研究生英语精读教程课文原文+翻译+短文unit4.docx

研究生英语精读教程课文原文+翻译+短文unit4.docx

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研究生英语精读教程课文原文+翻译+短文unit4

Einstein'sPainfulRomance

WalterSullivan

ThestoryofananguishedloveaffairbetweenAlbertEinsteinandthewomanwhowouldlaterbecomehisfirstwifehasemergedinnewlydisclosedcorrespondencebetweenthem.

新近披露的艾伯特·爱因斯坦与意中人<此人后来成为他的元配>之间的来往信件,向人们展示了这对情侣饱含辛酸的爱情经历.

Manyofthelettersdescribethelovebetweentheyoungscientistandhisfuturewife,MilevaMaric;thepainassociatedwithhismother'svehementdisapprovaloftherelationship;andtheirexcitementovertheimpendingbirthofachild.

有许多信件都叙述了这位年轻科学家和他未婚妻米莱娃·玛丽克之间的爱情,叙述了因为爱因斯坦的母亲拼命反对这门亲事而引起他俩的痛苦心情,还叙述了他俩为孩子的即将出世油然而生的兴奋心情.

Thefateofthechild,agirl,however,remainsamystery.Shewasbornbeforethecouplemarriedin1903andthereapparentlyisnorecordofwhatbecameofher.

然而,这个女孩后来的命运如何依然是个谜.她是在这对夫妇于1903年结婚前生下的,而且对她后来的情况显然没有记载.

IntertwinedwiththedisclosuresofadifficultromancearefragmentsofEinstein'sthoughtashestruggledtowardconfidenceinhisconceptofrelativity.

与所披露的艰难的罗曼史交织在一起的是爱因斯坦满怀信心地为自己的相对论概念而努力奋斗的思想片断.

EinsteinandMaric,aSerbborninaregionofHungarythatisnowpartofYugoslavia,becamefriendsin1896whilestudyingtogetherattheFederalTechnicalInstituteinZurich.InsubsequentyearstheywrotefrequentlyasEinstein'seffortstofindworkandMaric'svisitshomecausedmanyseparations.

爱因斯坦与玛丽克<她出生在当时匈牙利的塞尔维亚地区,现为南斯拉夫的一部分.>是在1896年交上朋友的.当时他俩正一起在苏黎世的联邦理工学院学习,在后来的许多岁月中,因爱因斯坦为找工作奔波,玛丽克为回家探亲而造成多次分离,所以他们通信频繁.

Inhisletters,Einsteinconfidedinherhiseffortstoparticipateintherevolutiontakingplaceinmanyfieldsofphysics,includingthenatureoflight,relativemovementandmolecularphenomenon.

爱因斯坦在信中向玛丽克吐露,自己在投身于许多物理学领域<其中包括光的特性、相对运动和分子现象>内发生的革命.

AccordingtoDr.JohnStachel,aprofessorofphysicsatBostonUniversitywhoiseditoroftheEinsteinpapers,Maricappearstohavebeenmoreof"asoundingboard"thanacontributortoEinstein'sideas.

据波士顿大学物理学教授、爱因斯坦论文集的编辑约翰·施塔赫尔博士说,看起来,与其说玛丽克是爱因斯坦思想的贡献者,不如说是爱因斯坦思想的"共鸣者〞.

InalettertoMaricin1899,whenhewas20yearsold,Einsteinanticipatedhisfirsttheoryofrelativity,publishedsixyearslater.Itcameinaperiodwhenmanyphysicistsstillbelievedthatspacewasfilledwithaninvisiblemediumthroughwhichlightwavescouldbepropagated.Theycalledthemediuma"luminiferousether〞.

1899年爱因斯坦20岁.在给玛丽克的一封信中,他提前谈论了自己6年后发表的早期相对论思想.当时许多物理学家仍然认为空间充满着一种能使光波传播的不可见的介质.他们将这种介质称之为"传光的以太〞.

Einstein'slettersalsorevealhisfamily'sdisdainforMaric.InJuly1900hehadbeenwarnedbyhissisterthathisparentswerebitterlyopposedtohimmarryingMaric.Whenhetoldhismotherofhisintention,"Mamathrewherselfonthebed,buriedherheadinthepillows,andcriedlikeachild,"hewrotetoMaric.

爱因斯坦的信还透露了他家里的人对玛丽克的鄙视态度.1900年7月,他事先得到姐姐的警告说,父母竭力反对他与玛丽克结婚.当他把自己的打算告诉母亲后,"妈妈一下子扑倒在床上,把头埋在枕头下,哭得像孩子似的〞,他在给玛丽克的信中写道.

"Aftershehadrecoveredfromtheinitialshock,sheimmediatelyswitchedtoadesperateoffensive,"Einsteincontinued.Hequotedhismotherassaying,"Youareruiningyourfutureandblockingyourpaththroughlife."

