評論
打印
Everyone's language
每個人的語言
How many languages do you know?
你會多少種語言？
Everyone knows at least two-his or her own language and the international language of numbers.
每個人都至少知道兩種（語言）；他（她）的母語和“數字”這一國際語言。
Ancient numbers
古代數字
In ancient times, people wrote numbers in many different ways, as these pictures of the number 6 show.
在古代，人們用很多不同的方式來書寫數字，就如這些表示數字“6”的圖片所示。
However, they nearly all counted in the same say - in tens.
不過，他們幾乎都以十進制的方法計數。
Zero
零
Most of us use the system of numbers with numbers from 1 to 9 and 0 (zero).
當今幾乎每個人都在使用的數字系統由數字1到9和零組成。
With these ten numbers, we can write any number from the biggest to the smallest.
用這十個數字，我們可以寫出從最大到最小的任何一個數字。
The Indians first invented and developed the 1 to 9 system of numbers.
印度人最早發明并發展了1到9這個數字系統。
They then invented the zero.
他們接著又發明了零。
This was a very important invention because it made it easier to write big numbers and to calculate.
這是一項非常重要的發明，因為它使得大數字的書寫和計算變得更為容易。
Calculating machines
計算工具
One of the first calculating machines was an abacus.
算盤是最早的計算器之一。
Abacuses are so fast and accurate that people still use them today.
（用）算盤（計算）是如此快速和精確，以至于人們至今還在使用它們。
A modern electronic calculator can add, subtract, multiply and divide.
一種現在的電子計算器能進行加、減、乘、除運算。
It can also calculate percentages and square roots.
它也能計算百分比和平方根。
Computers are very powerful calculating machines.
計算機是非常強大的計算機器。
In a flash, a computer can do a calculation that you could not do in your whole lifetime.
電腦能在瞬間完成你用一生的時間都未必能完成的計算。
Brain against computer
大腦對電腦
Some people call the brain a living computer.
有人把人腦稱作“活電腦”。
Is a human brain a more powerful calculator than a computer?
人的大腦是比電腦還更強大的計算器嗎？
The following story may give an answer.
下面的故事將給出一個答案。
Shakuntala Devi is a lady from India with an amazing brain.
夏琨塔拉·黛維是一位有驚人大腦的印度女士。
Shakuntala and a very powerful computer were given this problem to solve.
在美國，給夏琨塔拉·黛維和一臺很強大的電腦出了一道題。
Shakuntala's brain took fifty seconds to find the answer, like lightning.
夏琨塔拉·黛維的大腦花了50秒算出了答案。
The computer took a minute.
電腦花了1分鐘。
However, someone had to first program the computer with instructions, and that took many hours.
然而，首先得有人通過指令為電腦設計程序，而這要花很多時間。
No one had to program Shakuntala!
夏琨塔拉·黛維不需要人給她編程序！
Use your own living computer to solve the problem above.
用你自己的“活電腦”去解答上面的題目。
If it is not powerful enough, you will find the answer on page 67.
如果它不夠強大，你可以在67頁找到答案。
