精美英文欣赏:So Much to Learn学无止境

So Much to Learn

It was the last day of final examination¹ in a large Eastern university. On the steps of one building, a group of engineering² seniors students wait it together, talking about the exam due to begin in a few minutes. On their faces was confidence. This was their last exam — then they'll fond the jobs.

Some talked of jobs they already had; others of jobs they would get. With all this learning³ of four years of college, they felt ready and able to conquer⁴ the world.

The coming exam, they knew, would be a easy. The professor had said they could bring any books or notes they wanted. Asking only that they did not talk to each other during the test.

Happyly they crouded into the classroom. The professor passed out the papers. And smiles began biger as the students found there were only five questions.

Three hours passed. Then the professor began to collect the papers. The students no longer looked confident. On their faces was a frightened expression. No one spoke⁵ as, papers in hand, the professor faced the class.

He looked the worried faces before him, then asked: “How many completed all five questions?”

Not a hand was raised.

“How many answered four?”

Still no hands.

“Three? Two?”

The students moved restlessly⁶ in their seats.

“One, then? Certainly somebody finished one.”

But the class kept silent. The professor put down the papers. “That is exactly what I expected,” he said.

“I just want to impress upon you that, even though you have completed four years of engineering, there are still many things about the subject you don’t know. These questions you could not answer are very common in everyday practice.” Then, smiling, he added: “You will all pass this course, but remember — even though you are now college graduates, your education has just begun.”

The years have made the name of this professor unclear, but not the lesson he taught.

学无止境

这是一所东部大学期末考试的最后一天，在一座大楼的台阶上，一群工程学的大四学生正聚集在一起，讨论着几分钟后就要开始的考试。他们脸上带着自信。这是最后一场考试了——接着就要举行毕业典礼和开始工作了。

有些学生谈论着他们已经找好的工作，其他人谈论他们正找的工作，凭着对四年大学生活的把握，他们觉得已经做好了准备，能够征服世界了。

他们知道，马上就要进行的考试，只是小菜一碟。教授说了，他们可以带任何想带的书或纸条进来，只要求他们在考试过程中不能互相讲话。

他们欢快地进了考场，教授把考卷发给他们。当同学们看到只有5个问答题时，他们简直要裂开嘴笑了。

三个小时过去了。教授开始收卷子。学生们看起来不再自信了，他们脸上带着害怕的表情。当收齐试卷，教授面向全班同学时，没有一个人说话。

他环视了一下面前这些忧郁的脸，问道：“有多少人完成了这5道题？”

没有一个人举手。

“多少人完成了4道？”

仍然没有人举手。

“有完成3道的吗？2道的？”

同学们在椅子上不安地移动着。

“那么，一道呢？总有人做完一道题吧。”

但是，教室里仍是寂静无声。教授放下了试卷。“这就是我所期望的。”他说。

“我只是想让你们留下一个深刻印象，尽管你们学完了四年工程学，仍然有很多这个专业的东西你们还不懂。你们回答不了的这些问题在日常应用中是相当普遍的。”接着，他微笑着说：“你们都将通过这门课，但是要记住——即使你已经大学毕业，你的教育也只不过是刚刚开始。”

岁月模糊了这位教授的名字，但他教的这堂课却一直留在记忆里。

1 examination   

n.考试，考查，试题；检查，调查

参考例句：

• Teachers always judge their students on the final examination.老师常根据期末考试来评价他们的学生。
• He put up a good show in the final examination.他在期末考试中表现得不错。

2 engineering   

n.工程，工程学，管理，操纵

参考例句：

• The science of engineering began as soon as man learned to use tools. 人类一学会使用工具,工程科学就开始了。
• It was the first great engineering works in the world. 这是世界上第一家大型的工程工厂。

3 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

4 conquer   

vt.克服，征服，战胜，占领；vi.得胜

参考例句：

• There is always one thing to conquer another.一物降一 物。
• Will can conquer habit.意志能战胜习惯。

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 restlessly   

ad.不安定地，不安静地

参考例句：

• The children were squirming restlessly in their seats. 孩子们在位子上心神不定地动来动去。
• Her husband prowled about restlessly. 她的丈夫焦躁不安地来回踱步。