T15.mp33:35
來自圖說英語
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS
Christopher Columbus discovered America on the 12th of October, 1492. He had spent eighteen years in planning for that wonderful voyage which he made across the Atlantic Ocean. He had talked and argued with sailors and scholars and princes and kings. "By sailing west across the great ocean," he would say, "I am sure I can reach lands that have never been visited by Europeans." But he had been laughed at as a foolish dreamer, and few people had any faith in him. Finally the Spanish king and queen, who were interested in finding a sea route to India, offered him ships and men so that he could carry out his plan. He crossed the ocean and discovered strange lands, inhabited by a people unknown to Europeans. He believed these lands to be part of India.
Early in 1493 Columbus returned to Spain. There was great rejoicing in the country, and he was hailed as the hero who had made an epoch-making discovery. Crowds of people lined the streets to do him honour, and the king and queen welcomed him to their palace. Never had such great respect been shown to any common man.
But there were people who were jealous of the discoverer. "Who is this Columbus?" they asked. "What has he done? Is he not an ordinary seaman from Italy? And could not any other person sail across the ocean as he has done?"
One day Columbus was at a dinner given in his honour. At the party were several of these conceited fellows, who very soon tried to make him uncomfortable.
"You have discovered strange lands beyond the sea," they began. "But what of that? We do not see why there should be so much fuss about it. Anybody can sail across the ocean, and anybody can coast along the islands on the other side, just as you have done. It is the simplest thing in the world."
Columbus made no answer; but after a while he took an egg from a dish and said to the guests, "Who among you, gentlemen, can make this egg stand on end?"
One guest after another tried the experiment. When the egg had gone the rounds and none had succeeded, all said that it could not be done.
Then Columbus took the egg and struck its small end gently upon the table so as to break the shell a little. After that there was no trouble in making it stand upright.
"Gentlemen," said he, "what could be easier than this? And yet you said it was impossible! It is the simplest thing in the world. Anybody can do it — after he has been shown how."
克利斯託弗·哥倫布
1492年10月12日，哥倫布發現了美洲大陸。為了這次橫渡大西洋的驚人航行，他準備了18年。他同水手和學者們，同國王和王子們不知交談和辯論了多少次。他總是說：“我敢肯定，往西航行跨過大洋，就能到達歐洲人從未到過的陸地。”可是人們都嘲笑他是個糊里糊塗的夢想家，幾乎沒人相信他的話。最後，還是西班牙國王和王后，因為想尋找一條通往印度的海路，才給了他船隻和水手，使他得以實施他的計劃。他橫渡大西洋，發現了一塊奇怪的陸地，那裡居住著歐洲人不知道的一個民族，他以為這些地方是印度的一部分。
1493年初，哥倫布回到了西班牙。全國一片歡騰，人們把他譽為做出了劃時代發現的英雄，併成群結隊地排在街道兩旁向他歡呼致意。國王和王后把他請進皇宮。還從來沒有一個普通人受過如此禮遇。
但是也有一些人嫉妒他的發現。他們問：“哥倫布是個什麼人？他幹了些什麼？不就是個普普通通的意大利水手嗎？像他那樣橫渡一下大西洋哪個不會？”
一天，哥倫布出席一個為他舉行的晚宴。宴會上就有那麼幾個趾高氣揚的人物，他們迫不及待地想使哥倫布難堪。
“你發現了大洋彼岸的新大陸，”他們開始進攻。“可是那算得了什麼？我們可看不出那有什麼值得大驚小怪的。誰都能橫渡大西洋，誰都能沿著大洋彼岸的島嶼航行，就像你做的那樣。這實在是世界上最簡單不過的事。”
哥倫布沒有答話。過了一會兒，他從盤子裡拿出個雞蛋對賓客們說：“諸位，你們誰能把這隻雞蛋豎起來？”
客人們一個接一個地嘗試過了，雞蛋在大家手裡傳了一圈也沒有一個人能使它豎起來，都說這是不可能的。
於是哥倫布拿起那隻蛋，把尖的一頭輕輕往桌上一磕，敲碎一點蛋殼，這樣就毫不費力地使雞蛋筆直地立在桌上。
“先生們，”他說，“還有什麼事比這更容易？而你們卻說這是不可能的！這實在是世界上最簡單不過的事了。在別人已經示範過後----誰都會做。”
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