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大学英语精读第二册 Unit Five:The Professor and the Yo-Yo

时间:2005-04-20 16:00来源:互联网 提供网友:鱼尾巴   字体: [ ]
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    (单词翻译:双击或拖选)

TEXT

Seen through the eyes of a young friend Einstein was a simple, modest and ordinary man.

The professor and the Yo-yo

My father was a close friend of Albert Einstein. As a shy young visitor to Einstein's home, I was made to feel at ease when Einstein said, "I have something to show you." He went to his desk and returned with a Yo-Yo. He tried to show me how it worked but he couldn't make it roll back up the string. When my turn came, I displayed my few tricks and pointed1 out to him that the incorrectly looped string had thrown the toy off balance. Einstein nodded, properly impressed by my skill and knowledge. Later, I bought a new Yo-Yo and mailed it to the Professor as a Christmas present, and received a poem of thanks.
As boy and then as an adult, I never lost my wonder at the personality that was Einstein. He was the only person I knew who had come to terms with himself and the world around him. He knew what he wanted and he wanted only this: to understand within his limits as a human being the nature of the universe and the logic2 and simplicity3 in its functioning. He knew there were answers beyond his intellectual reach. But this did not frustrate4 him. He was content to go as far as he could.
In the 23 years of our friendship, I never saw him show jealousy5, vanity, bitterness, anger, resentment6, or personal ambition. He seemed immune to these emotions. He was beyond any pretension7. Although he corresponded with many of the world's most important people, his stationery8 carried only a watermark - W - for Woolworth's.
To do his work he needed only a pencil only a pencil and a pad of paper. Material things meant nothing to him. I never knew him to carry money because he never had any use for it. He believed in simplicity, so much so that he used only a safety razor and water to shave. When I suggested that he try shaving cream, he said, "The razor and water do the job."
"But Professor, why don't you try the cream just once?" I argued. "It makes shaving smoother and less painful."
He shrugged9. Finally, I presented him with a tube of shaving cream. The next morning when he came down to breakfast, he was beaming with the pleasure of a new, great discovery. "You know, that cream really works," he announced. "It doesn't pull the beard. It feels wonderful." Thereafter, he used the shaving cream every morning until the tube was empty. Then he reverted10 to using plain water.
Einstein was purely11 and exclusively a theorist. He didn't have the slightest interest in the practical application of his ideas and theories. His E=mc2 is probably the most famous equation in history - yet Einstein wouldn't walk down the street to see a reactor12 create atomic energy. He won the Nobel Prize for his Photoelectric13 Theory, a series of equations that he considered relatively14 minor15 in importance, but he didn't have any curiosity in observing how his theory made TV possible.
My brother once gave the Professor a toy, a bird that balanced on the edge of a bowl of water and repeatedly dunked its head in the water. Einstein watched it in delight, trying to deduce the operating principle. But be couldn't.
The next morning he announced, "I had thought about that bird for a long time before I went to bed and it must work this way…" He began a ling explanation. Then he stopped, realizing a flaw in his reasoning. "No, I guess that's not it," he said. He pursued various theories for several days until I suggested we take the toy apart to see how it did work. His quick expression of disapproval16 told me he did not agree with this practical approach. He never did work out the solution.
Another puzzle that Einstein could never understand was his own fame. He had developed theories that were profound and capable of exciting relatively few scientists. Yet his name was a household word across the civilized17 world. "I've had good ideas, and so have other men," he once said. "But it's been my good fortune that my ideas have been accepted." He was bewildered by his fame: people wanted to meet him; strangers stared at him on the street; scientists, statesmen, students, and housewives wrote him letters. He never could understand why he received this attention, why he was singled out as something special.

