一道小学生算术题难倒了首相卡梅伦

　　David Cameron refused to answer a maths question - in case he got it wrong。为了防止自己回答错，英国首相卡梅伦拒绝回答一道数学题。

　　The Prime Minister backed plans for every child to be tested on their times table when they leave primary school. But he ducked a question on what is nine times eight, hours after Education Secretary Nicky Morgan also insisted: "I'm not going to answer any maths questions."首相支持让每一位孩子在小学毕业之前都要测试乘法表口诀的计划。但是有人问他9乘以8是多少的时候，他避而不答，而几个小时之前教育部长尼基·摩根也坚持说：“我不会回答任何数学问题。”

　　The Tories have declared "war on illiteracy and innumeracy" as part of a new Conservative drive to improve standards. Headteachers who fail to ensure the standards are met face being sacked if the Tories Conservatives are returned to power。英国保守党党员们声称将和文盲和数学盲斗争到底，这一举措是新保守党为了提高教育标准的一部分。若保守党卷土重来重新掌权，没有执行教育标准的校长们将面临着解雇的危险。

　　As well as demonstrating mathematical skills, pupils will have to pass a writing test by showing they can use accurate punctuation, spelling and grammar. By the time they leave primary school all 11 year-olds will be able to read a novel, write a short story and recite their times tables up to 12.除了主张提高学生的数学能力，学生们还要通过一项写作考试，来证明他们对标点，拼写和语法的掌握。当他们11岁毕业之时，学生们都要能写一篇小说，一则短故事并且能够背诵12X12乘法表。

　　But Mr Cameron ducked a maths challenge when answering questions following a speech in north London. Asked by 5 News political editor Andy Bell to calculate nine times eight, Mr Cameron responded: "I'm going to plead the Nicky Morgan defence, which is I do times tables only in the car with my children on the way to school. I'm going to stick to that just in case I get one wrong on your excellent television programme."但在伦敦北部演讲之后的问答环节，卡梅伦却避而不答一道数学题。5频道的政治编辑安迪·贝尔问他9乘8是多少的时候，卡梅伦这样回应道：“我要为尼基·摩根辩护。我只有在开车送孩子去学校的途中才会背乘法表。我不想回答这个问题的原因，是为了避免自己在你那么棒的电视节目中出糗。”

　　Nicky Morgan said the policy would foster collaboration between schools to produce the best results. "Education can be life-transforming, and that means we have to give every child the best possible start in life to fulfil their potential." Mrs Morgan said that just enough is not good enough for pupils, and insisted the policy would help British schools compete with the best in the world。尼基·摩根说这项政策会让促进学校之间的合作以产生最好的结果。“教育可以改变一生。这就意味着，我们要让每个孩子有一个尽可能最高的起跑点，从而发挥他们的潜能。”她说，对学生来说，足够量并不代表足够好，她也坚持说，这项政策将帮助英国的学校能和世界上最好的学校竞争。

　　Since replacing Michael Gove as Education Secretary last summer, Mrs Morgan has studiously

　　avoided putting her academic abilities to the test on camera. Last year she was asked by a 10-year-old pupil what the cube root of 125 is. But she laughed it of saying: "I think it is probably better that politicians don't do maths or spelling on air."自从去年夏天代替迈克尔·戈夫当上教育部长后，摩根女士刻意不让自己在镜头面前被测试学术能力。去年有一位10岁学生问她125的平方根是多少。她只是笑了笑，说：“我认为镜头前政治家还是不要做算术题为好。”

（沪江英语）