Lesson56Fasterthansound!
Onceayear,araceisheldforoldcars.Alotofcarsenteredforthisracelastyearandtherewasagreatdealofexcitementjustbeforeitbegan.OneofthemosthandsomecarswasaRolls-RoyceSilverGhost.ThemostunusualcarwasaBenzwhichhadonlythreewheels.Builtin1885,itwastheoldestcartakingpart.Afteragreatmanyloudexplosions,theracebegan.Manyofthecarsbrokedownonthecourseandsomedriversspentmoretimeunderthei...[
阅读全文]
Lesson55Notagoldmine
Dreamsoffindinglosttreasurealmostcametruerecently.Anewmachinecalled'TheRevealer'hasbeeninventedandithasbeenusedtodetectgoldwhichhasbeenburiedintheground.Themachinewasusedinacaveneartheseashorewhere--itissaid--piratesusedtohidegold.Thepirateswouldoftenburygoldinthecaveandthenfailtocollectit.Armedwiththenewmachine,asearchpartywentintothecavehopingtofindburiedtreasure...[
阅读全文]
Lesson54Stickyfingers
Afterbreakfast,IsentthechildrentoschoolandthenIwenttomarket.ItwasstillearlywhenIreturnedhome.Thechildrenwereatschool,myhusbandwasatworkandthehousewasquiet.SoIdecidedtomakesometartsfortea.InashorttimeIwasbusymixingbutterandflourandmyhandsweresooncoveredwithstickypastry.Atexactlythatmoment,thetelephonerang.Nothingcouldhavebeenmoreannoying.Ipickedupthereceiverbetweentwostick...[
阅读全文]
Lesson49Theendofadream
Tiredofsleepingonthefloor,ayoungmaninTeheransavedupforyearstobuyarealbed.Forthefirsttimeinhislife,hebecametheproudownerofabedwhichhadspringsandamattress.Becausetheweatherwasveryhot,hecarriedthebedontotheroofofhishouse.Hesleptverywellforthefirsttwonights,butonthethirdnight,astormblewup.Agustofwindsweptthebedofftheroofandsentitcrashingintothecourtyardbelow.Theyoungmandidno...[
阅读全文]
Lesson53Hotsnake
AtlastfiremenhaveputoutabigforestfireinCalifornia.Sincethen,theyhavebeentryingtofindouthowthefirebegan.Forestfiresareoftencausedbybrokenglassorbycigaretteendswhichpeoplecarelesslythrowaway.Yesterdaythefiremenexaminedthegroundcarefully,butwerenotabletofindanybrokenglass.Theywerealsoquitesurethatacigaretteenddidnotstartthefire.Thismorning,however,afiremanaccidentallydiscoveredth...[
阅读全文]
Lesson52Aprettycarpet
WehavejustmovedintoanewhouseandIhavebeenworkinghardallmorning.Ihavebeentryingtogetmynewroominorder.ThishasnotbeeneasybecauseIownoverathousandbooks.Tomakemattersworse,theroomisrathersmall,soIhavetemporarilyputmybooksonthefloor.Atthemoment,theycovereveryinchoffloorspaceandIactuallyhavetowalkonthemtogetinoroutoftheroom.Ashortwhileago,mysisterhelpedmetocarryoneofmyoldbookcase...[
阅读全文]
Lesson51Rewardforvirtue
Myfriend,Herbert,hasalwaysbeenfat,butthingsgotsobadrecentlythathedecidedtogoonadiet.Hebeganhisdietaweekago.Firstofall,hewroteoutalonglistofallthefoodswhichwereforbidden.ThelistincludedmostofthethingsHerbertloves:butter,potatoes,rice,beer,milk,chocolate;andsweets.YesterdayIpaidhimavisit.IrangthebellandwasnotsurprisedtoseethatHerbertwasstillasfatasever.Heledmeintohisrooma...[
阅读全文]
[Source:CommunicationsofACM11/08]
It’sbeenalmosttwoyearssinceJimGraywentmissingoffthecoastofNorthernCalifornia,anabsencethatcontinuestoresonatethroughoutthecomputersciencecommunity.IntheNovemberissue,friendsandcolleaguespaytributetothisesteemedvisionary,sharingstoriesandinsightsintooneoftheindustry’smostrespectedscientists.
FellowpioneersindatabaseresearchMichaelStonebrakerandDavidDeWitt...[
阅读全文]
Lesson50Takenforaride
Ilovetravellinginthecountry,butIdon'tlikelosingmyway.
Iwentonanexcursionrecently,butmytriptookmelongerthanIexpected.
'I'mgoingtoWoodfordGreen,'IsaidtotheconductorasIgotonthebus,'butIdon'tknowwhereitis.'
'I'lltellyouwheretogetoff.'answeredtheconductor.
Isatinthefrontofthebustogetagoodviewofthecountryside.Aftersometime...[
阅读全文]