel was made in the united states than in england，where it hadbeen made so much earlier．in 1888 andrew carnegie bought acontrolling interest in a company almost as large as his，and inseveral other steel mills near pittsburgh ．he joined all thesedifferent companies into the carnegie corporation ．this organi-zation included mines，steel mills，ships，and railroad lines tobring material into pittsburgh from all over the country and to takethe finished steel out again．the carnegie corporation ownedeverything needed to make and to distribute steel．in 1901 hiscompany，valued five hundred million dollars，was sold to theunited states steel corporation，formed by the famous americanbanker，john pierpont morgan．mr．morgan then said that carnegie was“the richest man in the world”．he had come from＄1.20 a week to this．
no.133 他怎样处理他的钱财呢？
他怎样处理他的钱财呢？
卡内基花了将近二十年的晚年岁月来分散自己的财富。他认为那些发了财的人应该把他们不需要的钱都归还给社会。他曾经说过，一个富人在他活着的时候不把他在积累财富上所显示的才能用来为公共利益，将他的钱财分散出去的话，他死也“死得不光彩”。
他开始把他的钱用来兴建免费的公共图书馆。1919年，据说他的钱已经兴建了差不多三千座图书馆，总共估价大约六千万美元以上。这些图书馆大多数都在美国，但其中一部分在加拿大、英国、新西兰，甚至远在斐济群岛。
一份四百万美元的馈赠被送给了卡内基的故乡苏格兰邓费尔姆林。那笔款子是用来为该镇人民修建公园和运动场的。匹兹堡是他发迹的地方，他为该市兴建了一座音乐厅、一个博物馆、一个美术馆和一座公共图书馆。
安德鲁·卡内基的热心公益的馈赠达到三亿三千万美元左右。他赠给荷兰海牙和平官一百五十万美元。1914年战争在欧洲爆发后，他把自己在苏格兰斯基波城堡的住宅赠给英国政府用作陆军医院。
what did he do with his money？
carnegie spent almost twenty years left to him giving hiswealth away．he believed that those who became rich should re-turn what they did not need to society．he had said that a rich man“dies disgraced ”if he does not use the ability he has shown ingathering money to give away his money for the public good during his lifetime．
he began to use his money to build free public libraries．in 1919 it was said that his money had built almost 3，000 libraries，valued altogether at over sixty million dollars．most of these werein the united states，but some of them were in canada ，greatbritain ，new zealand ，and even as far as the fiji islands ．
a gift of four million dollars was made to carnegie's home-town，dunfermline，scotland．it was used to build parks andplaygrounds for the people of the town．pittsburgh，where hemade his fortune ，was given a music hall ，a museum，an artgallery ，and a public library．
andrew carnegie's public gifts amounted to almost threehundred and thirty million dollars．he gave one million，fivehundred thousand dollars to the peace palace at the hague in thenetherlands． after the war began in europe in 1914，he gavehis home，skibo castle in scotland，to the british governmentfor use as an army hospital．
no.134 美国工业化之父
美国工业化之父
塞缪尔·斯莱特（1768-1835，美国纺织工业创始人）意识到在等级支配的英国，他的事业要受到挫折，于是他牢牢记住了理查德·阿克莱特现代化工厂里的纺织机器的细节。他化装成一个农场工人航行去了美国。1793年，斯莱特凭借记忆在罗德岛的波特基特建起了美国第一家使用新型先进机器的工厂，在新大陆开创了工业纪元。后来他在新英格兰建起了其他工厂。作为他的新祖国的工业化之父，斯莱特为美国赢得真正的独立创造了更大的机会。
father of american industrialization
when he realized that his career would be thwarted inclass-ridden britain，samuel slater（1768-1835，founder ofamerican textile industry）memorized details of the textile ma-chinery in richard arkwright's modern factory．he disguised himself as a farm laborer and sailed for america．working frommemory，slater created the industrial age in the new world，building in pawtucket，rhode island，in 1793，the first factory inthe u．s．based on the advanced new machinery．he later builtother factories in new england．as the father of the industrial-ization of his adopted country，slater gave the u．s．evengreater opportunity for true independence ．
no.135 福物结束战争的努力
福物结束战争的努力
尽管亨利·福特具有经营和制造的才能，但他和人们打交道时却也犯过一些错误。1914年第一次世界大战开始时，他为死了很多士兵而惊恐万分。他认为他能够说服交战各国结束这场战争。1915年他组织了一些人并率领他们乘坐所谓“和平之船”前往欧洲。他的打算是一大帮有影响的人物将会和他们一起恳请交战各国政府放弃战争。但这个打算失败了。真正的重要人士都不愿参加福特的这个小组，而和他一起去欧洲的那些人不久就互相争执起来。福特怒气冲冲地离船回美国去了，他深信这场战争必将拖得很久，而且美国很快就会参战的。他怀着这种看法，制定了改造他的汽车工厂的计划，以便时机到来时能够生产军用物资。
