内容概述
英国科学家高尔顿记述，非洲达马拉人以两捆烟草换一只羊。当一名白人一次拿出四捆烟草要换两只羊时，达马拉人感到困惑并怀疑受骗，于是坚持分两次交易。当他们发现结果相同，便认为白人有魔力。作者指出，达马拉人并非不聪明，他们只是以敏锐观察代替抽象计数，这种能力对现代人而言反而更难培养。
中文正文
9° 二加二
加尔顿爵士（Sir Francis Galton，1822～1911）是英国科学家、探险家和人类学家。他告诉我们，原始的非洲达马拉（Damaras）人通常以两捆烟草换一只羊。有一天，一个白人一下拿出四捆烟草来，要换两只羊，把当地人弄糊涂了。达马拉人怀疑被骗，于是交易只得一步步来。先拿两捆烟草，牵走一只羊，然后再拿出两捆烟草，再牵走另一只羊。当部落的人们发现结果跟那人开始做的一样，便认为他身上有魔力。
不过，达马拉人并不缺乏智力。他们很清楚羊群和牛群有多少，而且立刻能发觉是不是丢了哪一只，因为他们熟悉那些动物的每一张脸。对我们来说，开发这种形式的智能（正确而敏锐的观察力），比学会计数的本领，不知要困难多少。
英文正文
9° Two plus two. Sir Francis Galton (1822–1911), English scientist, explorer, and anthropometrist, has related that the primitive Damaras of Africa, in bartering two sticks of tobacco for one sheep as the rate of exchange, became hopelessly confused when a white trader, desiring two sheep, offered four sticks of tobacco at once. Fraud was suspected by the Damaras, and the transaction had to be revised and carried out more slowly. First two sticks of tobacco were given and one sheep driven away, then two more sticks of tobacco and the second sheep claimed. When shown that the result came out the same as the trader's original proposal, the tribesmen regarded the trader as one possessed of magic powers.
Yet, these Damaras were not unintelligent. They knew precisely the size of a flock of sheep or a herd of oxen, and would miss an individual at once, because they knew the faces of all of the animals. To us, this form of intelligence, which is true and keen observation, would be infinitely more difficult to cultivate than that involved in counting.
英语学习拓展
常用词汇
barter音标/ˈbɑːtə(r)/
以物易物。
原文用法：in bartering two sticks of tobacco for one sheep.
rate of exchange：交换率。原文用法：as the rate of exchange.
primitive音标/ˈprɪmətɪv/
原始的。
原文用法：the primitive Damaras of Africa.
confused音标/kənˈfjuːzd/
困惑的。
原文用法：became hopelessly confused.
fraud音标/frɔːd/
欺诈。
原文用法：Fraud was suspected by the Damaras.
transaction音标/trænˈzækʃn/
交易。
原文用法：the transaction had to be revised and carried out more slowly.
possessed音标/pəˈzest/
着魔的。
原文用法：regarded the trader as one possessed of magic powers.
keen音标/kiːn/
敏锐的。
原文用法：true and keen observation.
cultivate音标/ˈkʌltɪveɪt/
培养。
原文用法：would be infinitely more difficult to cultivate.
同义词与近义词
对应核心词汇：barter
对应核心词汇：barter。
辨析：barter 特指不以货币为媒介的物物交换；trade 泛指交易；exchange 强调互换。
对应核心词汇：confused
对应核心词汇：confused。
辨析：confused 最常用；puzzled 强调费解；bewildered 强调极度混乱。
对应核心词汇：transaction
对应核心词汇：transaction。
辨析：transaction 较正式，常指商业交易；deal 口语化；trade 泛指买卖或交换。
常用短语与固定搭配
- two sticks of tobacco：两捆烟草。原文用法：in bartering two sticks of tobacco for one sheep.
- at once：一下子；同时。原文用法：offered four sticks of tobacco at once.
- rate of exchange：交换率。原文用法：as the rate of exchange.
- carry out：执行；进行。原文用法：carried out more slowly.
- drive away：赶走；牵走。原文用法：one sheep driven away.
- come out the same：结果相同。原文用法：the result came out the same as the trader's original proposal.
- regard … as …：把……视为……。原文用法：regarded the trader as one possessed of magic powers.
- a flock of：一群（羊、鸟等）。原文用法：the size of a flock of sheep.
- a herd of：一群（牛、鹿等）。原文用法：a herd of oxen.
常用句式
- Pattern: When shown that …, …：当被证明……时，……。原文例句：When shown that the result came out the same as the trader's original proposal, the tribesmen regarded the trader as one possessed of magic powers.
- Pattern: … would be infinitely more difficult to … than …：……比……要困难得多。原文例句：this form of intelligence … would be infinitely more difficult to cultivate than that involved in counting.
长难句解析
Sir Francis Galton (1822–1911), English scientist, explorer, and anthropometrist, has related that the primitive Damaras of Africa, in bartering two sticks of tobacco for one sheep as the rate of exchange, became hopelessly confused when a white trader, desiring two sheep, offered four sticks of tobacco at once.
- 主干：Sir Francis Galton has related that the Damaras became confused.
- 修饰与从句：
- English scientist, explorer, and anthropometrist 为 Galton 的同位语； - that the primitive Damaras of Africa … became hopelessly confused 为宾语从句； - in bartering two sticks of tobacco for one sheep as the rate of exchange 为介词短语，说明背景； - when a white trader … offered four sticks of tobacco at once 为时间状语从句； - desiring two sheep 为现在分词短语，修饰 trader。
- 逻辑关系：先介绍讲述者，再交代达马拉人的交易习惯，最后说明让他们困惑的具体情境。
语言使用特点
- 通过被动语态（Fraud was suspected, the transaction had to be revised）客观叙述事件；
- 用比较级结构突出作者观点：观察能力比计数能力更难培养；
- 动词短语丰富，准确描述交易过程（barter, drive away, claim, carry out）。
迁移练习
- 用 “regard … as …” 写一句话，描述你如何评价故事中的白人商人。
- 用 “When shown that …” 开头改写：他看到答案是正确的，于是相信了老师。
- 翻译：他们精确地知道羊群和牛群的数量，并且能立刻发现是否少了一只。
点击展开参考答案
- （示例）The tribesmen regarded the trader as a man of magic powers.
- （示例）When shown that the answer was correct, he believed the teacher.
- They knew precisely the size of a flock of sheep or a herd of oxen, and would miss an individual at once.