(单词翻译:单击)
英文原文
"Of course, if you prefer a more sophisticated method, a method that will really show some knowledge of physics, you can tie the barometer to the end of a rope, swing it as a pendulum and determine the value of'g' at the street level and at the top of the building. From the difference between the two values of'g' the height of the building can, in principle, be worked out."
Finally, he concluded that while there are many ways of solving the problem, "Probably the best and the most practical in a real-life situation is to take the barometer to the basement and knock on the superintendent's door. When the superintendent answers, you speak to him as follows: Mr. Superintendent, I have here a fine barometer. If you will tell me the height of this building, I will gladly give you this barometer!"
At this point, I asked the student if he really didn't know the expected answer to this question. He smiled and admitted that he did, but said he was fed up with standard answers to standard questions. He couldn't understand why there should be so much emphasis on fixed rules rather than creative thinking. So he could not resist the temptation to play a little joke with the educational system, which had been thrown into such a panic by the successful launching of the Russian Sputnik. At that moment I suddenly remembered the question: How many angels can dance on the head of a pin? We teachers are always blaming the students for giving wrong.
参考译文
“当然，如果你想用一种更复杂的、真正用物理学知识的方法，可以把表系到绳子的一端，让他像个钟摆一样，然后确定街面上和楼顶的摆值。通过两个摆值的差别，原则上可以算出楼高。”
最后，他推断道：“还有很多其它办法来解题。也许，现实生活中最好最实用的办法是把表拿到地下室并敲主管人的房间。等他开门后，你对他说：‘我这儿有一个精致的气压表。如果你告诉我这栋高楼的高度，我就把它送给你！”
这时，我问那个学生是否真不知道这个问题的常规答案。他笑了笑，承认他知道，但是他说他已厌倦了标准问题和标准答案，他不知道为什么总是强调那些固定的规则而不是创造性的思考。因此忍不住对那些对苏联人造卫星惊慌失措的美国课堂开个小玩笑。那一刻，我突然想起了一个问题：一根大头针上可以放几个跳舞的天使？我们老师们总是责备学生回答错误。或许我们应该反问自己，我们是否一直在寻求正确的答案？
