内容概述
本篇讲述古印度人对极大数目的精妙计算能力。故事以公元前 6 世纪的宗教领袖释迦牟尼佛年轻时的传说为引：他为了赢得心爱姑娘的婚姻，必须通过一场特殊的考试——计算需要多少颗"基本微粒"首尾相连才能排满 1"里"长。佛陀以"7 颗微粒聚为一粒极小尘埃、7 粒极小尘埃聚为一粒小尘埃、7 粒小尘埃聚为清风扬起之尘埃"的方式逐级 7 倍递推，最终得到一个 15 位的十进制大数。这一故事既体现了古印度对大数量级的想象力，也与佛教经典中"由极微至劫"的计数序列相呼应。
中文正文
98° 佛的考试
印度人很早就表现了精妙的计算大数的技巧。传说，公元前 6 世纪的宗教领袖释迦牟尼佛年轻的时候，为了赢得与爱人牵手，曾经历过一场考试。问题是，多少颗微粒并排起来，才能排满 1"里"长的直线？佛祖发现，7 颗微粒形成一粒极小的尘埃，7 粒极小的尘埃形成小尘埃，7 粒小尘埃形成清风扬起的尘埃，如此一步步下去，就能达到"一里"长。这些因子的乘积是一个 15 位的大数。
英文正文
98° Buddha's examination. Even the very early Hindus exhibited great skill in calculating with large numbers. Thus we are told of an examination to which Buddha, the great religious teacher of about the sixth century B.C., had to submit, in his youth, in order to win the hand of the maiden he loved. He was asked to determine the number of primary atoms which, when placed side by side, would form a line one "mile" long. Buddha found the required number as follows: seven primary atoms make a very minute grain of dust, seven of these make a minute grain of dust, seven of these a grain of dust whirled up by the wind, and so on. He proceeded thus, step by step, until he finally reached the length of one "mile." The product of the factors gave a number of fifteen digits.
英语学习拓展
常用词汇
exhibited音标/ɪɡˈzɪbɪtɪd/
展出，表现出。
原文用法：exhibited great skill in calculating with large numbers.
submit音标/səbˈmɪt/
使服从；提交。
原文用法：had to submit, in his youth, in order to win the hand of the maiden he loved.
maiden音标/ˈmeɪdn/
少女，年轻未婚女子。
原文用法：win the hand of the maiden he loved.
primary音标/ˈpraɪməri/
最初的；基本的。
原文用法：the number of primary atoms.
atom音标/ˈætəm/
原子；微粒。
原文用法：the number of primary atoms which, when placed side by side.
whirled音标/wɜːrld/
旋转，飞舞（whirl 的过去式）。
原文用法：a grain of dust whirled up by the wind.
proceeded音标/prəˈsiːdɪd/
继续进行。
原文用法：He proceeded thus, step by step.
product音标/ˈprɒdʌkt/
乘积；产物。
原文用法：The product of the factors gave a number of fifteen digits.
同义词与近义词
对应核心词汇：exhibited
对应核心词汇：exhibited。
辨析：三者均表"展示、表现"。
exhibited 强调公开地展现技巧或才能，常用于抽象能力；shown 最通用，可指具体或抽象的呈现；displayed 偏重陈列、醒目展示。
原文 exhibited great skill 用 exhibited 更显正式与庄重。
对应核心词汇：submit
对应核心词汇：submit。
辨析：submit 含"屈从、接受（考验）"之意；yield 强调被迫让步；surrender 语气最强，指彻底投降。
原文 had to submit ... in order to win 用 submit 准确传达"必须接受考试"的被动意味。
对应核心词汇：primary
对应核心词汇：primary。
辨析：三者皆表"基本的"。
primary 强调第一性的、原始构成；basic 指最基础层面；fundamental 指根本性、决定性质。
原文 primary atoms 用 primary 呼应"不可再分的基本微粒"。
对应核心词汇：proceeded
对应核心词汇：proceeded。
辨析：proceeded 指按既定方式继续；continued 泛指继续；advanced 强调向前推进。
原文 He proceeded thus 用 proceeded 突出"循此前法一步步做下去"。
对应核心词汇：product
对应核心词汇：product。
辨析：product 专指乘积、产物；result 泛指结果；outcome 偏重最终结局。
原文 The product of the factors 用 product 是数学术语"乘积"。
常用短语与固定搭配
- exhibited great skill in：表现出……方面的极大技巧。原文用法：exhibited great skill in calculating with large numbers.
- had to submit to：不得不接受（考验、考试等）。原文用法：had to submit, in his youth, in order to win the hand of the maiden he loved.
- in order to win the hand of：为了赢得……的婚约。原文用法：in order to win the hand of the maiden he loved.
- placed side by side：并排放置，首尾相连。原文用法：primary atoms which, when placed side by side.
- step by step：一步步地。原文用法：He proceeded thus, step by step.
常用句式
- Pattern: was asked to do：被动语态 + 不定式，表示"被要求做某事"。原文例句：He was asked to determine the number of primary atoms.
- Pattern: Even ... exhibited ...：由 even 引导的让步强调句，in + V-ing 表"在……方面"。原文例句：Even the very early Hindus exhibited great skill in calculating with large numbers.
长难句解析
He was asked to determine the number of primary atoms which, when placed side by side, would form a line one "mile" long.
- 主干：He was asked to determine the number of primary atoms（他被要求确定基本微粒的数量）。
- 修饰与从句：which 引导定语从句修饰 primary atoms；其中嵌入 when placed side by side 省略状语（= when they were placed side by side）。
- 逻辑关系：定语从句说明这些微粒并排排列后能形成 1"里"长的直线，整句交代考试的具体问题。
语言使用特点
- 多用被动语态（was asked, was told）营造客观叙述语气，突出佛陀面对的"考试"这一外部事件。
- 插入语 in his youth, in order to win ... 把背景信息打散在句中，使长句层次分明而不呆板。
- 引号 "mile" 表示特指古代印度长度单位，提醒读者勿按现代"英里"理解。
- 连缀词 thus, and so on, step by step 使递推过程读来如步步推导，节奏感强。
迁移练习
试将下列句子译成中文：
- Even the very early Hindus exhibited great skill in calculating with large numbers.
- He was asked to determine the number of primary atoms which, when placed side by side, would form a line one "mile" long.
点击展开参考答案
- 即使是早期印度人，在大数计算方面也展现出了高超的技巧。
- 他被要求确定需要多少颗基本微粒——将它们并排放置——才能排成 1"里"长的直线。