ford's effort to end the war
henry ford ，in spite of his ability in business and manu-facturing，sometimes made mistakes in dealing with people．when the first world war began in 1914，he was horrified by thedeath of so many soldiers．he thought that he might be able topersuade the fighting nations to end the war，and in 1915 heorganized and led a group of people who set out for europe onwhat was called the“peace ship”．the idea was that a large groupof influential people would go together and plead with thewarring governments to give up the war．the idea was a failure．no really important people were willing to join ford's group，andthose who did go along soon began to quarrel among themselves．ford left the ship in anger and returned to the united states，convinced that the war was going to last a long time and that theunited states would soon enter it．with this in mind，he madeplans for changing his automobile factories so that they couldproduce war materials when the time came．
no.136 ．“福特当总统”？
．“福特当总统”？
福特曾经错误地试图涉足自己并不熟悉的一些领域。例如，1918年他曾经介入政治活动，打算作美国参议员。共和党拒绝接受他作参议员候选人，于是他转向民主党，该党支持他竞选。虽然他落选了，但他很快又决定竞选总统。许多人曾经答应投他的票，但后来他改变了主意，决定不作候选人。那些最了解他的人认为“福特当总统”的想法是不明智的。他的好友爱迪生曾经说过：“选他作总统我是不会投票的，但若是选他作发明家和商人，我愿意投他两次票。”
．“ford for president”？
ford（american industrialist）made the mistake of trying toenter several fields with which he was not familiar．in 1918，forexample，he went into politics and tried to become a unied statessenator．the republican party refused to accept him as a can-didate ，but then he turned to the democratic party ，which sup-ported him as a candidate．he was defeated，but，nevertheless，hesoon decided to try for the presidency ．many people promised to vote for him，but then he changed his mind and decided notto become a candidate．those who knew him best thought that theidea of“ford for president”was not wise．his great friend edisonsaid：“i would never vote for him for president，but as an inventorand businessman，i would vote for him—twice．”
no.137 印度群岛？巴哈马群岛！
印度群岛？巴哈马群岛！
伊莎贝拉女王同意给哥伦布提供他要求的一切东西，而且航行的船也准备好了。从加纳利群岛吹来的风向西刮着。顺着这些风航行，哥伦布希望用大约三个星期的时间到达印度群岛。
但是象当时的所有水手一样，哥伦布的年轻船员们从未远离陆地航行。要是他们不能经常看到陆地，他们就不知道自己在哪儿。哥伦布把他们带进了他们称为“黑暗之海”——，充满真实和想象的、危险的不为人知的地方。实际上，仅几天之后，船员们就担心他们已经走得太远了，远得恐怕他们再也不能找到回家的路了。另外，他们是被向西刮的风推着走，他们怎么能顶着风再返回西班牙？
又过了十七天，没有见到陆地。船员们的牢骚变成了可怕的埋怨。他们说哥伦布正拿他们的生命冒险，只是为了获得皇室特权和财产，受到西班牙国王和女王的尊敬和嘉奖。另外，他也不和他们一样是西班牙人。他是从热那亚来的意大利人。
到了第三十天，哥伦布已经比他预计到达印度群岛的三个星期多航行了九天，食物也快要吃完了。他正焦急地寻找接近陆地的证据。
突然就在那一天，吓坏了的船员们威胁说要接管船只，然而，哥伦布鼓励他们继续前进，并答应如果再过三天仍然见不到陆地就往回走。他还甚至告诉他们可以把他的头砍下来扔进大海。
他在日记里记下了他作三天许诺的原因。
昨天晚上我看见一些鸟，还看见一些植物（作物）漂在水面上。
两天后，哥伦布认为他看到了灯光。船抛了锚等着天亮。他们已经航行了三十四天，比任何欧洲人远离陆地的航行都要远。
但他们在哪里呢？哥伦布肯定他们已经发现了日本或中国南边的印度群岛的一个岛屿。但是他们已经到达了，古巴和佛罗里达之间群的巴哈马岛。
天亮以后，他们看见一个村庄，长着黑皮肤的人正从海滩上看着他们。哥伦布称他们为“印第安人”即在印度群岛居住的人。
indies？bahamas！
queen isabella agreed to give columbus what he had askedfor，and ships were prepared for the voyage．from the canaryislands winds blew to the west．by sailing with these winds，columbus hoped to arrive in the indies in about three weeks．
but like all sailors then，columbus's young crew had neversailed very far from land．unless they saw land frequently，theycouldn't tell where they were．columbus was taking them intowhat they called the“sea of darkness”，an unknown area full ofreal and imagined dangers．in fact，after just a few days the sailorswere afraid they had already gone too far，so far that they wouldnever be able to find their way home． besides，since they werebeing pushed by winds blowing west，how could they ever getback to spain going against those winds？
