很多小伙伴都想读英文原著学英语，可每次看两页就放弃。为了帮助大家从阅读中找到乐趣，晓梅老师就带大家一起读英文原著，
看看有意思的故事，学学地道表达，分析长难句。先从A Short History of Nearly Everything《万物简史》开始。这本书从宇宙大爆炸开始讲现代科学史，穿插了很多科学家的生平故事，妙趣横生。本书作者Bill Bryson喜欢用口语化的语言叙述，因而里面的英语要比一般的原著通俗易懂。今天读第4章物理学家亨利·卡文迪什的片段。卡文迪什是德文郡公爵的孙子，德文郡公爵的宅邸就是位于英格兰峰区（Peak District，离谢菲尔德不远）的Chatsworth House，中国学生叫“达西庄园”，因为《傲慢与偏见》里达西先生家的庄园就是这里，英国版电影《傲慢与偏见》也在这里取过景。亨利·卡文迪什没在达西庄园住过，但现在里面收藏有他的笔记和书本。家里有这般豪宅的公子哥儿，竟然是个极度害怕社交的科学家。我们来看看他到底有多怪。
卡文迪什的电击实验
His wealth and solitary inclinations allowed him to turn his house in Clapham into a large laboratory where he could range undisturbed through every corner of the physical sciences - electricity, heat, gravity, gases, anything to do with the composition of matter.
因为卡文迪什又有钱又孤癖，所以他把克拉珀姆（英格兰伦敦南部地区）的别墅变成了大实验室，在那里他可以不受干扰地畅游在自然科学的每个角落，研究电、热、重力、气体，以及任何与物质组成有关的东西。
The second half of the 18th century was a time when people of a scientific bent grew intensely interested in the physical properties of fundamental things - gases and electricity in particular - and began seeing what they could do with them, often with more enthusiasm than sense.
18世纪下半叶，热爱科学的人们对基本物质（特别是气和电）的物理属性产生了浓厚的兴趣，他们开始探索可以用这些物质做什么，但往往是热情有余，理智不足。
In America, Benjamin Franklin famously risked his life by flying a kite in an electrical storm. In France, a chemist named Pilatre de Rozier tested the flammability of hydrogen by gulping a mouthful and blowing across an open flame, proving at a stroke that hydrogen is indeed explosively combustible and that eyebrows are not necessarily a permanent feature of one's face.
在美国，很著名的一个实验是，本杰明·富兰克林不顾生命危险，在电闪雷鸣中放风筝（抓电）。在法国，化学家皮拉特尔·德·罗济耶口含氢气，喷在明火上，用来测试氢气的可燃性，一口气不但证明了氢气确实易燃易爆，而且证明了眉毛并不一定是人脸上永久的特征。
Cavendish, for his part, conducted experiments in which he subjected himself to graduated jolts of electrical currents, diligently noting the increasing levels of agony until he could keep hold of his quill, and sometimes his consciousness, no longer.
卡文迪什则进行了很多次实验，让自己承受逐渐升级的电击，不断记录痛苦的程度，直到手里握不住笔，有时甚至失去意识。
词汇与短语
1. range over，包括，涉及；四处走动
The conversation had ranged over a variety of topics, from sport to current affairs. 谈话内容涉及各种各样的话题，从体育到时事。
Cattle ranged over the pastures in search of food. 牛群在牧场上来回走动寻找食物。
2. musical/artistic/literary etc bent，在音乐、艺术或者文学方面有天赋或者兴趣的
readers of a more literary bent 对文学更感兴趣的读者
3. at a/one stroke，一下子
At one stroke the country lost two outstanding leaders. 这个国家一下子失去了两位杰出的领导人。
4. eyebrow，[ˈaɪbraʊ]，n. 眉毛。rasie sb's eyebrows，扬起眉毛，表示吃惊或者不赞同。
'Really?' she said, raising her eyebrows. “真的吗?”她扬起眉毛说。
5. conduct，[kənˈdʌkt]，v. 执行；[ˈkɒn.dʌkt]，n. 行为。
Is it really necessary to conduct experiments on animals? 真的有必要在动物身上做实验吗?
The Senator's conduct is being investigated by the Ethics Committee. 那位参议员的行为正在接受道德委员会的调查。
