艾萨克·牛顿爵士不为人知的一面：英语精读讲义

A list of the most influential people of all time wouldn't be complete without Sir Isaac Newton. 短語搭配

史上最具影响力人物榜单上，绝对少不了艾萨克·牛顿爵士。

Newton's laws are tied to almost everything we see in everyday life.

牛顿定律与我们日常生活中看到的几乎所有事物都息息相关。

They help us understand how cars work,

它们帮助我们了解汽车如何运作，

how baseballs move,

棒球如何运动，

how anything moves.

以及任何事物如何移动。

Yet there was a secret side to the 17th century scientist,

然而，这位17世纪的科学家还有着不为人知的一面，

which will become clear by the end of this story. 表達脈絡

听完这个故事，你就会恍然大悟。

By his mid-20s, 語法

20多岁时，

Newton had already invented calculus.

牛顿就已经发明了微积分。

Not bad for the son of an illiterate farmer. 語氣意圖

对于一个文盲农民的儿子来说，这相当了不起。

He would never meet his father, 語法

他从未见过自己的父亲，

who died three months before his birth on Christmas Day 1642

他的父亲在1642年圣诞节他出生前三个月就去世了，

in the small English village of Woolsthorpe Manor in the county of Lincolnshire.

地点在林肯郡沃尔斯索普庄园的一个英国小村庄。

He was a premature baby and so small,

他是个早产儿，个头非常小，

he was later told he could fit inside a quart mug.

后来有人告诉他，他当时能被塞进一个一夸脱的马克杯里。

He barely survived.

他勉强活了下来。

When Newton was three,

牛顿三岁时，

his mom remarried and moved to a nearby village to live with a wealthy clergyman.

母亲改嫁，搬到了附近的一个村庄，与一位富有的牧师同住。

Newton was left behind in the care of his grandparents. 講解

牛顿被留下来由祖父母抚养。

That abandonment scarred him. 習語

这种被抛弃的感觉给他留下了心理阴影。

Years later,

多年后，

he wrote a list of his sins,

他写下了一份自己的罪过清单，

recalling an outburst from childhood,

回忆起童年时的一次情绪爆发，

"Threatening my father and mother Smith to burn them and the house over them."

“威胁我的继父史密斯和母亲，要连同房子把他们一起烧死。”

He was a curious child,

他是个好奇心很重的孩子，

more interested in mechanics than making friends. 語法

对机械的兴趣远大于交朋友。

He carved this sundial as a nine-year-old.

他九岁时雕刻了这个日晷。

When he was 12,

12岁时，

he enrolled at a local grammar school. 文化背景

他进入了当地的文法学校就读。

His signature can still be seen by a windowsill of the King's School today.

至今在国王学校的窗台上，还能看到他的签名。

After the death of his stepdad,

继父去世后，

his mother tried to remove him from school so he could be a farmer,

母亲试图让他退学回家当农民，

a prospect that he dreaded. 表達脈絡

这是他非常害怕的前景。

Luckily,

幸运的是，

the schoolmaster convinced his mother to send him back to class, 短語搭配

校长说服了他的母亲让他重返课堂，

where he gained the knowledge necessary to enter the University of Cambridge in 1661,

在那里他学到了必要的知识，并于1661年进入剑桥大学，

paying his way by working as a valet. 習語

靠做仆役来支付学费。

Although he studied the works of the ancient Greek philosophers, 語法

尽管他学习了古希腊哲学家的著作，

he questioned their theories,

他却对他们的理论提出了质疑，

writing in his notebook in Latin,

并在笔记本上用拉丁文写道，

"Plato is my friend, 表達脈絡

“柏拉图是我的朋友，

Aristotle is my friend,

亚里士多德是我的朋友，

but my best friend is truth."

但我最好的朋友是真理。”

He vowed to find the truth through rigorous scientific experimentation.

他发誓要通过严谨的科学实验来寻找真理。

His time as an undergrad was unremarkable,

他的本科时光平淡无奇，

but the extraordinary circumstances that happened next would set the stage for his greatest achievements. 習語

但接下来发生的非凡事件将为他最伟大的成就奠定基础。

Shortly after receiving his bachelor's degree in 1665, 語法

1665年他获得学士学位后不久，

the bubonic plague ravaged Europe and would take the lives of an estimated one out of every four people in London. 短語搭配

黑死病席卷欧洲，夺去了伦敦估计四分之一人口的生命。

The pandemic forced Newton to work from his childhood home for the next two years

这场瘟疫迫使牛顿在接下来的两年里只能在童年的家中工作，

and would lead to his most amazing breakthroughs.