still seventeen days and no land．the crew's grumbling became fearful complaints．they said that columbus was riskingtheir lives just to gain royalty and wealth，just to be honored andrewarded by the king and queen of spain．besides，he wasn'teven a spaniard like they were．he was an italian from genoa．
on the thirtieth day，columbus had been sailing nine dayslonger than the three weeks he thought it would take to reach theindies，and food was running out．he was anxiously looking forevidence that land was near．
suddenly on that day，his frightened crew threatened to takeover the ship．however，columbus encouraged them to go on，promising that if they didn't find land in three more days，theycould turn back．he even told them that they could cut off his head and threw it into the sea．
he wrote in his journal why he had made his three-daypromise．
last night i saw some birds and also some vegetation（plants）floating in the water．
two days later，columbus thought he saw a light．the shipsanchored and waited for daylight．they had sailed for thirty-four days，farther than any other european had sailed out of sightof land．
but where they were？columbus was certain they had foundone of the islands of the indies，just south of japan or china．butthey had arrived in the bahamas ，islands between cuba andflorida．
as dawn broke，they saw a village，with dark-skinned peoplewatching them from the beach．columbus called them“indians”，people of the indies islands．
no.138 哥伦布文化交流
哥伦布文化交流
尽管哥伦布在1492年打开了通往新大陆的航道，但他在1493的成就则更多地改变了世界。他开始了现在所称的“哥伦布文化交流”。这一活动把思想和事物从西半球带回到了东半球，也把东半球的东西带到了西半球。由于有了哥伦布，西半球和东半球将其文化融合起来了。
1493年秋天，哥伦布带领十七条船和一千二百人前往新大陆，为费尔南德和伊莎贝拉建立西班牙殖民地。
为了向他的殖民者们提供食物，他从欧洲带去植物和动物——马、牛、猪、和羊。这些引进的东西代替了本地的植物和动物，完全改变了加勒比海的许多岛屿，甚至极大地改变了北美和南美大陆。
令人伤心的是，欧洲人也带去了新大陆所不知的疾病。在随后的几年里，百分之五十到九十的美洲的土著人死于欧洲的天花、白喉、斑疹伤寒和疟疾，即使象麻疹和百日咳这样的小儿疾病也成了主要的杀手。另一方面，哥伦布的人也把梅毒带了回来，仅在随后的五年时间里即害死了成千上万的欧洲人。
the columbian exchange
although columbus in 1492 opened the sea route to the newworld ，what he did in 1493 changed the world even more．hestarted what is called the“columbian exchange”．this broughtideas and things from the new world back to the old world andalso took things from the old world out to the new world．be-cause of columbus，the western and eastern hemispheres blended their cultures．
in the fall of 1493 columbus took seventeen ships carryingtwelve hundred men to the new world to establish spanish set-tlements for ferdinand and isabella．
he had brought plants and animals from europe——horses，cows，pigs，and sheep to provide food for his settlers．theseimports replaced native plants and animals，completely changingmany of the caribbean islands ，and eventually much of the northand south american continents．
sadly，the europeans also brought diseases unknown to thenew world．over the next years from fifty to ninety percent ofmost native-american communities in the americas died fromeurope's smallpox ，diphtheria ，typhus ，and malaria ．evenchildhood diseases like measles and whooping cough becamemass killers．on the other hand，columbus's men took back withthem syphilis ，which killed hundreds of thousands of europeansin just the next five years．
no.139 哥伦布的计划被否决
哥伦布的计划被否决
当克里斯托弗·哥伦布完成第一次去新大陆的任务回到西班牙时带回个印地安人。第二次回来时带回了00个印地安人。他打算在塞尔维亚把他们卖作奴隶。哥伦布的计划被伊莎贝拉女王否决，她命令把那些印地安人送回海地去。
columbus’scheme was vetoed
when christopher columbus returned to spain from his his-toric first mission to the new world，he brought back with him six indians．on his second return，he brought back 500，with thesuggestion that they be sold as slaves in seville．columbs'sscheme was vetoed by queen isabella，who ordered that the indi-ans be returned to haiti．
