Lesson 2 Love of Numbers熱愛數字
As an academician, I think Mathematics is an intriguing and absorbing science. How ever, many of my students consider it an abstract science and they hate it because the equations are too difficult to absorb and to remember. I think my students would laugh if they knew how I became so interest in Math.
作為一名學者，我認為數學是一門既有趣又引人入勝的科學。然而，我的許多學生卻認為這是一門抽象科學，他們憎恨數學，因為數學公式太難理解又太難記住。我想如果我的學生知道我是如何對數學產生興趣的，一定會哄堂大笑。
When I was a freshman in college, I also believe Math was a mere abstraction. Study it was like falling into a spinning abyss of numbers and symbols. Just thinking about it seems like an abuse of my brain. However, my entire tuition was financed by an academic scholarship, so I have to maintain high marks in all of my classes, including Math.
上大一時，我也覺得數學無非就是一種抽象，學數學就好像掉進了數字和符號那令人眩暈的深淵。僅僅是思考數學問題似乎都在浪費大腦。但由於我的學費全靠學習獎學金，因此我不得不每門功課都拿高分，這自然也包括數學。
My most abstruse class was Advanced Calculus Mathematics. It was taught in a large lecture hall which abutted the North access gate of the University. Unlike many absentees in my class who often abstained from attending the boring lectures, I dare not absolve myself from this responsibility. Any degree of absenteeism would cause me to fail Math and to lose my scholarship. I was so afraid of failing that I even pledged abstinence from my abundant supply of alcohol.
最深奧難懂的課非微積分莫屬。當時在一個大講堂上課，這個課堂緊靠學習北門的入口。班裡諸多缺席者常常是刻意迴避那些無聊的講座，我卻不敢自作主張的免除聽課的責任。曠課次數無論多少都可能導致我數學的不及格，甚至還發誓要對自己充裕的酒類供應加以節制。
It wasn't until the fourth week of Math class when I met the wonderful person who would accelerate my interest and understanding of this absurd subject. She was a foreign exchange student from Beijing. She was also a brilliant mathematician. She would come to the class everday in a coulorful silk scraf that accentuated her lovelt smile.
數學課上到第四周，我才遇到那位促使為對這門荒謬的學科產生興趣繼而理解它的好人。她是從北京來的交換生，也是一位卓越的數學家。每天她都會繫著一條色彩鮮豔的圍巾來上課，那條圍巾更襯托出她的笑臉。
It was so nice to meet someone from my home country. She inspired me to love Math. Although we now live and teach in different countries, I still see her smiling face between every number I write!
能遇到同胞真是太好了。她激起了我對數學的熱愛。儘管我們現在在不同的國家生活和教學，我仍能在我寫下的各個數字間看到她微笑的臉龐！
英語單詞註釋
absenteeism n. 曠課，曠工
absentee n. 缺席者
absolve v. 寬恕；赦免（罪行、過失等），解除（責任等）
absorb vt. 吸引（液體、知識等）；理解，掌握
absorbing adj. 吸引人的，引人入勝的
abstain v. 自制，自動放棄；戒絕，有意迴避
abstinence n. 自制，節制（禁慾、戒酒等）
abstract adj. 抽象的；難解的 ，深奧的
abstraction n. 抽象概念
abstruse adj. 難懂的，深奧的
absurd adj. 荒謬的，可笑的
abundant adj. 豐富的，充裕的；大量的
abuse n. （權利等的）濫用；（物品等的）不精心使用
abut vi. 鄰接，毗鄰
abyss n. 深淵，深坑
academic adj. 學術的；學院的；理論的
academician n. 學會會員；院士；學者
accelerate v. 加快，加速；促進，促進…早日發生
accentuate v. 突出，強調
access n. 接觸，接近（的機會）；入口，通道
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