0658翻译：我最好的老师（大卫·欧文）
Translation: My Best Teacher (David Irving)
(translated by: alexcwlin; edited by: Adam Lam)
怀特森先生是我六年级时的科学课老师。他是一个很有个性的人，
Mr. Whitson was our Grade 6 Science teacher, and he was a person with amazing personality.
教学方法独特，常常有出人意料的举动。
He had a unique approach in teaching, and he often did things that took people by surprise.
记得第一天上课，他给我们讲授的是一种名叫“猫猬兽”的动物。
I still remember in the first class he gave us a lecture on a type of animals called “hedgehog-cat”.
他说这种动物一般在夜间活动，
He said in the main this type of animals was active at night.
因为不能适应自然条件的变化而绝种了。
They became extinct because they could not cope with changes in natural conditions.
他一面侃侃而谈，一面让我们传看一个颅骨。
While he was talking away, he let us pass (2) around a skull to look at.
我们全都认真做了笔记，然后是随堂测验。
We conscientiously jotted down notes and then we took a quiz in class.
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当他把卷子发下来的时候，我惊得目瞪口呆，
When Mr. Whitson gave me back the test paper I was stunned with eyes wide and mouth agape (3).
因为在我写下的每一个答案后面，竟然都被画上了一个刺眼的红叉叉。
It was because a glaring red “X” was marked at the end of every answer.
我得的是零分！
My score was “zero”.
可这不公平，因为每一道题都是根据我的课堂笔记回答的。
That was not fair because every question was answered following the notes taken in class.
而且，吃惊的并不是我一个人，
Besides, I was not alone in getting a shock.
我们班上的所有同学都得了零分。
All the other students in class also scored zero in that test.
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“很简单，”怀特森先生说，“关于猫猬兽的一切，都是我故意编造出来的。
“It is very simple.” Mr. Whitson said, “I fabricated everything about hedgehog-cat.
这种动物从来就没有存在过。
This type of animals never existed.
因此，你们记在笔记本上的，全部是错误的信息。
Therefore what you wrote in your notebooks is all misleading information.
难道你们根据错误的信息得出的错误答案，还应该得分不成？”
Surely you can’t possibly expect to get marks from wrong answers based on erroneous information, do you?”
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不用说，我们全都气炸了。
Needless to say we all blew our tops (4).
这算什么测验？
How could anyone call this a test?
怀特森算哪门子老师？
What kind of teacher would Mr. Whitson be?
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怀特森先生似乎根本不理会我们的心情。
Mr. Whitson did not seem to care how we felt.
他说，每一个人都应该具有独立思考和独立判断事物真伪的能力，
He said everyone should have an independent mind to deliberate and judge right from wrong.
同时也应该具有怀疑的能力。
At the same time, people should be able to look at things with skepticism.
他告诉我们，当时他让我们传看的只是一个普普通通的猫的头骨盖，
He told us what we saw was an ordinary cat’s skull.
并且，就在那堂课上他还提醒过我们：到目前为止，世界上从来没有发现过这种动物的痕迹——
Besides, during class he reminded us that up the present time there was no trace of this type of animals.
那么这个头骨盖是从哪儿来的呢？
If such was the case, then where did the skull come from?
当时我们中间居然没有一个人提出疑问。
At that time, not one person among us actually raised a question.
“其实我的破绽还有很多。其中包括猫猬兽这个古怪的名字，
“In fact there were many flaws on what I said, including the peculiar name of ‘hedgehog-cat’.
你们却都深信不疑。”
But all of you fell for it as if they were Gospel.”
为此他特别强调，本次测验的零分纪录都将写进每个人的成绩报告单。
In that regard, he particularly emphasized the zero score of this test would be entered into everyone’s report card.
同时，他希望我们从这个零分中吸取教训，不要让自己的脑子睡大觉，
At the same time, he hoped we all learned a lesson in this zero-score test result and should never allow our brains to go into a trance.
一旦发现问题，就应该立刻指出来。
Whenever we notice a problem, we should point that out right away.
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从此，科学课对于我们来说就成了一种“冒险”。
From that moment onwards, the science subject became an “adventure” from our perspective.
怀特森先生总是想方设法让我们来接受他的挑战。
Mr. Whitson always found ways in allowing us to take on his challenges.
有时，为了驳倒他的一个貌似正确的“论点”，我们常常会在课后花好几个小时甚至几天的时间去思考和论证。
Sometimes in order to disprove a seemingly correct argument from him, we often would spend hours, or even days, after school to ponder and expound on the issue.
然而，正是在一个个饶有趣味又充满刺激的过程中，我们逐渐增长了见识，也逐渐懂得了如何去接近真理。
However, it was those fun-filled and stimulating processes that we were able to enrich our experience and get close to the truth over time.
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这是一种终身受益的教训。
It was a lesson that benefited us for life.
怀特森先生让我还有我的同学明白了一个重要的道理：不要迷信书本，也不要迷信权威。
Mr. Whitson also made all his students understand an important truth: we should not follow books and pundits blindly.
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当然，并不是所有的人都能够理解怀特森先生的做法。
Of course not every person could appreciate Mr. Whitson’s approach.
有一次，我把怀特森先生的方法介绍给一位朋友。
Once I introduced Mr. Whitson’s method to a friend.
他听后吓坏了，说：“他怎么能够这样来糊弄你们呢？”
He was astounded and said: “How could he confuse you like that?”
我立刻看着那位朋友的眼睛，并告诉他：“不，你的看法错了。”
I looked my friend in the eyes and said to him: “No, the way you look at it is incorrect. (4)”
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附注:
(1) Translation of Names
Translation of names in Chinese into English may not be accurate。
(2) Bare Infinitive
Should we say (a) he let us pass (b) he let us passed, or (c) he let us to pass?
The formula in using “let” is: Subject + let + object + bare infinitive (note: bare infinitive is “to pass” without the word “to”.
Therefor (a) is the correct answer.
For your reference, a list of auxiliary verbs (shall, should, will, would, may, might, do, did, can, could, must, need and dare) also follow this formula.
(3) “with eyes wide and mouth agape”
The phrase “with eyes wide and mouth agape” here can be written as “with wide eyes and agape mouth” and it is equally as good.
(4) “incorrect” versus “wrong”
On the surface, “incorrect” means the same as “wrong”. But like the difference between “不对” and “错” in Chinese, “incorrect” is a less offensive word than “wrong”.