no.140 葡萄牙人麦哲伦投效了西班牙
葡萄牙人麦哲伦投效了西班牙
费迪南德·麦哲伦是葡萄牙人，但他在史无前例的环球探险中挂的却是葡萄牙探险的主要竞争对手西班牙的国旗。麦哲伦曾经在拒绝资助哥伦布向西去印度的航行的葡萄牙国王约翰二世的宫廷当过差。麦哲伦还参加过葡萄牙组织的去东印度的探险，在摩洛哥打过仗，并因受伤而终身致残跛了一条腿。他被指控同摩洛哥人做交易——等于背叛——与1517年从军队被解雇，而且不发给养老金。麦哲伦对此非常不满，所以投效了西班牙。
portuguese magellan joined the
spanish service
ferdlnand magellan was portuguese but sailed on his un-precedented round-the-world expedition under the flag of spain，portugual's chief competitor in exploration ．he had served aspage at the court of john ⅱ，the portuguese king who turneddown columbus'request for financing a voyage west to india．magellan also had been on portuguese expeditions to the east in-dies and had fought in morocco ，where he was wounded inaction and permanently lamed．he was accused of tradingwith the moroccans—tantamount to treason—denied a pen-sion，and dismissed in 1517 from the armed forces ．bitter at thistreatment ，magellan joined the spanish service．
no.141 独自环球旅行
独自环球旅行
佛郎西斯·奇切斯特在独自驾船作环球旅行之前，已经有好几次让他的朋友们感到吃惊了。他曾经试图作环球飞行，但没有成功。那是1931年。
好多年过去了。他放弃了飞行，开始航海。他非常喜欢航海。奇切斯特在首届横渡大西洋单人航海比赛中夺得冠军时，已经58岁了。他周游世界的夙愿重新被唤起，不过这一次他是要驾船环游。由于他患有肺癌，朋友们和医生们都认为他不可能完成，但奇切斯特决意实施自己的计划。1966年8月，他在快满65岁的时候——许多人在这个年龄已经退休——他开始了一生中最了不起的一次航海。
奇切斯特一直航行了14，100英里，到了澳大利亚的悉尼港才停船靠岸。这段航程比以往单人驾舟航海的最远航程还多一倍多。奇切斯特上岸后，得由人搀扶才能行走。大家都说，他已经航行得够远了，不要再继续向前航行了。但他却置若罔闻。
在悉尼休息了几周之后，他不顾朋友们的多方劝阻，再次扬帆出航。这后半段航程更为艰险，在此期间，他绕过了险情四伏的合恩角。奇切斯特成功地绕过合恩角以后，向伦敦发去如下无线电文：“我觉得好象刚从恶梦中醒来。就是野马也休想再把我拖回到合恩角和那凶险莫测的南大洋去了。”
1967年5月28日，星期天，晚上将近9点，他回到了英国。有25万人等在那儿欢迎他。伊丽莎白二世女王手持宝剑敕封他为爵士，将近400年前，伊丽莎白一世女王也曾手持同一把宝剑，把爵位赐予完成首次环球航行的佛郎西斯·德雷克爵士。从英国出发，再返回英国，整个航程长达28，500英里。奇切斯特一共花了9个月的时间，其中实际航行时间为226天。他终于完成了他想完成的伟业。
sailing round the worldsingle-handed
before he sailed round the world single-handed．francischichester had already surprised his friends several times．hehad tried to fly round the world but failed．that was in 1931．
the years passed．he gave up flying and began sailing．heenjoyed it greatly．chichester was already 58 years old when hewon the first solo transatlantic sailing race．his old dream ofgoing round the world came back，but this time he would sail．hisfriends and doctors did not think he could do it，as he had lungcancer．but chichester was determined to carry out his plan．inaugust，1966，at the age of nearly 65，an age at which many menretire，he began his greatest voyage of his life．
chichester covered 14，100 miles before stopping in sydney，australia．this was more than twice the distance anyone hadpreviously sailed alone．on shore，he could not walk withouthelp．everybody said the same thing：he had done enough；hemust not go any further．but he did not listen．
after resting in sydney for a few weeks，chichester set offonce more in spite of his friends’attempt to dissuade him．thesecond half of his voyage was by far the more dangerous part，during which he sailed round the treacherous cape horn ．aftersucceeding in sailing round cape horn，chichester sent the fol-lowing radio message to london：“i feel as if i had waken upfrom a nightmare ．even a wild horse could not drag me down tocape horn and that sinister southerm ocean again．”
just before 9 o’clock on sunday evening 28 may，1967，he arrived back in england，where a quarter of a million people werewaiting to welcome him．queen elizabeth ⅱ knighted him withthe very sword that queen elizabeth ⅰhad used almost 400 yearsearlier to knight sir francis drake after he had sailed round theworld for the first time．the whole voyage from england and backhad covered 28，500 miles．it had taken him nine months，ofwhich the sailing time was 226 days．he had done what he wantedto accomplish ．