爱因斯坦继续写道,"当她从开头的打击中恢复过来后,便立即转换方式,发起猛烈攻势.〞他还援引母亲的话说,"你是在毁掉自己的前途,你是在阻塞自己的人生道路.〞

AlthoughEinstein'sfamilylookeddownonMaric'sbackground,anotherproblemwasthecouple'smeagerincome.AsEinsteinwrotetoafriend,"Neitherofustwohasgottenajobandwesupportourselvesbyprivatelessons-whenwecanpickupsome,whichisstillveryquestionable."

虽然爱因斯坦的家人瞧不起玛丽克的出身,另外一个原因也是因为这对未婚夫妇的微薄收入.就像爱因斯坦在给一个朋友的信中所写的那样,"我们俩都还未找到工作.我们只靠给私人上课为生<如果我们能找到一些这样机会的话>,但这还是很成问题的.〞

InterspersedamongEinstein'srepeatedexpressionsoflovewerediscussionsofscientificquestionswithwhichbothwereconcerned.

在爱因斯坦的那些情意缱绻的信中也掺带着对他们双方都关心的科学问题的讨论.

WhilevisitingtheSwisstownofAarau"agoodideaoccurredtome,"hewrote,"aboutawayofinvestigatinghowabody'srelativemotionwithrespecttotheluminiferousetheraffectsthevelocityofpropagationoflightintransparentbodies.Alsoatheoryonthismatteroccurredtome,whichseemstobehighlyprobable."

在游览瑞士的阿劳城时,"我心中产生了一个好主意,〞他写道,"即关于研究一个物体与传光以太的相对运动如何影响光在透明物体中的传播速度的方法.在这个问题上我头脑里还产生了一种似乎十分有可能成立的理论.〞

Healsowaspondering"thedefinitionofabsoluterest",aparadoxthatledhimtohisinitialtheoryonrelativity.Thetheoryruledoutthepossibilityofabsoluterest,sinceallobjectsareconsideredtobeinmotionrelativetootherobjects.Healsowascontemplatingtheelectrodynamicsofmovingbodieswhich,hesaid,"promisestobeacapitalpaper."

他还在思考着"绝对静止的定义〞,一种导致他产生最初相对论的悖论.这种理论排除了绝对静止的可能性.因为一切物体对于其他有关物体来说都被看作是处在运动之中的.他还对移动物体的电动力学冥思苦想,他说,"这有希望成为一篇优秀论文.〞

"IwrotetoyouthatIdoubtedthecorrectnessoftheideasaboutrelativemotion,"hewrote."Butmydoubtswerebasedsolelyonasimplemathematicalerror.NowIbelieveinitmorethanever."

"我曾写信给你,谈到过我对相对运动想法的正确性有怀疑,〞他写道."但我的怀疑只是基于简单的数学上的错误.现在我比以前更深信无疑了.〞

Mr.Stachel,writingintheMayissueofPhysicsToday,saysthispassage"suggeststhatEinsteinhadalreadyadoptedsomeversionoftherelativityprinciple",althoughnotinitsfinalform.

斯塔赫尔先生在5月号的《今日物理》上撰文说,这篇文章"意味着爱因斯坦已经采用了某种形式的相对论原理〞,尽管还不是最终形式.

AlthoughMarichasbeendepictedbyhistoriansasadullwoman,thelettersshowherinterestinthenatureofinfinity.

虽然玛丽克被历史学家描写成一位缺乏想象力的女子,这些信却表明,她对无限性很感兴趣.

"Idonotbelievethestructureofthehumanbrainistobeblamedforthefactthatmancannotgraspinfinity,"shewrotetohimin1897,whenhewas18yearsold.

"我认为,人们不能了解无限性,不应归咎于人脑的结构,〞1897年她给当时18岁的爱因斯坦的信中写道.

Shecontinued:

"Hecertainlycoulddothatifinhisyoungdays,whenhewaslearningtoperceive,thelittlefellowhadnotbeensocruellyconfinedtotheearth,oreventoanest,betweenfourwalls,butinsteadwasallowedtowalkoutalittleintotheuniverse."

她接下去写道：

"倘若一个人在年轻时期,在学习掌握新概念时,不被无情地局限于地球,或者甚至局限于四面围墙的斗室之中,而是被允许走出去涉足一下宇宙的话,他当然是能够做到这一点的.〞

Sciencehistorians,suchasGeraldHoltonofHarvardUniversity,regardEinstein'sabilityto"walkoutintotheuniverse"andthinkinpureabstractionsasessentialtohisrevolutionarydiscoveries.Particularlyremarkable,Mr.Holtonsaidinaninterview,istheextenttowhichtheirinterestinphysicsdominatesthecorrespondencedespitetheirpersonaldifficulties.

科学史家们,诸如哈佛大学的热拉尔·霍尔顿认为,爱因斯坦"涉足宇宙〞的能力和用纯抽象方式思维的能力对他的各项具有革命性的发现是必不可少的.特别引人注目的是,霍尔顿先生在一次会见中说,尽管他们各自都有困难,但他们在通信中对物理学的兴趣竟然占着最重要的位置.

