Jack had gone to the university to study history，but at the end of the first year，his history professor failed him in his examinations，and he was told that he would have to leave the university.However，his father decided that he would go to see the professor to urge him to let Jack continue his studies the following year.
“He's a good boy.”said Jack's father，“and if you let him pass this time，I'm sure he'll improve a lot next year and pass the examinations at the end of it.”
“No，no，that's quite impossible.”replied the professor immediately.“Do you know，last month I asked him when Napoleon had died，and he didn't know！”
“Please，sir，give him another chance.”said Jack's father.“you see，I'm afraid we don't take any newspapers in our house，so none of us even know that Napoleon was ill.”
杰克到一所大学去学历史。第一学年结束时，历史课教授没让他及格。学校让他退学。然而，杰克的父亲决定去见教授，强烈要求让杰克继续来年的学业。
“他是个好孩子，”杰克的父亲说：“您要是让他这次及格，我相信他明年会有很大进步，学年结束时，他一定会考好的。”
“不，不，那是不可能的，”教授马上回答。“你知道吗？上个月我问他拿破仑什么时候死的，他都不知道！”
“先生，请再给他一次机会吧。”杰克的父亲说：“你知道，恐怕是因为我们家没有订报纸，我们家的人连拿破仑病了都不知道。”
1.professor n.教授
E.g.His father is a professor at this university.
他父亲是这所大学的教授。
2.Continue
vi.（1）继续，延续，延伸：
例句：After a short break the play continued.
经过短暂的休息以后，戏继续上演。
（2）持续：
例句：The strike continued for several days.
罢工持续了几天之久。
vt.（1）使持续，使持久；保持；保留：
例句：If their present policy is continued，I am afraid that war is inevitable.
如果他们目前的政策持续不变的话，恐怕战争就不可避免了。
（2）继续说，接着说：
例句：He continued that he never thought that the chief engineer himself would come.
他接着说他从来没想到总工程师会亲自来。
3.following adj.下列的，接下来的
E.g.The following day，the patient asked for a bedside telephone.
第二天，这个病人要了一个床头电话机。
4.pass v.通过（考试，关卡等），经过
E.g.If you want to pass the difficult physics exam，you have to work very hard.
如果你想通过这很难的物理考试的话，你必须认真学习。
5.improve v.改善，改进，提高
E.g.This is not good enough.I want to improve it.
这还不够好，我要加以改进。
6.even adv.甚至，即使
E.g.Even now it is not too late.
就是现在也不太迟。
at the end of……在……的末尾
E.g.At the end of the competition，the champion thanked all the people supporting her.
比赛最后，冠军感谢所有她的支持者。
fail sb.使某人不及格
E.g.The teachers failed me on the written composition.
老师们评我的笔头作文不及格。
3.urge sb.to do sth.督促某人做某事，劝某人做某事
E.g.She urged him to stay.
她力劝他留下。