I have just received a letter from my old school, informing me that my former headmaster, Mr. Stuart Page, will be retiring next week. Pupils of the school, old and new, will be sending him a present to mark the occasion. All those who have contributed towards the gift will sign their names in a large album which will be sent to the headmaster's home.

我收到一封母校的來信，告訴我，我的前校長，斯圖亞特·佩奇先生，下周就退休了。學(xué)校里的師生，老的和新的，將送他一件禮物。所有湊錢買禮物的人都會(huì)把他們的名字簽署在一張大的簽名簿上，然后送去校長家里。

We shall all remember Mr. Page for his patience and understanding and for the kindly encouragement he gave us when we went so unwillingly to school. A great many former pupils will be attending a farewell dinner in his honour next Thursday.

我們都記得佩奇先生的耐心和理解，和在我們不想去學(xué)校的時(shí)候給與我們善意的鼓勵(lì)。好多老師生將會(huì)在下周四參加紀(jì)念他的告別晚宴。

It is a curious coincidence that the day before his retirement, Mr. Page will have been teaching for a total of forty years. After he has retired, he will devote himself to gardening. For him, this will be an entirely new hobby. But this does not matter, for, as he has often remarked, one is never too old to learn.

佩奇先生退休前的那一天正好是他教學(xué)40年的紀(jì)念日。在他退休后，他將致力于做一名園丁。對(duì)于他來說，這是一個(gè)全新的愛好。但是這都不重要，正如他經(jīng)常說的那樣，人要活到老學(xué)到老。