The-Merely-Very-Good课后习题

TheMerelyVeryGood1.Whentheauthorwasinvitedtolectureatawriters’conference,whydidhewanttoturndowntheinvitationatfirst?Whatfinallymadehimaccepttheinvitation?1）Therewereseveralreasonstorejectthisinvitation.Ontheonehand,theauthorlivedfarfromtheplacewheretheconferencewouldbeheldthathehadtogetupveryearlyandsacrificehisweekendtodrivealongdistanceonlyinordertogivealecture,andwouldnotbewell-offered;ontheotherhand,hewasnolongerinterestedintalkingaboutthesubjectontherelationsbetweenpoetryandphysicsandtheauthorcouldhardlyfindanythinginterestingandworthytobefocusedatsuchaconference.2）Butfinallytwootherreasonsmadehimacceptthisinvitation.Onewasforhisgirlfriendwhowassoeagertopoetrytogivehersomeencouragementorenlightenment;theotherwasbecausetheauthorknewSpenderwasanothertutorattheconferenceandhewassofascinatedwithhisobsessionwithAudenwhoremainedirresistiblycharmingforhim.2.Whatwasheaskedtotalkon?Why?Hewasaskedtotalkontheconnectionbetweenwritingpoetryanddoingphysics.Becausehebothwroteanddidphysics.3.Howdidhegettotheconference?Howlongdidittakehim?Wastherealargeaudience?1）HewouldrentacaranddriveitacrosstheentirestateofNewJerseytogetthere.2）Italmosttookhimaslongasfivehours.3）No.Therewasonlyanextremelysmallamountofaudience.4.HowdidSpenderconducttheworkshop?Whatdoesthisshow?1）Hejustbegantoreadpoemswrittenbytheworkshopmemberswithoutanyopeningstatement.Duringthereadingprocesshedidn’tgiveanyclueaboutwhathethoughtofthesepoems.Sometimeshewouldinterrupthisreadingandseekouttheauthorandasksomeordinaryquestionscasually.2）Thisshowsthathewasalreadytiredofsuchworkshopsandonlyearnedhislifebythisway.Sowhateverhewasthinkingofhandlittletodowithsuchworkshops.5.WhatannoyedtheauthoratSpender’sworkshop?Whatdidhedo?1）Theauthorputinalongdaytoattendspender’spoetryworkshopbutcouldhearnothingabouthisownthoughtandnotanycreativeviews.2）Heraisedhishandtoaskspendersomeacutequestions.6.WhatdoyouknowaboutOppenheimerfromthisarticle?(a)AfterhegraduatedfromHarvard,hewenttoGermanytogethisPh.D.inGottingen.(b)HisviewsonOppenheimerwerenotsympathetic.Headmittedhistalentbutinsuchanembarrassingandtrouble-leadingway.(c)Yes,theywere.Theywerebothyoungandambitious,andbothmajoredinquantumtheories.ButobviouslyDiracmadegreaterachievementsinthefieldofquantummechanicsasyoungerthanOppenheimerwasandheseemedtobemorefocusedwithprecisionandcreation.HehadaprofoundeffectonOppenheimersothatheseemedtobe“great”.(d)TherediscussionwasmorelikeanOppenheimermonologue,whichwasabruptlyinterruptedbyDirac.No,hedidn’t.Becausehethoughtinphysicspeopleweregivenanunderstandingofsomethingthatnobodyknewbefore,whereaspoetrymaybringpeopletotallydifferentexperiencefromphysicssothatitisdifficultyforonetodobothofthematthesametime.(e)OneofthechargesbroughtagainsthimwasthathiswifewastheformerwifeofapersonwhohadbeenamemberoftheCommunistPartyandwhohadbeenkilledin1937fightingfortheSpanishRepublicanArmy.(f)Becausehewantedtoshowhiscollectionofsomebeautifulpaintings.Heinheritedthissmallcollectionfromhisfather.Thecollectiondidn’texpandbecausehehimselfaddednothingtoit.Thisimpliesthathedidn’treallylikeit,histasteincollectionofpaintingwasonlyforshow.7.WhowasDirac?Whydidn’tDirachaveanyschoolorfollowing?Howdidheteach?Why?1）DiracwasoneoftheinventorsofQuantummechanicsandcontinuedtomakegreatcontributionsinmanyareasofmoderntheoreticalphysicsasagiantinthisfield.2）Becausehethoughtthereallygoodideasinphysicscouldonlybehadbyoneperson.3）HetaughthisclassesatCambridgeUniversityby,literally,readinginhisprecise,clippedwayfromhisgreattextonthesubject.4）Becausehethoughthehadgiventhesubjectagreatdealofthoughtandtherewasnobetterwaytopresentit.8.Describethesceneoftheauthor’smeetingwithDiracatPrinceton.Whatisimpliedinthedescription?1）Diracarrivedattheirweeklyphysicsseminarunexpectedly,wearingabluesuit,andapairofthigh-lengthmuddyrubberbootswhichleftindelibleimpressionforme.2）Helovedtochopapathinthewoodsandwasstillworkingonthesamethingalwayswhichshowedthemthathewassuchafocusedman.9.WhatdidtheanecdoteaboutthetollandtollboothstellaboutDirac?Hewasgoodatobservingandthinkingfromthepracticalandefficientperspective.10.WhatsortofapersonwasStephenSpender?Spenderwasafamouspoetandcritic.HeseemednotsofocusedbecausehewasJewish,homosexual,aBritishestablishmentfigureandapoetatthesametime.HewasalwaysregardedasasortofavatarofAudenandalwayslivedunderhisshadowwhichhewassotiredof.11.WhentheauthoraskedSpenderwhathethoughtwasthemostbeautifullineintheEnglishlanguage,whatwasSpender’sresponse?WhywastheretotalsilenceintheroomafterSpendergavetheanswer?1）HegotupfromhischairandinafirmhandwrotealineofAuden’sontheblackboard.Helookedatitwithacomplicatedexpression,reciteditslowlyandthensatbackdown.2）BecausehegaveAuden’spoetasthemostbeautifullineratherthanhisownandhisexpressioncombinedsadness,wonder,regret,envy,whichmadelistenershavenothingtosay.12.WhydidtheauthorthinkDiracwasgreaterthanOppenheimerinphysics?Doyouagree?Why(not)?1）BecausetheauthorthoughtDiracmadegreatercontributionsinphysicsthanOppenheimerandwasalreadysuccessfulwhenOppenheimerwasstillsearching.TheauthorthoughtDir