杰克到一所大學去學歷史。第一學期結束時,歷史課教授沒讓他及格。學校讓他退學。然而,杰克的父親決定去見教授,強烈要求讓杰克繼續來年的學業。
“他是個好孩子,”杰克的父親說:“您要是讓他這次及格,我相信他明年會有很大進步,學期結束時,他一定會考好的。”
“不,不,那不可能,”教授馬上回答。“你知道嗎?上個月我問他拿破侖什么時候死的,他都不知道。”
“先生,請再給他一次機會吧。”杰克的父親說:“你不知道.恐怕是因為我們家沒有訂報紙。我們家的人連拿破侖病了都不知道。”
Jack had gone to the university to study history, but at the endof his first year,
his history professor failed him in his examinations,and he was told that he would have to leave the university. Howev-er, his father decided
that he would go to see the
professor tourge him to let Jack continue his studies the following year.
“He’s a good boy,”said Jack’sfather, “and if you let him passthis time, I’m sure he’ll improve alot next year and pass the exami-nations at the end of it reallywell.”
“No, no, that’s quite impossi-ble,”replied the professor immediately.“Do you know, last month I askedhim when
Napoleon
had died, hedidn’t know!”
“Please, sir, give
him
anotherchance,” said
Jack's
father. “Yousee, I’m afraid we don’t take anynewspaper in our house, so noneof us even know that Napoleonwas ill.”