The best teacher.

There is a story from many years ago of a primary school teacher. Her name was Mrs. Thompson. And as she stood in front of the 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children a lie. Like most teachers, she looked her students and said that she loved them all the same. 　　这个故事说的是多年前一名叫汤普森夫人的小学老师，在开学第一天的时候，她站在五年级全班学生面前，对孩子们撒了一个谎。像大多数老师一样，她看着同学们，说她会一视同仁地爱他们每一个人。 　　But that was impossible because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. 　　但这是不可能的，因为前排座位上就坐着个萎靡不振的小男孩，他叫特迪·斯托达德。 　　Mrs.Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he didn’t play well with the other children, his clothes were messy and constantly need a bath. And ,Teddy could be unpleasant. 　　汤普森夫人去年就开始留意特迪，发觉他不大和其他孩子一起玩耍，衣衫不整，身上总是很脏，而且，特迪还不讨人喜欢。 　　It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in making his papers with a broud red pen, making bold Xs and then putting a “F” at the top of his papers. At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to relieve each child’s past records and sheput Teddy’s off until last. 　　汤普森夫人甚至喜欢上用粗红笔在特迪的考卷上打上些大大的叉，并在卷子上方写个大大的“F”。汤普森夫人执教的学校要求老师阅览每个孩子的档案，她把特迪的放在最后才看。 　　However, when she relieved his file, she was in a surprise, Teddy’s first grade teacher wrote,”Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners…he isa joy to be around.” 　　可是，她翻阅特迪的档案时，不禁大吃一惊。特迪一年级老师的评语是：“特迪是一个聪明的孩子，笑口常开，作业工整，礼貌待人……与他在一起很开心。” 　　His second grade teacher wrote, “Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates. Buthe is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle.” 　　二年级老师的评语是：“特迪是个优秀的学生，同学们都很喜欢他。但是，他母亲得了绝症，他很苦恼，家里生活肯定也很艰难。” 　　His third grade teacher wrote, “His mother’s death has been hard on him. He tried to do hisbest but his father doesn’t show much interest in him, and his home life will steps aren’t taken.” 　　他三年级老师的评语是：“他母亲去世对他打击很大。尽管他试图努力表现，但他父亲不大理会，家庭问题失控加剧。” 　　Teddy’s fourth grade teacher wrote, “Teddy is withdrawn and doesn’t show much interest inschool. He doesn’t have many friends and sometimes sleeps in class.” 　　他四年级老师的评语是：“特迪性格孤僻，有厌学情绪。他朋友不多，有时候上课睡觉。” 　　By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt evenworse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful paper and tiedwith pretty ribbons, except for Teddy’s. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brownpaper that he got from a grocery bag. 　　看到这里，汤普森夫人明白了问题所在，她为自己感到羞愧。当同学们送给她圣诞礼物时，她更无地自容了。那些礼物都用漂亮的包装纸包着，扎着美丽的彩带，惟有特迪的例外。他的礼物是用杂货袋上弄下来的厚厚的棕色纸粗陋地包着的。 　　Mrs.Thompson opened it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started tolaugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottlethat was one-quarter full of perfume. But she stifled the children’s laughter when sheexclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume onher wrist. Teddy stayed after school that day just long enough to say, “Mrs. Thompson, todayyou smelled just like my mom used to.” 　　在一堆礼物中间，汤普森夫人拆开了特迪送的礼物。当她看到里面放的是一串少了珠子的莱茵石手镯，还有1/4瓶香水的时候，有些孩子开始笑出声来。汤普森夫人制止了孩子们的嘲笑，并大声赞叹手镯是多么漂亮。她戴上手镯，还在手腕处喷了点儿香水。那天放学以后，特迪·斯托达德留下来对汤普森夫人说：“汤普森夫人，您今天身上的味道像我妈妈。” 　　After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On the very day, she quit teaching reading,and writing, and arithmetic. Instead she began to teach children how to be a man. 　　Mrs.Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed tocome alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year,Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class. 　　汤普森夫人特别关注特迪。在她的悉心教导下，他的思维似乎变得敏捷起来。她越鼓励他，他的反应就越快。到了年底，特迪已在全班名列前茅。 　　　A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that she was still thebest teacher he ever had in his whole life.