这也促成了他最惊人的突破。

He used a prism to discover that white light and sunlight is made up of the colors of the rainbow. 短語動詞

他用棱镜发现白光和阳光是由彩虹的颜色组成的。

The widely held belief at the time was Aristotle's theory that color was a mix of black and white.

当时普遍流行的观点是亚里士多德的理论，即颜色是黑白的混合。

To prove his theory,

为了证明自己的理论，

Newton built a reflecting telescope that used mirrors rather than lenses,

牛顿制造了一架反射望远镜，它使用镜子而不是透镜，

leading to a more accurate image.

从而产生了更清晰的图像。

That's a whole lot safer than the time he stuck a sewing needle into his eye socket to figure out if altering his eye shape would change his perception of color. 講解

这可比他有一次把缝衣针插进眼眶，想看看改变眼球形状是否会改变他对颜色的感知要安全得多了。

Outside the family home was also an apple tree,

在他家老宅外还有一棵苹果树，

the famous apple tree.

那棵著名的苹果树。

Legend has it that Newton was sitting beneath the tree when an apple bonked him on the head, 表達脈絡

传说牛顿当时正坐在树下，一个苹果砸中了他的头，

prompting him to think about gravity,

促使他开始思考引力，

the force that brings things down.

也就是把物体向下拉的力量。

There's no evidence to suggest the fruit actually fell on his head, 短語搭配

没有证据表明苹果真的砸在了他的头上，

but he did ask the question that helped unlock our understanding of the universe. 語法

但他确实提出了那个帮助我们解开宇宙之谜的问题。

Could the same force reach all the way to the moon?

同样的力量能一路延伸到月球吗？

He reasoned that the same gravitational pull kept the moon orbiting around Earth rather than wandering off, 講解

他推断，同样的引力使月球绕着地球运行而不是游荡开来，

and he believed this could also explain the movement of our planets in the solar system.

他相信这也同样能解释太阳系中行星的运动。

The mathematics at the time wasn't sophisticated enough to determine the motion of these objects, 語法

当时的数学还不够先进，无法计算出这些物体的运动，

so Newton invented his own form of math,

于是牛顿发明了他自己的数学形式，

calculus.

微积分。

There was a dispute over who actually invented calculus

关于谁真正发明了微积分存在争议，

when German mathematician Gottfried Leibniz published his paper on calculus in 1684.

1684年，德国数学家戈特弗里德·莱布尼茨发表了他的微积分论文。

Newton claimed he'd done the same work 20 years earlier.

牛顿声称他在20年前就做了同样的工作。

The thing is, 表達脈絡

事情是这样的，

Newton was so secretive that he hadn't actually made his efforts public because he couldn't stand the scrutiny of his work. 用詞

牛顿性格非常孤僻，他其实并没有公开他的研究成果，因为他受不了别人对他作品的审查。

When Leibniz appealed to the Royal Society in London,

当莱布尼茨向伦敦皇家学会申诉时，

Newton wielded his influence as the scientific academy's president to get it to side with him. 講解

牛顿利用他作为该科学院院长的影响力，让学会站在了他这一边。

Most historians agree that the two discovered calculus independently.

大多数历史学家同意，这两人是各自独立发现微积分的。

In 1667,

1667年，

after the end of the plague,

瘟疫结束后，

he returned to the university to continue his research as a fellow. 用詞

他回到大学作为研究员继续他的研究。

He was a workaholic.

他是个工作狂。

Sometimes he'd forget to eat.

有时他甚至会忘记吃饭。

Just two years later,

仅仅两年后，

while still in his mid-20s,

仍在20多岁的时候，

he obtained one of the most prestigious academic posts in the world,

他获得了世界上最负盛名的学术职位之一，

the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics,

卢卡斯数学教授席位，

later held by none other than Stephen Hawking. 習語

后来担任这一职位的正是大名鼎鼎的斯蒂芬·霍金。

Yet he was indifferent to his students.

然而，他对自己的学生漠不关心。

One time when no one showed up for class,

有一次没人来上课，

he's said to have lectured to an empty room. 語法

据说他就对着空教室讲课。

His true passion lay in research. 短語搭配

他的真正热情在于研究。

In 1687,

1687年，

he published his masterpiece,

他出版了他的杰作，

The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy,

《自然哲学的数学原理》，

often referred to simply as Principia, 短語搭配

通常简称为《原理》，

one of the most important works ever written.

