My son，who made the dean’s list in his freshman¹ year at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, called home a few weeks after starting his sophomore² year as a psychology³ student.

我儿子是印第安那市曼西尔波州立大学的学生，大学一年级就上了系主任的表扬名单。第二年他学心理学，刚几个星期他就给家里打了个电话。

"Mom,” he said excitedly, "I have found the answer to surviving college 1 It isn't the grades that are so important , but the quality of what is learned and how it is applied⁴ to daily life. I’m lucky to be having these wonderful experiences!”

“妈妈，”他激动地说:“我找到了如何在大学里生存下去的答案!重要的不是分数，而是具备将学到的知识应用于日常生活的素质。我很幸运地有了这种奇妙的经历。”

"And just what does this mean?" I asked.

“你到底是什么意思?”我问道。

"I' m flunking⁵ math.” he replied.

“我数学没及格。”他回答说。