6.What Do Two Plus Two Equal?
A mathematician, an accountant and an economist apply for the same job. The interviewer
【1】 calls in 【2】 the mathematician and asks, "What do two plus two equal?"
The mathematician replies, "Four." The interviewer asks, "Four, exactly?" The mathematician looks at the interviewer incredulously and says, "Yes, four, exactly."
Then the interviewer calls in the accountant and asks the same question, "What do two plus two equal?" The accountant says, "On average 【3】 , four—give or take ten percent, but on average, four."
Then the interviewer calls in the economist and poses the same question, "What do two plus two equal?" The economist gets up 【4】 , locks the door, closes the shade, sits down next to the interviewer and says, "What do you want it to equal?"
2加2等于幾?
一位數(shù)學(xué)家、一位會(huì)計(jì)師和一位經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家申請(qǐng)同一份工作。面試官先把數(shù)學(xué)家叫進(jìn)了辦公室問道:“2加2等于幾?”
“等于4。”數(shù)學(xué)家答道。面試官繼續(xù)問:“不多不少恰好等于4嗎?”數(shù)學(xué)家感到不可思議,看著面試官答道:“沒錯(cuò)啊,就等于4。”
接著,面試官把會(huì)計(jì)師叫了進(jìn)來,問了相同的問題:“2加2等于幾?”
“通常等于4,但上下有10%的浮動(dòng),不過通常等于4。”
最后,面試官把經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家叫了進(jìn)來,問了相同的問題:“2加2等于幾?”只見經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家站了起來,關(guān)上門,拉上了窗簾,然后坐到面試官旁邊,低聲問道:“你想讓它等于幾?”
背景知識(shí)與點(diǎn)評(píng)
·數(shù)學(xué)家的特點(diǎn)在于邏輯精確嚴(yán)密,一就是一,二就是二,來不得半點(diǎn)馬虎。
·會(huì)計(jì)師的特點(diǎn)就是水分大,所以國務(wù)院前總理朱镕基在2001年4月16日視察上海國家會(huì)計(jì)學(xué)院時(shí),為該校題字“不做假賬”;同年10月29日,朱镕基視察北京國家會(huì)計(jì)學(xué)院后,題字也是:“誠信為本,操守為重,遵循準(zhǔn)則,不做假賬。”
·經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家的特點(diǎn)呢?就是善于溜須拍馬。所以有人把某些經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家稱為“御用經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家”,意思是領(lǐng)導(dǎo)說什么,這些經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家就能證明什么。本人最敬佩的經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家是保羅·克魯格曼(Paul R Krugman, 1953—?。亓ⅹ?dú)行,不依附于任何派別。
英語知識(shí)鏈接
【1】 interviewer是面試者,申請(qǐng)職位的人(即被面試者)可以是interviewee,但一般用applicant,求職面試叫做job interviews。
【2】 call in:叫(某人)進(jìn)來
【3】 on average:通常;平均起來
【4】 get up:站起來;(使)起立