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● eligible：有入选资格。to keep up in his studies：各门都及格；有一门不及格，就不可以参加比赛。dumber：较笨。smarter：较聪明。
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● lenient：宽；特别客气。helped him along：帮他及格。注意：along有“前进”之意。
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● thin, timid man：这样一个“瘦怯怯”的教授，同这个其笨如牛的学生，正好成一滑稽的对照。教授要帮学生及格，发问的时候，大多给他暗示（give him hints），免得他多费脑筋思索，或者问些很容易的题目（simpler ones=simpler questions）；但是讲到暗示之多，题目之容易，没有一位教授比得上这位经济学教授的。
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One day when we were on the subject of transportation and distribution, it came Bolenciecwcz’s turn to answer a question. “Name one means of transportation,” the professor said to him. No light came into the big tackle’s eyes. “Just any means of transportation,” said the professor, “any medium, agency, or method of going from one place to another.” Bolenciecwcz had the look of a man who is being led into a trap. “You may choose among steam, horse-drawn, or electrically propelled vehicles,“said the instructor, “I might suggest the one which we commonly take in making long journeys across land.”
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● transportation and distribution：运输与分配（经济学的一个题目）。
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● it came Bolenciecwcz’s turn：这里的it用语法家Jespersen的术语，应该是preparatory “it”的一种。it就是turn，不过这个字先出来，为名词turn作一准备。句法结构大致同下句相仿：
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It’s no use crying over spilt milk.
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● 教授的用字太深，为笨学生所不能理解：means of transportation（交通工具）。教授看见学生瞠目不知所对（眼睛里没有光）就换一种说法：any medium, agency, or method of going from one place to another，那时学生更觉糊涂，脸上的表情就像一个被人家设圈套愚弄的人一样。
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● 教授叫学生任意举一种交通工具，后来缩小范围，叫他任意举一种“车辆”（vehicles）：在蒸汽推动，马力拖曳，电力推动各种车辆中任举一种。
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● the one：这种车辆。take：乘坐。在陆地上长距离旅行乘坐的车辆，应该是火车。
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There was a profound silence in which everybody stirred uneasily, including Bolenciecwcz and Mr. Bassum. Mr. Bassum abruptly broke this silence in an amazing manner. “Choo-choochoo,” he said, in a low voice, and turned instantly scarlet. He glanced appealingly around the room. All of us, of course, shared Mr. Bassum’s desire that Bolcnciecwcz should stay abreast of the class in economics, for the Illinois game, one of the hardest and most important of the season, was only a week off. “Toot, toot, too—tooooooot!” some student with a deep voice moaned, and we all looked encouragingly at Bolenciecwcz. Somebody else gave a fine imitation of a locomotive letting off steam. Mr. Bassum himself rounded off the little show. “Ding, dong, ding, dong,” he said, hopefully. Bolenciecwcz was staring at the floor now, trying to think, his great brow furrowed, his huge hands rubbing together, his face red.
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● 题目问得如此之浅，而学生仍旧答不出来。班上虽然大家不开口，但是人人都有点不安的骚动。
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● Choo-choo-choo：火车的声音。教授模仿了这种声音，自己觉得不好意思，脸上立刻绯红。
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● appealingly：请求（帮助）地。教授没有办法了，且看同学中有没有人能够打开这个僵局。
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● shared Mr. Bassum’s desire：同具此感。教授的尊称用Mr.在美国大学里是很普通的。通常美国各大学的概况里课程名称与内容一章，对于授课教员一律称之为Mr.，不管他的身份是教授或副教授。stayed abreast of：跟得上；不留级。
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● the Illinois game：大概是和University of Illinois比赛的一场足球赛。the season：足球季节；美国通常是在秋季。only a week off：还有一个星期就要比球了，假如此君这个题目答不上来，校队就要少一员大将。
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● Toot, toot…：这个声音更像火车了。encouragingly：以鼓励的眼光看他。
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● letting off steam：火车头排气的声音。
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● the little show：上课成了口技表演了。rounded off：使圆满结束。
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● Ding, dong：火车站的钟声。hopefully：期待地（这下子他总该答得出来了）。
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● great和huge二字表示其人的魁梧。brow furrowed：蹙额。
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“How did you come to college this year, Mr. Bolenciewcz?” asked the professor. “Chuffa chuffa, chuffa chuffa.”
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“M’father sent me,” said the football player.
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“What on?” asked Bassum.
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“I git an ‘lowance,” said the tackle, in a low, husky voice, obviously embarrassed.
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