这是有史以来最重要的一部著作。

This was his own first edition copy.

这是他自己的第一版副本。

It was here that he laid out his law of universal gravitation, 短語動詞

正是在这里，他提出了他的万有引力定律，

as well as his three laws of motion.

以及他的运动三定律。

The first describes how an object acts when no force is acting upon it.

第一定律描述了物体在没有受力情况下的状态。

For example,

例如，

a rocket stays still until a force is applied to it.

火箭在受力之前保持静止。

The second law tells us that the more mass an object has, 語法

第二定律告诉我们，物体的质量越大，

the more force it'll take to move it.

移动它所需的力就越大。

A larger rocket requires more fuel to make it accelerate. 語法

更大的火箭需要更多的燃料才能加速。

The final law states that for every action, 文化背景

最后一条定律指出，每一个作用力，

there is a reaction.

都有一个反作用力。

The engine produces hot exhaust gases,

发动机产生高温废气，

which flow through the rear of the rocket.

废气从火箭尾部喷出。

In reaction,

作为反作用，

a thrusting force is produced,

产生了一种推力，

pushing the rocket skywards.

将火箭推向天空。

Newton may be considered one of the greatest scientists the world has ever known, 表達脈絡

牛顿可能被认为是世界上有史以来最伟大的科学家之一，

yet he actually contributed more words to theology.

但实际上他在神学上留下的文字更多。

Newton believed the Bible provided the code to the natural world,

牛顿相信《圣经》提供了自然世界的密码，

and by carefully studying the holy texts,

通过仔细研究这些神圣的文本，

he could predict the future.

他就能预测未来。

He believed the apocalypse would happen in the year 2060,

他认为世界末日将发生在2060年，

with the caveat, 用詞

并附带说明，

"It may end later,

“它可能会晚点结束，

but I see no reason for its ending sooner." 短語搭配

但我看不出有任何理由会提前结束。”

He foresaw a period marked by war and catastrophe, 語法

他预见到一个以战争和灾难为标志的时期，

followed by the second coming of Christ and the beginning of a new divine era.

随后是基督的第二次降临和一个新的神圣时代的开始。

His religious side was largely hidden from the public all the way until 1936,

他的宗教面貌一直对公众严格保密，直到1936年，

when Sotheby's auctioned off his theological manuscripts. 短語動詞

当苏富比拍卖行拍卖了他的神学手稿。

They ended up in the hands of a Jewish scholar before being given to the state of Israel. 習語

它们最终落入了一位犹太学者之手，然后被捐赠给了以色列国。

7,500 pages in Newton's own handwriting.

7500页全是牛顿的亲笔手稿。

He did hold unorthodox views of Christianity by rejecting the Trinity, 文化背景

他确实持有非正统的基督教观点，他拒绝三位一体，

the belief in the Father,

即对圣父、

Son,

圣子、

and the Holy Spirit,

和圣灵的信仰，

and also fought against the attempt by King James II to Catholicize the universities, 文化背景

他还反对詹姆斯二世国王将大学天主教化的企图，

which got him elected as a member of Parliament, 語法

这让他当选为议会议员，

where he served two brief terms.

他在那里担任了两个短暂的任期。

Apparently,

显然，

the only thing he said on the record was to request that a window be closed. 用詞

记录在案的他唯一说过的话，是要求把一扇窗户关上。

Newton also had another unknown side to him.

牛顿还有另一个不为人知的一面。

He spent 25 years secretly studying alchemy, 文化背景

他花了25年时间秘密研究炼金术，

the search for a method to turn common metals into gold.

寻找一种将普通金属变成黄金的方法。

This is a manuscript where Newton wrote down a recipe

这是一份手稿，上面写有牛顿记录的配方，

thought to be a step toward concocting the mythical philosopher's stone, 講解

被认为是迈向炼制神话中魔法石的一步，

now popularized in the Harry Potter series.

这个概念现在在《哈利·波特》系列中变得家喻户晓。

Alchemists believed it could even help humans achieve immortality.

