雙語暢銷書《艾倫圖靈傳》第1章23:英國校長

There was an English schoolmaster in the neighbourhood, whom Alan's parents employed to coach Alan for the Common Entrance examination, who found himself plied with questions about science. In March 1925, back at school, Alan wrote:

鄰居有一位英國校長，艾倫的父母請他來輔導艾倫的普通入學考試。但現在的艾倫，卻已經完全陷入了科學的世界。1925年3月，艾倫回到學校時寫道：

I came out in the same place in Common Entrance* this term as last with 53% average. I got 69% in French.

我這學期的普通入學考試注，和上次名次一樣，平均分53%，法語考了69%。

But it was the chemistry that mattered:

他真正關心的還是化學：

I wonder whether I could get an earthenware retort anywhere for some high-heat actions. I have been trying to learn some Organic Chemistry, when I began if I saw something like this

我想知道去哪能找到一個陶瓷容器，這樣我就能研究高熱反應了。我已經試着學了一些有機化學，比如這樣的東西：

H(CH2)17CO2H(CH2)2C

H(CH2)17CO2H(CH2)2C

I would try and work it out like this C21H40O2 which might be all sorts of things it is a kind of oil. I find the Graphic formulae help too, thus Alcohol is

我知道這種C21H40O2也許是一種油。我還發現，有一種形象的公式非常有用，比如說酒精是：

while Methyl ether HCH2 O CH2H or C2H6O you see they shew the molecular arrangement.

甲基乙醚是你看，這樣就能看出它們的分子結構。