登陆注册
6971700000055

第55章 我一辈子的老师

The Best Teacher I Ever Had

佚名 / Anonymous

Mr. Whitson taught sixth-grade science. On the first day of class, he gave us a lecture about an animal called the cattywampus, an ill-adapted nocturnal animal that was wiped out during the Ice Age. He passed around a skull as he talked. We all took notes and later had a quiz.

When he returned my paper, I was shocked. There was a big red X through each of my answers. I had failed. There had to be some mistakes! I had written down exactly what Mr. Whitson said.

Then I realized that everyone in the class had failed. What had happened? Very simple, Mr. Whitson explained. He had made up all that story about the cattywampus. There had never been any such animal. The information in our notes was, therefore, incorrect. Did we expect credit for incorrect answers?

Needless to say, we were outraged. What kind of test was this? And what kind of teacher?

We should have figured it out, Mr. Whitson said. After all, at the very moment he was passing around the cattywampus skull (in truth, a cat’s), hadn’t he been telling us that no trace of the animal remained? He had described its amazing night vision, the color of its fur and any number of other facts he couldn’t have known. He had given the animal a ridiculous name, and we still hadn’t been suspicious. The zeroes on our papers would be recorded in his grade book, he said. And they were.

Mr.Whitson said he hoped we would learn something from this experience. Teachers and textbooks are not always right. In fact, no one is. He told us not to let our minds go to sleep, and to speak up if we ever thought he or the textbook was wrong.

Every class was an adventure with Mr. Whitson. I can still remember some science periods almost from beginning to end. One day he told us that his Volkswagen was a living organism. It took us two full days to put together a refutation he would accept. He didn’t let us off the hook until we had proved not only that we knew what an organism was but also that we had the fortitude to stand up for the truth.

We carded our brand-new skepticism into all our classes. This caused problems for the other teachers, who weren’t used to being challenged. Our history teacher would be lecturing about something, and then there would be clearings of the throat and someone would say “cattywampus”.

If I’m ever asked to propose a solution to the crisis in our schools, it will be Mr. Whitson. I haven’t made any great scientific discoveries, but Mr. Whitson’s class gave me and my classmates something just as important: the courage to look people in the eye and tell them they are wrong. He also showed us that you can have fun doing it.

惠特森先生教六年级自然科学。第一天上课时,他给我们讲了一种叫卡蒂万波斯的动物。这种动物夜间活动,在冰河时期,因不适应自然环境而灭绝了。他边说,边递过一个头颅让我们传看。我们做了笔记,而后进行了测试。

试卷发下来时,我震惊了,我的每个答案后面都打了一个大大的红“X”,我没及格。一定是弄错了!我写的明明都是惠特森先生讲的。

后来,我发现班上同学都没及格。怎么回事呢?很简单,惠特森先生解释说,所有这些有关卡蒂万波斯的事都是他编造的。这种动物根本就不存在。我们笔记本上记录的当然是错误的。错误的答案难道还想得分吗?

不必说,我们都很愤怒。这是什么测试,什么老师呀?

我们应该想到这一点,惠特森先生说,毕竟,在他拿出卡蒂万波斯的颅骨(实际上是猫的颅骨)让我们传看时,不是说这种动物一点儿遗迹都没留下吗?他描绘了它夜间惊人的视觉,皮毛的颜色,和他不可能知道的许多情况。他还给这只动物取了个可笑的名字,我们仍未察觉。他说,我们测试的零分会记在记分册上,他真的这样做了。

惠特森先生说,他希望我们从这件事中汲取教训:老师和书本并不一定绝对正确。事实上,谁都不可能绝对正确。他让我们开动脑筋,认为他或书本错了,就大胆说出来。

惠特森先生的每堂课都像是一次历险记,他的几堂自然科学课我现在仍记忆犹新。一天,他对我们说,他的大众汽车是一种有生命的生物体。我们花了整整两天的时间,组织他认为可以接受的材料进行反驳,直到我们证明自己不仅懂得什么是生物体,还能不屈不挠地坚持真理时,他才善罢甘休。