"Mostimportantforhistoriansofscience",headded,istheevidencethatsoearlyinhislifeEinstein"wasalreadydeeplythinkingaboutthenatureoflight,relativityandmolecularmotion."This"allfellintoplaceinaspectacularsetofpapers"publishedin1905andthereafter,hesaid.

他又说：

"对科学史学工作者来说,最重要的是〞,在爱因斯坦的一生中这样早的时候就有迹象表明,他"就已经在深刻地思考着光的特性、相对论和分子运动的问题了〞.他说,"这一思想〞都体现在一系列引人注目的论文之中〞,并从1905年起陆续发表.

Despitelongperiodsofseparation,MaricandEinsteinoccasionallymanagedtomeetandhiketheSwissmountains.Aboutthetimeofoneoftheirexcursions,inMay1901,shelearnedofherpregnancy.

尽管玛丽克与爱因斯坦多次长期分离,但他俩有时也设法团聚,去瑞士的崇山峻岭观光,作徒步旅行.1901年5月在一次短途旅行时,玛丽克得知自己怀孕了.

ThefirstletterinwhichEinsteinmentionedthissubject,however,beganwithdiscussionofapaperontheproductionofcathoderaysbyultravioletlight.Itthencontinued：

"Justbeofgoodcheer,love,anddon'tfret.Afterall,IamnotleavingyouandI'llbringeverythingtoahappyconclusion."

然而,爱因斯坦提到此事的第一封信是以谈论一篇关于用紫外线产生阴级射线的论文开头的.该信接着才写道：

"你要高兴喜欢才是,可别忧愁烦恼.毕竟我不会离开你,而且我一定会把一切圆满了结.〞

Asinseveralsubsequentlettershereferredtothechildasthoughthebabywasalreadyborn,saying,"Howistheyoungchap?

"

当他在后来的几封信中再谈到这个孩子的情况时,仿佛孩子已经生下了.他问道,"小家伙好吗?

〞

Maricwashopingforagirlandtheycalledtheunbornchild"Lieserl",adiminutiveofLiese."Iamdizzywithjoy",Einsteinwroteher,afterreceivingwordofajobinBern."TheonlythingthatmustbesolvedishowtohaveourLieserlwithus.Idonotwantforustohavetopartwithher."

玛丽克希望生个女孩,所以他们在孩子未出生时便叫她"莉塞尔〞<莉丝的昵称>.当爱因斯坦得知在伯尔尼找到工作的消息后,他写信给玛丽克说,"我高兴死了.唯一得解决的事情就是怎样使莉塞尔和我们在一起.我不想使我们不得不离开她.〞

Despitehismother'sopposition,EinsteinandMaricweremarriedinJanuary1903inBern.Accordingtoaletter,toappearinthenextvolumeofhispapers,theEinsteinslaterlearnedthattheirdaughterhadrecoveredfromscarletfever.Butapparentlyshewasstillinhermother'snativeregion.Thementionofscarletfeveristhelastreferencetothegirlinthecorrespondence.

尽管遭到母亲的反对,爱因斯坦还是于1903年元月在伯尔尼与玛丽克结为伉俪.根据爱因斯坦文集下一卷上发表的一封信,爱因斯坦夫妇后来得知,女儿的猩红热已经痊愈.看来这孩子还是住在她母亲的故乡了.在通信中有关这女孩的最后情况只是提到了猩红热.

SupplementaryReading

AsfarastheprofessionalstaffoftheETHwasconcerned,AlbertEinsteinwasoneoftheawkwardscholarswhomightormightnotgraduate,butwhoineithercasewasagreatdealoftrouble.Andinaccordancewiththeiropinions,whenEinsteindidgraduateafterfouryears,ETHdidnotofferhimapositionaswasthecustomofthetime.Forthedifficultfellow,noopeningontheacademicladdercouldbefound.Yetitcannothavebeenentirelyunexpectedanditwascertainlynotunnatural.Intheautumnof1900AlbertEinsteinwasagraduatewhodeniedratherthandefiedauthority;ayoungmanwhowaswrittenoffasvirtuallyunemployablebymanyself-respectingcitizens.ItwastobetwoyearslaterbeforeEinsteinwasabletoobtainhisfirstregularalbeitnonacademicposition.EvensoEinstein'spositionwiththeSwissPatentOfficewasobtainedthroughtheinterventionoffriendsonhisbehalf.

TheworkofthePatentOfficeattheturnofthecenturywasstrikinglydifferentfromwhatitlaterbecame.Thedifferenceisillustratedbyonefact:

until1908patentsweregrantedonlyforinventionswhichcouldberepresentedbyamodel.Themodelmayhavebeenasimportantasthespecificationwhichdescribed,inwordswhichideallyshouldallowofnodispu