炼金术士相信它甚至可以帮助人类实现长生不老。

Unfortunately,

不幸的是，

Newton may have gotten mercury poisoning from all the time spent in the laboratory. 語法

牛顿可能因为长时间待在实验室里而汞中毒。

Examinations of his hair after his death found high levels of the toxic compound,

他死后对他头发的检查发现了高水平的这种有毒化合物，

which scholars believe could explain his mental breakdown in 1693,

学者们认为这可以解释他在1693年的精神崩溃，

when he lost grip on reality. 習語

当时他失去了对现实的掌控。

He wrote letters accusing the few friends he had of conspiring against him. 語法

他写信指责他为数不多的几个朋友密谋反对他。

He suffered from insomnia and oppression.

他遭受着失眠和压抑的折磨。

The personal crisis lasted a year and a half.

这场个人危机持续了一年半。

Not too long after,

没过多久，

he ended his 30-year career at Cambridge.

他结束了在剑桥30年的职业生涯。

In 1696,

1696年，

he moved to London to help run the Royal Mint.

他搬到伦敦，协助管理皇家造币厂。

Britain's finances were in ruins because of the rampant practice of clipping off pieces of coins. 講解

由于当时猖獗的剪取硬币边缘金属的行径，英国的财政状况一片狼藉。

Counterfeiting was also an issue.

伪造硬币也是个大问题。

Newton used a scientific precision to improve the accuracy of coin making as warden and then master of the Mint. 文化背景

牛顿运用科学的精确性，作为造币厂的监管乃至后来的厂长，提高了硬币制造的精准度。

He also took it upon himself to prosecute culprits, 習語

他还亲自出马起诉罪犯，

some of whom ended up hanging from the gallows. 語法

其中一些人最终被送上了绞刑架。

His later years would be spent further cementing his reputation,

他的晚年时光都花在了进一步巩固自己的声誉上，

and sometimes that meant trying to erase his rivals from the history books. 習語

有时这意味着试图从历史书中抹去他的竞争对手。

Another ugly dispute involved a brilliant scientist named Robert Hooke,

另一场丑陋的争端涉及一位名叫罗伯特·胡克的杰出科学家，

who contended he was the one who gave Newton the notion that led to his theory of gravity and wanted credit.

胡克声称是他给了牛顿启发，促成了他的引力理论，并希望得到认可。

In response, Newton is accused of using his powers as president of the Royal Society 語法

作为回应，牛顿被指控利用其作为皇家学会主席的权力，

to get rid of the only known portrait of Hooke. 短語動詞

销毁了已知唯一的一幅胡克的画像。

None exists to this day.

直到今天都不存在他的画像。

Newton succeeded in getting the legacy he wanted.

牛顿成功地留下了他想要的遗产。

In 1705,

1705年，

Queen Anne of England knighted him during a royal visit to the University of Cambridge, 文化背景

英国安妮女王在对剑桥大学进行皇家访问期间授予他骑士头衔，

making him Sir Isaac Newton,

使他成为了艾萨克·牛顿爵士，

a complicated man who remained reclusive yet desperately wanted to be remembered, 表達脈絡

一个极其复杂的人，他保持孤僻，却又极其渴望被世人铭记，

who threw himself into his work at the cost of all hobbies and never married, 講解

他全身心投入工作，牺牲了所有的爱好，并且终生未婚，

who was a man of science and also a man of faith. 表達脈絡

他是一个科学界的人，同时也是一个有信仰的人。

Newton died in his sleep on March 20,

牛顿在3月20日于睡梦中离世，

1727 and was buried at Westminster Abbey.

那是1727年，他被安葬在威斯敏斯特教堂。

The Latin inscription on his grave reads,

他墓碑上的拉丁文碑文写着，

"Here lies that which was mortal of Isaac Newton." 用詞

“艾萨克·牛顿的凡躯长眠于此。”

His immortal legacy continues to mold our modern world. 表達脈絡

他的不朽遗产继续塑造着我们的现代世界。

The English poet Alexander Pope was so moved by Newton's accomplishments, 語法

英国诗人亚历山大·蒲柏被牛顿的成就深深打动，

he wrote the famous epitaph,

写下了著名的墓志铭，

"Nature and Nature's laws lay hid in night.

“自然与自然定律隐藏在黑夜之中。

God said,

上帝说，

"Let Newton be," 文化背景

‘让牛顿降生吧！’

and all was light."

于是世界迎来了一片光明。”

For NewsThink,

这里是NewsThink，

I'm Cindy Pom.

我是Cindy Pom。