我们持怀疑的态度走入课堂,这给其他老师带来了许多麻烦,他们不习惯受到这样的质疑。历史老师讲课时,下面就会有同学故意咳嗽,然后有人说:“卡蒂万波斯。”

如果有人问我如何解决学校面临的危机时,那就是惠特森先生的教学方法。我没有任何伟大的科学发现,但是惠特森先生的课给了我和同学们一个重要启示:我们要正视别人的眼睛,勇敢地告诉他们,他们错了。他还告诉我们这样将会获得无穷的乐趣。

记忆填空

1. There had been any such animal. The information in our was, therefore, incorrect. we expect credit for incorrect answers?

2. He had the animal a ridiculous name, and we still hadn’t suspicious. The zeroes on our would be recorded in his grade book, he .

3. Our teacher would be lecturing about something, and there would be clearings of the throat and someone say“cattywampus”.

佳句翻译

1. 事实上,谁都不可能绝对正确。

2. 我们持怀疑的态度走入课堂。

3. 我们要正视别人的眼睛,勇敢地告诉他们,他们错了。

短语应用

1. Then I realized that everyone in the class had failed.

realize that:意识到

2. After all,at the very moment...

after all:毕竟

同类推荐
  • 绿山墙的安妮(有声双语经典)

    绿山墙的安妮(有声双语经典)

    绿山墙农庄的单身兄妹马修、马瑞拉委托邻居从孤儿院带回一个男孩领养,却阴差阳错迎来了一头红发、满脸雀斑的安妮·雪莉。马瑞拉原本计划将安妮送回孤儿院,却在途中听说安妮的孤苦身世,不忍让她回到从前的生活。安妮很快融入了新生活,给绿山墙带来了活力和欢乐。安妮充满想象力、直率热情的个性带来了很多趣事,也让她收获了友谊和邻里的喜爱。这个关于女孩成长的故事,征服了全世界历代读者的心。
  • 澳大利亚学生文学读本(第2册)

    澳大利亚学生文学读本(第2册)

    从最简单入门的英语句式、拼写与发音开始,并且附有大量插图,通过趣味而有教育意义的故事,引发孩子们学习语言的兴趣;并向规范、美丽的文学作品过渡,让孩子们掌握语言的艺术,感受本国的人文历史。是中国学生学习英语、全面了解西方社会的很好途径。
  • 双语学习丛书-艺术人生

    双语学习丛书-艺术人生

    流淌心灵的隽语,记忆的箴言,在双语的世界里,感受英语学习的乐趣,体会英语学习的奥妙,提高英语学习的能力!丛书包括:爱的交融、财富精英、成长课堂、醇香母爱、父爱如山、故乡情怀、节日趣闻、快乐心语、浪漫往昔等故事。
  • 双语学习丛书-政坛要人

    双语学习丛书-政坛要人

    流淌心灵的隽语,记忆的箴言,在双语的世界里,感受英语学习的乐趣,体会英语学习的奥妙,提高英语学习的能力!丛书包括:爱的交融、财富精英、成长课堂、醇香母爱、父爱如山、故乡情怀、节日趣闻、快乐心语、浪漫往昔等故事。
  • 英汉·汉英餐饮分类词汇

    英汉·汉英餐饮分类词汇

    本词汇书分为英汉和汉英两大部分。英汉部分选材广泛,词汇内容贯穿餐饮烹饪过程的各个环节,汉英部分按照烹饪原料、烹饪加工、菜名、饮品、点心五部分进行编排,内容全面、实用。本书可供餐饮业从业人员、旅游业人士、食品专业学生及其他餐饮爱好者使用。
热门推荐
  • 弥勒山的梦

