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The father was reading the school report which had just been handed to him by his hopeful son. His brow was wrathful （愤怒的） as he read,

"English, poor. French, weak. mathematics, fair." and he gave a glance of disgust at the quaking lad （少年，小伙子） .

"Well, Dad." said the son, "It is not as good as it might be, but have you seen that?" And he pointed to the next line which read, "Health, excellent."

父亲在看他那满怀希望的儿子带回来的学校成绩单。他边看边露出愤怒的表情：

“ 英语，差；法语，差；数学，中。 ” 他厌恶地瞥了在发抖的儿子一眼。

“ 爸爸， ” 儿子说， “ 可能成绩不够理想。但您看到那一项了吗？ ” 他指了指下一行： “ 健康状况，优。 ”

Mother: What are you crying for?

Tommy: Teacher kept me in for something I didn't do.

Mother: Something you didn't do? What was it?

Tommy: M-m-my lessons.

妈妈：你哭什么？

汤米：老师为了一件我没做的事把我留下了。 妈妈：一件你没做的事？什么事？

汤米：我 …… 我的作业。

Mother: Why were you kept after school today, Johnny?

Johnny: Teacher told us to write an essay on "The Result of Laziness", and I turned in a blank sheet of paper.

妈妈：约翰尼，你今天放学以后为什么被留下了？

约翰尼：老师叫我们写一篇题为《懒惰的结果》的作文，我交了一张白卷。

Brown was very proud of his young son. Once he was talking to a visitor, telling the man how clever his son was.

"The boy is only two years old," he said, "and knows all animals. He's going to be a great naturalist. Here, let me show you."

He took a book of natural history from the bookshelf, placed Bobby on his knee, opened the book and showed him a picture of a giraffe （长颈鹿） .

"What's that, Bobby?"

"Horsey," said Bobby. Next of a tiger was shown, and Bobby said, "Pussy." Then Brown showed Bobby a picture of lion, and Bobby said, "Doggy." And when a picture of a chimpanzee was shown, Bobby said, "Daddy!"

布朗非常欣赏他的小儿子。一次他和一位客人聊他的儿子有多聪明。 布朗说： “ 他只有两岁，就认识所有的动物了。他长大一定会是一个出色的自然学家。来，我让你看看。 ”

他从书架上拿下一本自然书，把博比抱到膝上，打开书。指着一张长颈鹿的画片。

“ 博比，这是什么？ ” “ 马马， ” 博比回答。 他又指了一张老虎的画片，博比回答说： “ 猫咪。 ” 然后布朗又指了一张狮子的画片，博比说： “ 狗狗。 ” 他又指了一张黑猩猩的画片，博比说： “ 爸爸！ ”