单选题
It is an astonishing fact that there are laws of nature,
rules that summarize conveniently - {{U}} {{U}} 1 {{/U}}
{{/U}}qualitatively but quantitatively - how the world works. We might {{U}}
{{U}} 2 {{/U}} {{/U}}a universe in which there are no such laws, in
which the 108 elementary particles that {{U}} {{U}} 3 {{/U}}
{{/U}}a universe like our own behave with utter and uncompromising abandon. To
understand such a universe we would need a brain {{U}} {{U}} 4
{{/U}} {{/U}}as massive as the universe. It seems {{U}} {{U}} 5
{{/U}} {{/U}}that such a universe could have life and intelligence, because
being and brains {{U}} {{U}} 6 {{/U}} {{/U}}some degree of
internal stability and order. But {{U}} {{U}} 7 {{/U}} {{/U}}in
a much more random universe there were such beings with an intelligence much
{{U}} {{U}} 8 {{/U}} {{/U}}than our own, there could not be much
knowledge, passion or joy. {{U}} {{U}} 9
{{/U}} {{/U}}for us, we live in a universe that has at least important parts
that are knowable. Our common-sense experience and our evolutionary history have
{{U}} {{U}} 10 {{/U}} {{/U}}us to understand something of the
workaday world. When we go into other realms, however, common sense and ordinary
intuition {{U}} {{U}} 11 {{/U}} {{/U}}highly unreliable guides.
It is stunning that as we go close to the speed of light our mass {{U}}
{{U}} 12 {{/U}} {{/U}}indefinitely, we shrink toward zero thickness
{{U}} {{U}} 13 {{/U}} {{/U}}the direction of motion, and time
for us comes as near to stopping as we would like. Many people think that this
is silly, and every week {{U}} {{U}} 14 {{/U}} {{/U}}I get a
letter from someone who complains to me about it. But it is virtually certain
consequence not just of experiment but also of Albert Einstein's {{U}}
{{U}} 15 {{/U}} {{/U}}analysis of space and time called the Special
Theory of Relativity. It does not matter that these effects seem unreasonable to
us. We are not {{U}} {{U}} 16 {{/U}} {{/U}}the habit of
traveling close to the speed of light. The testimony of our common sense is
suspect at high velocities. The idea that the world places
restrictions on {{U}} {{U}} 17 {{/U}} {{/U}}humans might do is
frustrating. Why shouldn't we be able to have intermediate rotational positions?
Why can't we {{U}} {{U}} 18 {{/U}} {{/U}}faster than the speed
of light? But {{U}} {{U}} 19 {{/U}} {{/U}}we can tell, this is
the way the universe is constructed. Such prohibitions not only {{U}}
{{U}} 20 {{/U}} {{/U}}us toward a little humility; they also make
the world more knowable.