    弥勒山的梦

    方山毕业后幸运进入房地产公司,经历炒房,在同龄人还在拼搏时就买车购房、娶妻生子。后因不满足投资失败入狱,假释后又进入房地产行业,重塑自己。
  • 独宠小神妃

    独宠小神妃

    被灭族的她遇到了天族大皇子,但是并不知道天天就是她的仇人。
  • 原来我一直都与你有关

    原来我一直都与你有关

    姜一清是个从小就带些叛逆气息的女生,尤其是当她考上全市最好的高中--“有名高中”以后,她的这些叛逆有些肆意生长的趋势。高二分班,姜一清认识了易言和易七月,因为易言,她第一次体会到了“暗恋”。直到有一次因为理科的数学竞赛,姜一清一直引以为傲的第一名竟落入了一个纪然的男生之手,她开始注意到这个叫纪然的高冷男生,竟然优秀得像所有玛丽苏小说里的男主一样,让本就有些敏感的姜一清犹豫着,不敢靠近……后来的姜一清考上大学,因为易七月引发的一场意外,姜一清在医院再次重逢已经是实习医师的纪然,只是这一次,她跟纪然终于有了交集。姜一清一直坚信,青春里的美好遗憾都是有道理的,再回到那一刻,她也会对那个男生说,我喜欢你。
  • 千年剩九封

    千年剩九封

    千年前所封凶物二十七以灭其十八,爷爷为了拯救村子牺牲自己,爸爸为了消灭剩余凶物以身犯险,而我却......
  • 十二仙肖

    十二仙肖

    天道破败降大任。光复天则庇后人。陈通,一介凡夫俗子。穿越到异世界后意外卷进一场策划已久的阴谋,在机缘巧合下踏入仙路,找寻世间消逝的十二仙肖,捍卫位面的最后荣光。
  • 墨涵颜传

    墨涵颜传

    一个臭名昭著的专拍烂片的小导演,见到了神秘人寄来的古装剧本,被深深的吸引仿佛自己变成了其中女主角,这是一个拥有沉稳性格敢爱敢恨的奇女子与文略聪慧的涵秋太傅,以及果敢谋略称名的莫言,三人结交共同辅佐新帝登基建立,拯救快要破灭的国家于水火,却因误会新帝做出了令他自己悔恨终生的事情,女主无法面对而远走他乡,莫言也辞官的故事,小导演借此剧本名声大振,却发现这则故事才刚刚开始……
  • 中国古代四大美女就是这么娇艳

    中国古代四大美女就是这么娇艳

    中国古代美女很多,但配得上“沉鱼落雁、闭月羞花”这八个字的只有西施、貂蝉、王昭君、杨贵妃这四位。本书围绕西施、貂蝉、王昭君、杨贵妃四位绝世女子的坎坷命运展开,重点记述了她们的情感纠结和爱情生活。
  • 天命道

    天命道

    云端之上白发老者:小子,以后你就是飘渺弟子了!孩童四顾打量道:师傅,我们门派还有其他人吗?老者怒其不争的给了孩童一脚:小子,我们山门人数众多,强者无数......十年之后少年翻了翻白眼:老头,我已经在山上呆了十年了,怎么除了你我没见过其他人啊!白发老者心虚道:咳咳,乖徒儿,凡事不能只看表面,要......少年大怒:唉唉老头,你怎么又要跑,今天你不告诉我实话,我就把你逐出师门,然后在山上养猪......
  • 天行

    天行

    号称“北辰骑神”的天才玩家以自创的“牧马冲锋流”战术击败了国服第一弓手北冥雪,被誉为天纵战榜第一骑士的他,却受到小人排挤,最终离开了效力已久的银狐俱乐部。是沉沦,还是再次崛起?恰逢其时,月恒集团第四款游戏“天行”正式上线,虚拟世界再起风云!
  • 意念神行

    意念神行

    新书:《我就是恶魔》,书号:172731cmfu.com/showbook.asp?11_id=172731名字有点俗,但内容肯定新颖,欢迎大家支持!************************这里是不一样的修行世界,有各种你想象不到的事情和东西,清凉山的神奇丹药;峨眉山的精致剑法;蓬莱山的神秘斗阵;昆仑山的至尊炼器;少林寺的禅体二功;武当山的奥妙太极……来,一起去体验这个奇妙的世界……***********************************人性本善???????人性本恶???????*************************************∩﹏∩╭^^╮╭—☆—★—☆—★—☆—╮╰——╯<【第五集蓬莱道会】****│╰○○╯╰—★—☆—★—☆—★—╯