It was the last day of final examination in a large Eastern university1. On the steps of one building, a group of engineering2 senior3 students waited together, talking about the exam due to begin in a few minutes. On their faces was confidence4. This was their last exam, then they'll find jobs.
Some talked of jobs they already had; others of jobs they would get. With all this learning of four years of college, they felt ready and able to conquer5 the world.
The coming exam, they knew, would be very easy. The professor6 had said they could bring any books or notes they wanted, asking only that they did not talk to each other during the test.
Happily they crowded7 into the classroom. The professor passed out the papers. And smiles became bigger 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 frightened8 expression9. No one spoke as, papers in hand, the professor faced the class.
He looked at the worried10 faces before him, then asked: “how many completed all five questions?”
Not a hand was raised11.
“How many answered four?”
Still no hands.
“Three? Two?”
The students moved restlessly12 in their seats.
“One, then? Certainly somebody finished one.”
But the class kept silent. The professor put down the papers. “That is exactly13 what I expected,” he said.
“I just want to impress14 upon you that, even though you have completed four years of engineering, there are still many things about the subject15 you don't know.These questions you could not answer are very common16 in everyday practice17.” Then, smiling, he added: “you will all pass this course18, but remember—— even though you are now college graduates19, your education20 has just begun.”
The years have made the name of this professor unclear, but not the lesson he taught.
这是美国东部的一所规模很大的大学期末考试的最后一天。在一幢楼的台阶上，一群工程学高年级的学生在一起等候着，正讨论几分钟后就要开始的考试。他们的脸上写满了自信。这是他们就业之前的最后一次测验了。
一些人谈论他们现在已经找到的工作；另一些人则谈论他们将会得到的工作。由于经过了4年的大学学习，他们极为自信，他们感觉自己已经准备好，能够征服整个世界。
这场即将到来的测验将会非常容易。教授说过，他们可以带任何他们想带的书或笔记。要求只有一个，就是他们不能在测验的时候交头接耳。
他们兴高采烈地涌向教室。教授把试卷分发下去。当学生们注意到就只有5道问题时，脸上的笑容更灿烂了。
3个小时过去了。教授开始收试卷。学生们看起来不再自信了。他们的脸上是一种恐慌的表情。没有一个人说话，教授手里拿着试卷，面对着整个班级。
他俯视着面前这些焦急的面孔，然后问：“完成5道题目的有多少人?”
没有一只手举起来。
“完成4道题的有多少?”
仍然没有人举手。
“3道题？两道题？” 学生们不安地坐着，如坐针毡。
“那么一道题呢?肯定有人完成了一道题。”
但是整个教室仍然沉默。教授放下了试卷。“这正是我期望得到的结果。”他说。
“我只想给你们留下一个深刻的印象，即使你们已经完成了4年的工程学习，但这个学科仍然有很多的东西你们还不知道。这些你们不能回答的问题，在你们日常的工作中经常会碰到。”然后他微笑着补充道：“这次测验你们都过了，但是记住——即使你们现在是大学毕业生了，你们的教育还只是刚刚开始。”
随着时间的流逝，教授的名字已经被遗忘，但是他给我们的教训却没有被淡忘。
1. university n． (综合)大学
2． engineering n． 工程(学)
3． senior adj． 高级的
4． confidence n． 信心
5． conquer v． 征服, 战胜
6． professor n． 教授
7． crowd [kraud] v． 群集, 拥挤
8． frighten v． 使惊吓
9． expression n． 表达, 表情
10． worried adj． 闷闷不乐的
11． raise [reiz] v． 升起, 提高
12． restlessly adv． 不安地, 慌张地
13． exactly adv． 正确地, 严密地
14． impress v．留下印象
15． subject n． 题目, 科目, 学科
16． common adj． 普通的
17． practice n． 实行, 实践
18． course n． 课程
19． graduate n． (大学)毕业生
20． education n． 教育