AT the beginning of the new term, Sophie checked the course table to discover that this term there would be a new Intensive English professor for her class. Besides, she was also allowed to take the astronomy class. All her roommates thought Sophie was very lucky: their new Intensive English professor was considered the most charming professor in the whole department, and the astronomy class was the most interesting class in the whole school. 

Being very satisfied with the classes, she planed to enjoy them one by one. First the Intensive English Reading class. 

In the first Intensive English Reading class, Sophie met her new professor, Professor Hu. She had been looking forward to see her for a long time. At the day of the first class, the professor had arrived very early in the morning, wearing a plain white shirt. When Sophie saw her, she felt comfortable, as if she had known her long long ago. She enjoyed every word she said and remembered every smile she gave, and was very impressed by her eyes. There was a sly twinkle in them, as clear as the lake. 

After a few classes, Sophie sensed that her professor was very charming. She treated her students like her own child, full of love and kindness. She had been very patient. Class Two was the most silent class, in this class almost every student was very reserved. In class there were few volunteers for the professor’s questions. Sometimes the professor had to wait a long time for the feedback of a single question. However, the professor never lost her temper. She just explained the text word by word very clearly.

 

Sophie had a silent nature. Though she liked musing, she hardly told her thoughts to others. But gradually, in Professor Hu’ s class, she talked more. She liked to look at her professor in the eye and the professor always rewarded her with a smile. She shared with the professor her most cherished feelings in her mind, telling her how she liked the lotus flowers in Xin Kai Lake, and how many dolls she kept in her room…

                               ※

In her class hereafter, the professor asked the students to write an essay. The topic was What is the most important in academic research, interest or determination?

To Sophie, this kind of topic was rather silly and childish. She picked up her pen and began to write: Studying should be interest-centered. Then she listed many excuses for her opinion: interest is the best teacher, if one is interested in what he is studying, then he will do it efficiently, and so on. To her opinion, everything in the reality should be the same as what she hope to be, though she did not quite understand   one could never equal being natural with being at will. As soon as Sophie finished her essay, she handed in to her professor proudly, hoping that the professor met encourage her for her new ideas. All the other students shared the most common opinions, that was, both interest and determination were important in academic research. It was she who had got the most special ideas. But the professor only took a glance at her essay and made no comment. She gave it back to Sophie and turned to the class: “Keep your essays you have just finished. This is the first time you state your opinions formally in English. After a year read your essays again and you will see for yourself how much you have improved.”

Sophie found this opinion very fresh. She used to throw her passages away. She only complained everyone was better off than she was，without stopping to consider her level in the past. Now she has discovered the simplest and the most valuable way to solve this problem. She seemed to understand the simplest knowledge was the most complex. If you want to win others, you must win yourself first.