"Mack Reynolds - Ability Quotient" - читать интересную книгу автора (Reynolds Mack)

"Yes."

"The next subject will be Anthropology One, Elementary Ethnology."

Bert groaned. He had a very vague idea of what anthropology was but
didn't even know the definition of ethnology.

A book appeared on the screen. Elementary Ethnology.

The screen said, "Ethnology, the branch of anthropology which utilizes
the data furnished by ethnography, the recording of living cultures, and
archeology, to analyze and compare the various cultures of mankind. In
short, social anthropology which evolves broader generalizations based
partly on the findings of the other social sciences."

Inwardly, Bert groaned again but flicked his button to turn to Chapter
One, page one.

Shortly, the voice said, "You have not taken your stimulant."

He looked at the screen in disgust. "How did you know?"

"Please take your stimulant."

Bert got to his feet and went back to where he had left the brown pill.
"How could you brazen out a lie to a damn computer?"

He took the pill and returned to the student's chair and slumped down
into it. "Kay," he said. "So I've taken the stimulant."

Within a few minutes he was speeding up the rate of page turning. The
tests at the end of each chapter seemed irritatingly simple He wanted to
get on with it. He plowed on through, speeding up, speeding up. And, once
again, came to the end of the course, startled.

The screen said, "You have been credited with Anthropology One."

He sat there for a moment and stared at it. He licked his lips and said,
"Kay. What's next?"

"Ancient History One. Our Oriental Heritage."

"Jesus," Bert said in resignation.

"No," the screen said. "The period previous to the emergence of the
Christian ethic."

Who could expect a computer to have a sense of humor?