The approaching exam, they knew, would be a snap. The professor had said they could bring any books or notes they wanted. Requesting only that they did not talk to each other during the test.
他们知道，马上就要进行的考试，只是小菜一碟。教授说了，他们可以带任何想带的书或纸条进来，只要求他们在考试过程中不能互相讲话。

Jubilantly they field into the classroom. The professor passed out the papers. And smiles broadened as the students noted there were only five essay-type questions.
他们欢快地进了考场，教授把考卷发给他们。当同学们看到只有5个问答题时，他们简直要裂开嘴笑了。

Three hours passed. Then the professor began to collect the papers. The students no longer looked confident. On their faces was a frightened expression. No one spoke as, papers in hand, the professor faced the class.
三个小时过去了。教授开始收卷子。学生们看起来不再自信了，他们脸上带着害怕的表情。当收齐试卷，教授面向全班同学时，没有一个人说话。

He surveyed the worried faces before him, then asked: “How many completed all five questions?”
他环视了一下面前这些忧郁的脸，问道：“有多少人完成了这5道题？”

Not a hand was raised.没有一个人举手。

“How many answered four?”“多少人完成了4道？”

Still no hands.仍然没有人举手。

“Three? Two?”“有完成3道的吗？2道的？”

The students shifted restlessly in their seats.
同学们在椅子上不安地移动着。

“One, then? Certainly somebody finished one.”
“那么，一道呢？总有人做完一道题吧。”

But the class remained silent. The professor put down the papers. “That is exactly what I expected,” he said.
但是，教室里仍是寂静无声。教授放下了试卷。“这就是我所期望的。”他说。

“I just want to impress upon you that, even though you have completed four years of engineering, there are still many things about the subject you don’t know. These questions you could not answer are relatively common in everyday practice.” Then, smiling, he added: “You will all pass this course, but remember   — even though you are now college graduates, your education has just begun.”
“我只是想让你们留下一个深刻印象，尽管你们学完了四年工程学，仍然有很多这个专业的东西你们还不懂。你们回答不了的这些问题在日常应用中是相当普遍的。”接着，他微笑着说：“你们都将通过这门课，但是要记住——即使你已经大学毕业，你的教育也只不过是刚刚开始。”