NEW WORDS

modest
a. having or expressing a not too high opinion of one's merits, abilities, etc. 谦虚的
yo-yo
n. 游游(一种用线扯动使用权忽上忽来的轮形玩具)
ease
n. freedom from work, discomfort18, trouble, difficulty, worry, etc. 悠闲;舒适;自在;安心
display
n. show 展示
loop
vt. 把(绳等)打成环
n. 圈;环
strong
n. 细绳;线;弦
balance
n. condition of being steady 平衡
v. keep in a state of balance
properly
ad. really; completely 非常;完全地
impress
vt. have a strong effect on the mind or feelings of 给...深刻的印象
mail
vt. send by post
poem
n. piece of writing in verse 诗
personality
n. character 个性
logic
n. the science or method of reasoning 逻辑(学);推理(法)
simplicity
n. the state of being simple; an absence of pretense19 简单;简朴;单纯
function
vi. work
intellectual
a. 智力的
frustrate
n. cause to have feeling of annoyed disappointment; defeat 使沮丧;挫败
frustration
n.
jealousy
n. envy 妒忌
jealous
a.
vanity
n. state of being too proud of oneself or one's looks, abilities, etc. 虚荣心
bitterness
n. the quality or state of being bitter 苦;痛苦
resentment
n. feeling that one has when insulted, ignored, injured, etc. 怨恨
ambition
n. strong desire for success, power, riches, etc. 野心,抱负
ambitious
a.
immune
a. 有免疫力的;不受影响的
immunity20
n.
emotion
n. strong feeling
pretension
n. 矫饰,做作,不受影响
correspond
vi. exchange letter regularly 通信
stationery
n. paper for writing letters, usu. with matching envelopes; writing materials 信笺;文具
watermark
n. mark made on paper by the maker21, seen when it is held against light 水印
pad
n. a number of sheets of writing paper fixed22 along one edge 便笺簿
razor
n. sharp instrument for taking hair off the body 剃刀
shave
vt. cut off (hair or beard) with a razor
cream
n. any thick, soft liquid 膏状物
argue
vt. give reasons for or against (sth.) 争辨
painful
a. causing pain
shrug
vi. lift (the shoulders) slightly (to show in difference, doubt, etc.) 耸肩
finally
ad. at last; lastly 最终;最后
present
vt. give; offer 赠送;提供
tube
n. 管;软管
beam
vi. look or smile happily and cheerfully 面露喜色;高兴地微笑
beard
n. hair of the lower part of the face (excluding the moustache) 胡须
thereafter
ad. after that; afterwards
revert
vi return (to a former state, condition, etc.) 回复,回返
exclusively
ad. only; completely
exclusive
a. person who forms theories 理论家
theorist
n. 方程式
equation
n. small in degree, not considerable or serious 微小的,轻微的
application
n. using 应用
theory
n. (explanation of the) general principles of an art or science 理论
theoretical
a.
reactor
n. 反应堆
atomic
a. of or concerning an atom or atoms 原子的
atom
n.
photoelectric
a. 光电的
series
n. group of things of the same kind that come one after another 系列;套,组
relatively
ad. comparatively 相对地;比较地
relative
a.
relativity
n.
curiosity
n. the desire to know or learn 好奇心
observe
v. see and again
repeatedly
ad. again and again
dunk
vt. put under water for a limited time 把...浸一浸
deduce
vt. reach a conclusion by reasoning 演绎,推断
deduction
n.
principle
n. 原理;原则
flaw
n. fault 缺点,瑕疵
reasoning
n. process of reaching conclusions by using one's reason 推理
pursue
vt. work at, be busy with, go on with 从事;忙于;继续
apart
ad. separate(ly) 分离,分开
approach
n. method of doing sth. 方式,方法
solution
n. sth. that one cannot understand or explain 谜
fame
n. (condition of) being famous
profound
a. needing much thought or study to understand; deep 深奥的;深刻的
capable
a. able
capability
n.
household
n. all the people living in a house
a. familiar and common
household word
n. word or name known and spoken of by almost everyone 家喻户晓的词或名字
civilized
a. 文明的
civilize
vt.
civilization
n.
fortune
n. luck
bewilder
vt. confuse; puzzle 把...弄糊涂;使迷惑
statesman
n. political or government leader, esp. one who is wise and fair-minded 政治家
housewife
n. married woman who manages a household

PHRASES & EXPRESSIONS

at ease
free from worry or nervousness; comfortable
off balance
not in balance; unsteady 失去平衡的
come to terms with
accept (sth. one does not want to accept) and deal with it in the best way one can 与...达成协议;与...妥协
as far as
to the degree that 到...程度
mean nothing to
be of no importance to
believe in
have confidence in the value of
so much so that
to such an extent that
a series of
a number of (thing or events) of the same kind that follow each other 一系列,一连串
take apart
separate (a small machine, clock, etc.) into pieces 拆开
work out
solve, find the answer to 解决;算出;想出
capable of
having the ability, power or inclination23 (to do)
single out
choose from a group for special treatment 选出,挑出

PROPER NAMES

Thomas Lee Bucky
托马斯.李.巴基
Joseph Blank
约瑟夫.布兰克
Albert Einstein
阿伯特.爱因斯坦
Woolworth
伍尔沃叫(姓氏)
Nobel Prize
诺贝尔奖金


