The Buzzard and the Math Test

A running start to great heights · 天赋起跑，努力高飞

It was the last math exam before summer. But Scott didn’t worry. He was the best math student in the class, and he never had to work very hard at it. It used to make the other students mad because he never studied, yet he always got the best mark.

As usual, he was the first one done. The next day, a call came to his house and he was asked to go to the school. "But school is over and it’s summertime now!" he thought.

When he arrived at the school, his parents, the math teacher and the principal were there to meet him. "Wow!" he thought. "I must have scored 100 percent on the exam!"

Sure enough, the principal said the meeting was about his math exam. But what he said next left Scott stunned. "You failed," the principal said. "Since you were a little kid, you have found math easy. But now you are at the point where you have taken your talent in math and wasted it. It’s time you learned that you couldn’t just walk into an exam unprepared."

The principal continued, "I was like you when I was a boy. My gift was in science. I didn’t need to study for science at all. I was the class ace. But one day, I failed a big exam. You see this picture? It was given to me by my science teacher that day. This ugly-looking bird is called a buzzard. Read what it says at the bottom."

Scott read it aloud, "Welcome to the Buzzard Club. Remember, it’s not about brains. It’s about hard work."

"A buzzard can only fly if it gets a running start," the principal explained. "It can’t just leap into the air like other birds. But once it’s in the air, it can soar to great heights. Keep this bird in mind. Remember, studying is like that running start. Combined with your natural ability, it will allow you to fly like a bird!"

Scott became a proud member of the Buzzard Club. And he never failed a math exam again.

The Buzzard and the Math Test — A running start to great heights

It was the last math exam before summer. But Scott didn’t worry. He was the best math student in the class, and he never had to work very hard at it. It used to make the other students m(1)__________ because he never studied, yet he always got the best mark.

As usual, he was the first one done. The next day, a call came to his house and he was asked to go to the school. "But school is over and it’s summertime now!" he thought.

When he arrived at the school, his parents, the math teacher and the principal were there to meet him. "Wow!" he thought. "I must have s(2)__________ 100 percent on the exam!"

Sure enough, the principal said the meeting was about his math exam. But what he said next left Scott s(3)__________. "You failed," the principal said. "Since you were a little kid, you have found math easy. But now you are at the point where you have taken your t(4)__________ in math and wasted it. It’s time you learned that you couldn’t just walk into an exam u(5)__________."

The principal continued, "I was like you when I was a boy. My g(6)__________ was in science. I didn’t need to study for science at all. I was the class a(7)__________. But one day, I failed a big exam. You see this picture? It was given to me by my science teacher that day. This ugly-looking bird is called a buzzard. Read what it says at the bottom."

Scott read it aloud, "Welcome to the Buzzard Club. Remember, it’s not about b(8)__________. It’s about hard work."

"A buzzard can only fly if it gets a running start," the principal explained. "It can’t just l(9)__________ into the air like other birds. But once it’s in the air, it can s(10)__________ to great heights. Keep this bird in mind. Remember, studying is like that running start. Combined with your natural ability, it will allow you to fly like a bird!"

Scott became a proud member of the Buzzard Club. And he never failed a math exam again.

📌 重点单词 · Key Vocabulary

🔗 重点词组 · Key Phrases

💡 语法小贴士 · Grammar Tips

🦅 文化拓展 · 笨鸟先飞与"秃鹫俱乐部"

秃鹫（buzzard / vulture）是自然界有名的"笨鸟"：它几乎不会从静止状态直接起飞，必须先助跑一段距离，靠奔跑获得足够升力才能离地。但正因为它飞得高、飞得久，它能凭借上升气流盘旋数小时，在万米高空俯瞰大地——"起飞最难，飞得最远"，这正是校长选这张图当"教具"的用意。

"Buzzard Club（秃鹫俱乐部）"是校长带着自嘲与幽默发明的说法：他也曾考砸过，也"入过会"。把失败变成一个可以笑着加入的俱乐部，而不是一次羞辱，这正是高明教育者的智慧——批评要有分量，但更要给孩子一条走出来的路。

这个故事的道理与中国名句"天才是百分之一的灵感加百分之九十九的汗水"异曲同工。天赋像翅膀，努力像助跑：没有助跑，翅膀再有力也离不了地；没有翅膀，跑得再快也飞不上天。Scott 最后"再也没挂过科"，不是因为他变聪明了，而是他终于愿意开始助跑了。