英語名人堂：阿爾伯特·愛因斯坦

阿爾伯特·愛因斯坦(1879.3.14-1955.4.18)猶太裔物理學(xué)家。他于1879年出生于德國烏爾姆市的一個猶太人家庭(父母均為猶太人)，1900年畢業(yè)于蘇黎世聯(lián)邦理工學(xué)院，入瑞士國籍。1905年，獲蘇黎世大學(xué)哲學(xué)博士學(xué)位，愛因斯坦提出光子假設(shè)，成功解釋了光電效應(yīng)，因此獲得1921年諾貝爾物理獎，同年，創(chuàng)立狹義相對論。1915年創(chuàng)立廣義相對論。

愛因斯坦為核能開發(fā)奠定了理論基礎(chǔ)，在現(xiàn)代科學(xué)技術(shù)和他的深刻影響下與廣泛應(yīng)用等方面開創(chuàng)了現(xiàn)代科學(xué)新紀(jì)元，被公認(rèn)為是繼伽利略、牛頓以來最偉大的物理學(xué)家。1999年12月26日，愛因斯坦被美國《時代周刊》評選為“世紀(jì)偉人”。

Albert Einstein was a German-born physicist, although most people probably know him as the most intelligent person who ever lived. His name has become part of many languages when we want to say someone is a genius, as in the phrase, “She’s a real Einstein”. He must have been pretty brainy to discover the Theory of Relativity and the equation E=mc2.

In 1999, ‘Time’ magazine named Einstein as the Person of the Century. No one could have guessed this would happen when he was at school. He was extremely interested in science but hated the system of learning by heart. He said it destroyed learning and creativity. He had already done many experiments, but failed the entrance exams to a technical college.

He didn’t let this setback stop him. When he was 16, he performed his famous experiment of imagining traveling alongside a beam of light. He eventually graduated from university, in 1900, with a degree in physics. Twelve years later he was a university professor and in 1921, he won the Nobel Prize for Physics. He went on to publish over 300 scientific papers.

Einstein is the only scientist to become a cult5 figure, a household name, and part of everyday culture. He once joked that when people stopped him in the street, he always replied: "Pardon me, sorry! Always I am mistaken for Professor Einstein.” Today, he is seen as the typical mad, absent-minded professor, who just happened to change our world.

1 physicist

n.物理學(xué)家，研究物理學(xué)的人

參考例句：

He is a physicist of the first rank.他是一流的物理學(xué)家。

The successful physicist never puts on airs.這位卓有成就的物理學(xué)家從不擺架子。

2 equation

n.方程式，等式，等同

參考例句：

The solution can be expressed by a mathematical equation.答案可用一個數(shù)學(xué)方程式來表示。

This equation is known as the ideal gas law.這個等式被叫做理想氣體定律。

3 setback

n.退步，挫折，挫敗

參考例句：

Since that time there has never been any setback in his career.從那時起他在事業(yè)上一直沒有遇到周折。

She views every minor setback as a disaster.她把每個較小的挫折都看成重大災(zāi)難。

4 alongside

adv.在旁邊;prep.和...在一起，在...旁邊

參考例句：

There was a butcher's shop alongside the theatre.劇院旁邊有一家肉店。

Alongside of him stood his uncle.他的身旁站著他叔叔。

5 cult

n.異教，邪教;時尚，狂熱的崇拜

參考例句：

Her books aren't bestsellers,but they have a certain cult following.她的書算不上暢銷書，但有一定的崇拜者。

The cult of sun worship is probably the most primitive one.太陽崇拜儀式或許是最為原始的一種。