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 pointed Il8zB4     
adj.尖的,直截了当的
参考例句:
  • He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
  • She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。
2 logic j0HxI     
n.逻辑(学);逻辑性
参考例句:
  • What sort of logic is that?这是什么逻辑?
  • I don't follow the logic of your argument.我不明白你的论点逻辑性何在。
3 simplicity Vryyv     
n.简单,简易;朴素;直率,单纯
参考例句:
  • She dressed with elegant simplicity.她穿着朴素高雅。
  • The beauty of this plan is its simplicity.简明扼要是这个计划的一大特点。
4 frustrate yh9xj     
v.使失望;使沮丧;使厌烦
参考例句:
  • But this didn't frustrate Einstein.He was content to go as far as he could.但这并没有使爱因斯坦灰心,他对能够更深入地研究而感到满意。
  • They made their preparations to frustrate the conspiracy.他们作好准备挫败这个阴谋。
5 jealousy WaRz6     
n.妒忌,嫉妒,猜忌
参考例句:
  • Some women have a disposition to jealousy.有些女人生性爱妒忌。
  • I can't support your jealousy any longer.我再也无法忍受你的嫉妒了。
6 resentment 4sgyv     
n.怨愤,忿恨
参考例句:
  • All her feelings of resentment just came pouring out.她一股脑儿倾吐出所有的怨恨。
  • She cherished a deep resentment under the rose towards her employer.她暗中对她的雇主怀恨在心。
7 pretension GShz4     
n.要求;自命,自称;自负
参考例句:
  • I make no pretension to skill as an artist,but I enjoy painting.我并不自命有画家的技巧,但我喜欢绘画。
  • His action is a satire on his boastful pretension.他的行动是对他自我卖弄的一个讽刺。
8 stationery ku6wb     
n.文具;(配套的)信笺信封
参考例句:
  • She works in the stationery department of a big store.她在一家大商店的文具部工作。
  • There was something very comfortable in having plenty of stationery.文具一多,心里自会觉得踏实。
9 shrugged 497904474a48f991a3d1961b0476ebce     
vt.耸肩(shrug的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀,什么也没说。
  • She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩,装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
10 reverted 5ac73b57fcce627aea1bfd3f5d01d36c     
恢复( revert的过去式和过去分词 ); 重提; 回到…上; 归还
参考例句:
  • After the settlers left, the area reverted to desert. 早期移民离开之后,这个地区又变成了一片沙漠。
  • After his death the house reverted to its original owner. 他死后房子归还给了原先的主人。
11 purely 8Sqxf     
adv.纯粹地,完全地
参考例句:
  • I helped him purely and simply out of friendship.我帮他纯粹是出于友情。
  • This disproves the theory that children are purely imitative.这证明认为儿童只会单纯地模仿的理论是站不住脚的。
12 reactor jTnxL     
n.反应器;反应堆
参考例句:
  • The atomic reactor generates enormous amounts of thermal energy.原子反应堆发出大量的热能。
  • Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules.在反应堆里,大分子裂变为小分子。
13 photoelectric WNkxd     
adj.光电的,光电效应的
参考例句:
  • Photoelectric spectrophotometers give better result.用光电分光光度计能得到较佳结果。
  • Einstein also explained a baffling feature of the photoelectric effect.爱因斯坦也解释了光电效应里一个令人困扰的现象。
14 relatively bkqzS3     
adv.比较...地,相对地
参考例句:
  • The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
  • The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。
15 minor e7fzR     
adj.较小(少)的,较次要的;n.辅修学科;vi.辅修
参考例句:
  • The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
  • I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。
16 disapproval VuTx4     
n.反对,不赞成
参考例句:
  • The teacher made an outward show of disapproval.老师表面上表示不同意。
  • They shouted their disapproval.他们喊叫表示反对。
17 civilized UwRzDg     
a.有教养的,文雅的
参考例句:
  • Racism is abhorrent to a civilized society. 文明社会憎恶种族主义。
  • rising crime in our so-called civilized societies 在我们所谓文明社会中日益增多的犯罪行为
18 discomfort cuvxN     
n.不舒服,不安,难过,困难,不方便
参考例句:
  • One has to bear a little discomfort while travelling.旅行中总要忍受一点不便。
  • She turned red with discomfort when the teacher spoke.老师讲话时她不好意思地红着脸。
19 pretense yQYxi     
n.矫饰,做作,借口
参考例句:
  • You can't keep up the pretense any longer.你无法继续伪装下去了。
  • Pretense invariably impresses only the pretender.弄虚作假欺骗不了真正的行家。
20 immunity dygyQ     
n.优惠;免除;豁免,豁免权
参考例句:
  • The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
  • He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。
21 maker DALxN     
n.制造者,制造商
参考例句:
  • He is a trouble maker,You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼,你不要跟他在一起。
  • A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。
22 fixed JsKzzj     
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的
参考例句:
  • Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗?
  • Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定,我们就不应该随意改变。
23 inclination Gkwyj     
n.倾斜;点头;弯腰;斜坡;倾度;倾向;爱好
参考例句:
  • She greeted us with a slight inclination of the head.她微微点头向我们致意。
  • I did not feel the slightest inclination to hurry.我没有丝毫着急的意思。
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