1. In general — вообще

2. Is it worth while...? —- стоит ли...?

About Einstein

It is the pride of many people never to have any time. It was Einstein's pride always to have time. Once he agreed to meet a friend of his ¹ on a certain bridge. The man said he could not promise to be there at the appointed time.

"Oh," said Einstein, "it makes no difference,* then I shall wait on the bridge." The friend suggested that he might lose too much of his time.

"Oh, no," answered Einstein, "the kind of work I do can be done anywhere. I can think about my problems on the bridge as well as ⁸ at home."

Notes

1. a friend of his = one of his friends

2. It makes no difference — не имеет значения

3. As well as — так же как

% * * *

Once Einstein was asked: "How new inventions that change the face of the world are made?"

"Quite simply," answered Einstein. "Everybody knows that something is impossible. Then quite by chance,¹ there happens ² an ignorant man who does not know it and he makes an invention."

Notes

1. By chance — случайно

2. there happens — sd. появляется

* * *

Albert Einstein liked the films with Cli. Chaplin and treated¹ his hero with great sympathy. Once he wrote a letter to Chaplin:

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"Everybody in the world understands your film "Golden Fever".² You will become a great man by all means." ⁹

Einstein

Chaplin's answer was:

"I admire you still more.⁴ Nobody in the world under­stands your "Theory of Relativity" and you have become a great man nevertheless."

Chaplin

Notes

1. To treat — относиться

2. "Golden Fever" — «Золотая л\.1к)рядка»

3. By all means — непременно

4. I admire you still more — я восхищаюсь Вами еще больше

It's the Great Einstein!

One day Einstein went to a town in Central Germany to play in a concert given to help poor students. A young inexperienced writer had been sent to report the concert.¹ While waiting for the concert to begin, he whispered nerv­ously to the lady next to him.

"Who is this Einstein who is playing tonight?"

The lady was shocked that there was someone in Ger­many who had never heard of the famous scientist.

"Good heavens,² don't you know? It's the great Ein­stein!"

"Ah, yes, of course," answered the young reporter, writ­ing down something.

The next day, the newspaper reported the successful appearance of the "great musician, Albert Einstein, who played with skill and feeling second to none".³ The article declared that Einstein was "the greatest master of them all".

Einstein carried this article with him until it was worn out. His eyes usually twinkled as he said to a friend,

"You think I'm a scientist? Hahl I am a famous fiddler, that's what I ami" and laughing gaily, he pulled the article from his pocket.

But when a rich man sent him a violin worth 30,000 dol­lars,⁴ Einstein returned it with a modest note, "This valu­able instrument should be played by a true artist. Please iforgive me—I am so used to s my old violin."

Notes

3. to report the concert — написать о концерте'

2. Good heavens — боже мой

3. second to none — непревзойденный

4. worth 30,000 dollars — стоимостью в 30.000 долларов

5. to be used to — привыкать

His Revenge ' ^!

Niels Bohr (1885-1962), the famous Danish physicist, discovered many important laws concerning the structure of atomic nucleus. He always worked hard. But once it so happened that he had not prepared for his seminar at the university. His report was very bad and the teacher was surprised.

Bohr, however, did not lose the presence of mind ¹ and finishing his report said in conclusion:

"I have listened here to so many bad reports that I ask you to regard this one as my revenge." ²

Notes