校园笑话：10、 Failing the math test 数学考试不及格

10. Failing the math test

A little boy was failing math. His parents tried everything, but to no avail. Finally, they decided to enroll1 him in a private Catholic school. After the first day, they were surprised when he walked in after school with a stern, focused and very determined expression on his face. He went straight right to his room and closed the door. For nearly two hours he toiled away in his room with math books strewn2 about his desk and the surrounding floor. He emerged3 long enough to eat, and after quickly cleaning his plate, went back to his room, closed the door and worked feverishly at studies until bedtime.

This behavior continued until the end of the first term. The boy walked in with his term report. His mother amazingly saw a large red ‘A' under the subject of math. Overjoyed, she and her husband rushed into their son's room, thrilled at his remarkable progress.

Was it the nuns that did it? the father asked. "No."

Was it the one-to-one tutoring? "No."

The textbooks? The teachers? The curriculum? "No," said the son. "On that first day, when I walked in the front door and saw that guy nailed4 to the plus sign, I KNEW they meant business!"

Notes:

1.enroll 注册报名，录取

2. strewn 散落

3. emerge 出现

4. nail 钉住，钉在……上

数学考试不及格

一个小男孩数学总是不及格。父母想尽了一切办法都没什么用。最后，他们决定让儿子去一个私立的天主教学校上学。第一天放学后，男孩的父母惊讶地发现他带着一脸坚决、专注的表情走进家门，直接走进自己的房间并关上了房门。整整两个小时他都在自己房间用功，桌子上和周围地板上堆满了数学书。吃饭时他磨蹭了很久才出来，很快地吃完盘中餐，直接回到房间关上门，狂热地一直学习到睡觉时间。

这一举动一直持续到第一学期末，男孩带着成绩报告单走进家门，母亲惊喜地发现他的数学科目下是个大大的“A”（满分）。她和丈夫喜出望外地冲进孩子的房间，为他的非凡进步而兴奋不已。

“是修女们的功劳吗？”父亲问道。“不是。”

“是一对一教学的功劳吗？”“不是。”

“是课本？老师？课程安排？”

“不是”，儿子回答，“第一天当我走进前门发现那个钉在十字架上的男人时，我就知道他们是要来真的。”

Useful link:

从19世纪以来，美国的天主教学校就已经很盛行。此类学校的教育指导思想是：教学，不仅仅是为了考试，而是要重视发掘出每一个学生的潜能，指导学生实现人生的成功远比明天考试的分数重要。