注:grade point average的縮寫,即各科成績的平均積分點。
A professor stood before his class of twenty senior organic biology students, about to hand out the final exam. “I want to say that it’s been a pleasure teaching you this semester. I know you’ve all worked extremely hard and many of you are off to medical school after summer. So that no one gets their GPA注 messed up because they might have been celebrating a bit too much this week, anyone who would like to opt out[決定退出] of the final exam today will receive a B for the course.” There was much rejoicing[歡慶] in the class as students got up, walked to the front of the class, and took the professor up on his offer. As the last taker left the room, the professor looked out over the handful of remaining students and asked, “Anyone else? This is your last chance.”
One final student rose up and opted out of the final. The professor closed the door and took attendance[出席] of those still remaining.
“I’m glad to see you believe in yourselves,” he said. “You all get As.”
一位教授站在他教的二十名有機生物學大四學生面前,準備分發期末考試卷。“這個學期能夠給你們上課,我感到非常榮幸。我知道你們極其用功,許多人在暑期過后將進入醫學院深造。因此,任何一個不希望因為這個星期參加了太多慶祝活動而搞砸平時成績的同學,只要選擇退出今天的期末考試,這門課就能得到‘良’。”學生們陸續站起身,走上前去接受教授的美意,教室里歡欣一片。當最后一名接受提議的學生走出教室后,教授掃視了一眼班上所剩無幾的學生,問道:“還有其他人嗎?這可是你們的最后機會了。”
又有一名學生站起來,放棄期末考試。教授關上門,給那些留下來參加考試的學生點名。
“我很高興看到你們能夠相信自己,”他說,“你們全都得到‘優’。”