#124. Is it more important for students to study history and literature than to study science and mat
I think that these academic subjects are equal to each other; one is not better or more important than the other. First of all, it is important for students to take the classes which they will excel at. If all students were to take history and literature, half of them would do terribly. Not all students have a literary mind; in fact, only about half of them do. Having a scientifically based mind is no better or worse than the alternative.
It's hard to imagine that all the students are learning history and literature while no one study science and mathematics. If this was the case, a major portion of the world's knowledge would be lost. Science and mathematics students are constantly making important breakthroughs in their fields of research. If the number of students taking these subjects dramatically dropped because they were told it was less important than other subjects, this research would come to a grinding halt. Science and mathematics students come up with much of the theories behind how the world works, which are vastly important to society.
In fact, students should be encouraged to take all subjects because there is no way of measuring which courses are"better" than others. Everything a person can study has its own unique value. Whether this value is based on personal beliefs or the beliefs of society at large, everything is important in some way or another. Moreover, most academic disciplines are in fact interrelated. For example, historians sometimes have to employ some statistical knowledge while they are doing their research. At the same time, computer programmers will have a better understanding of their field if they are familiar about the history of computer science.
One must take the courses one finds interesting, and not base his/her decisions on what others say are important. History and literature can be seen as a link to the past, whereas science and mathematics can be viewed as a link to the future. In this sense, no one is more relevant than the other because each field produces insights that the other has no way of grasping.
124. 学习历史和文学比学习科学和数学更重要吗？
我认为这些学科的地位是平等的，每一科都不会比另外一科更加优越或是更加重要。首先，重要的是让学生们去选择自己擅长的课程。如果所有的学生都去学习历史和文学，他们中间有一半会学得很糟。并非所有的学生都具备文学头脑；事实上，其中只有一半人是如此。拥有一副侧重科学的头脑并不比另外一种更好或是更差。
难以想象所有的学生都在学习历史和文学，而没有人学习自然科学和数学。如果是这样，世界上的知识有很大一部分就会丢失。学习自然科学和数学的学生不断地在他们的研究领域实现重大的突破。如果由于被告知这些科目没有其他科目重要将导致选择它们的学生数量急剧下降，这些研究便会嘎然而止。另外，学习自然科学和数学的学生提出关于世界运转背后隐藏的许多理论，而这些对社会来说是极其重要的。
事实上，应该鼓励学生们去选择所有的科目，因为没有办法衡量哪些课程比其他的更“优越”。一个人能学习的一切都有其独特的价值。无论这种价值是基于个人信念，还是基于全社会的信仰，所有的一切都有这种或那种的重要性。而且，大多数的学科事实上都是相互关联的。比如，历史学家在做研究的时候，有时必须运用一些统计学的知识。同时，计算机程序员如果对计算机科学的历史非常熟悉的话，将会对自己的领域有更好的理解。
一个人应该选择自己发觉有意思的课程，而不是把他或她的决定建立在别人说什么东西重要的基础之上。历史和文学可以看作是连接着过去，而自然科学和数学则可以被看作是连接着未来。从这种意义上说，不能断定哪个比对方更重要，因为每个领域都会产生其他领域所无法获得的见解。
- excel at 擅长
- interrelate ［ˌintəriˈleit］ v. 互相关联
- alternative ［ɔ:lˈtə:nətiv］ n. 另外一种选择
- employ ［emˈplɔi］ v. 运用
- portion ［ˈpɔ:ʃən］ n. 部分
- statistical ［stəˈtistikəl］ adj. 统计学的
- programmer ［ˈprəuˌgræmə］ n. 程序员
- breakthrough ［ˈbreikˌθru:］ n. 突破
- relevant ［ˈreləvənt］ adj. 有实际重要性的
- unique ［ju:ˈni:k］ adj. 独特的