英国国务大臣在接受英国广播公司(BBC)采访时,提到政府要下决心改进教育,以提高学生的运算能力.这时有记者问他8乘7等于多少?这位名叫库尔斯的大臣张口就回答说:“等于54.”结果引来一场哄笑.又,美国前副总统在小学生面前,竟把土豆(Potato)这个并不复杂的单词写错了一个字母.事情传出,舆论哗然.两人的坏名声都传到了国外,以至中国人中的某些“写家”,也没少撰文奚落嘲笑之. In an interview with the BBC, the British Secretary of State mentions that the government should make up its mind to improve education in order to improve students’ computing power. At this time, a reporter asked him how much is 8 times 7? Minister Michihiro replied: “Equal to 54.” The result was a joke, and the former Vice President of the United States went so far as to write the unidentified word Potato, Uproar in public opinion, the bad fame of both men spread to other countries and some writers in the Chinese people wrote or ridiculed their stories.