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One morning， Sanggat， an eight-year old pupil of mine， knocked on my door； he was here to help me sweep my quarters1！ He noticed some thick books neatly arranged on my reading table.
Curiously he asked， “Sir， what books are these？” I told him that those were books that I needed to study for an important exam so that I might go to university someday. He frowned2 because in a remote area where we were， even a bicycle was unheard of. I tried to explain university to him with the help of pictures that looked like a university campus. At that time， Sarawak did not have a university and the nearest one was across the South China Sea， in Peninsular Malaysia.
He was surprised， “But， sir， you are a teacher. Why study？”
So we sat down and I told him all about this thing called Education and gave him a pep3 talk about his chances of becoming someone great in the future. He took one of my books the thickest one in his hands and upon opening it exclaimed4， “Now， the words are so tiny and there are millions of them. How can you possibly finish reading it？”
I explained to him the importance of learning to read well and to make the best out of the lessons that he was learning at school， and that teachers like me， were specially sent to teach special children like him so that someday they could read great books like the one he was holding. He left my room.
When the other pupils learned that Sanggat always volunteered5 to sweep my room， they wanted to do the same and soon it became an almost daily ritual6 which ended up with me buying more brooms to maximize7 participation. And Sanggat would never fail to show them my books， each time adding a little commentary8 of his own about them in the Iban language.
I did not realize the impact my words had on him until the day I slipped into the river and broke my neck. I was to be paralyzed9 from my shoulders downward for the rest of my life.
I was carried into a speedboat and transported back to civilization. As I lay motionless and exhausted， I noticed that the whole school had gathered by the riverside to bid me farewell. A gaze at their faces told me that I was going to miss them. Then， as the engine of the speedboat started to roar， there was a little commotion10 by the river.
I could see Sanggat making his way to the boat. With tear-filled eyes he approached and in between sobs he asked， “Sir， are you coming back？ Perhaps not？”
Then after a short pause he said， “Sir， if you cannot come back， I’ll see you in the university， ya？” My heart was profoundly touched and as the boat moved away， I realized an important lesson of my own： Teachers must never fail to take time explaining positive lessons to the young ones. Simple and sincere gestures sometimes can have far teaching effects on them and life may never be the same again. It is the small simple pleasures we gather from life that ultimately11 bear great fruits of profound magnitude12. We should watch out for every opportunity we have to assist the young ones towards self-accomplishments.
一天早上，我的一个学生——8岁的桑戈特敲响了我的门，他是来帮我打扫房间的。他注意到有几本厚厚的书整齐地摆在我的书桌上。
他很好奇地问我：“这些书是什么书？”我告诉他这些书是我参加重要的大学入学考试需要看的。他听完之后，皱起了眉头，因为在我们这样一个偏远的地方，连自行车都没有听说过。我借助几张看起来像是大学校园的照片给他解释大学是什么样的。那时沙涝越州还没有大学，最近的一所是在穿过中国南海的马来西亚半岛。
他很吃惊地问道：“但是先生，你是老師，怎么还要学习？”
我们坐下来，我给他讲有关教育的事情，鼓励他将来有机会成为伟大的人。他拿起最厚的一本书，打开一看，惊叫道：“字这么小，有几百万呢，你怎么看得完呢？”
我告诉他，学会读书并且领悟在学校所学课程的精华是很重要的，而且像我这样的老师就是特地被派来教像他这样的特殊学生的，将来有一天，他们也能读像他手上拿的一些大部头的书。他离开了我的房间。
其他学生知道桑戈特经常自愿来帮我打扫房间后，他们也想这样做。于是不久，这几乎成了每天例行的仪式，最后我只有多买些扫帚，使更多的人参与进来。桑戈特总是把我的书拿给他们看，每次都用伊巴语发表一下自己的见解。
我从来没有意识到我的话对他有什么影响，直到有一天我滑进河里，摔断了脖子，肩部以下终生瘫痪。
我被抬进快艇返回城市。当我躺在那儿一动不动、全身疲倦的时候，我注意到全校的学生都聚集到河边来和我道别。看着他们的脸，我就知道我会想念他们的。当快艇的发动机响起来时，河边有一阵小小的骚动。
我看到桑戈特向船走过来，眼里含着泪水。他抽噎着问我：“老师，您还回来吗？还是不回来了？”
过了一会儿他说：“老师，如果您不能回来，我们在大学里相见，好吗？”
我的心被深深地触动了。当船离开时，我自己意识到一个重要的启示：老师必须不忘给学生积极的教育。简单真诚的手势有时会对他们产生深远的影响，他们的生活也会因此而改变。正是我們从生活中得到的点滴的快乐最终结出了丰硕的果实。我们必须抓住每一个机会来帮助年轻人实现自我价值。
Notes：
1. quarter n. [复] 住处；【军】营房 2. frown vi. 皱眉头
3. pep n. [俚] 锐气，劲头，活力 a pep talk 鼓励士气的讲话
4. exclaim vi. & vt. 惊叫；大声说 5. volunteer n. 自愿参加者，自愿者 v. 自愿参加，自愿
6. ritual n. 礼仪；仪式；典礼 7. maximize vt. 使增加（或扩大）到最大限度
8. commentary n. 评论 9. paralyze vt. 使瘫痪；使丧失活动能力
10. commotion n. 混乱；喧闹；骚动 11. ultimately adv. 最后，最终
12. magnitude n. 巨大，庞大；重要，重要性
Curiously he asked， “Sir， what books are these？” I told him that those were books that I needed to study for an important exam so that I might go to university someday. He frowned2 because in a remote area where we were， even a bicycle was unheard of. I tried to explain university to him with the help of pictures that looked like a university campus. At that time， Sarawak did not have a university and the nearest one was across the South China Sea， in Peninsular Malaysia.
He was surprised， “But， sir， you are a teacher. Why study？”
So we sat down and I told him all about this thing called Education and gave him a pep3 talk about his chances of becoming someone great in the future. He took one of my books the thickest one in his hands and upon opening it exclaimed4， “Now， the words are so tiny and there are millions of them. How can you possibly finish reading it？”
I explained to him the importance of learning to read well and to make the best out of the lessons that he was learning at school， and that teachers like me， were specially sent to teach special children like him so that someday they could read great books like the one he was holding. He left my room.
When the other pupils learned that Sanggat always volunteered5 to sweep my room， they wanted to do the same and soon it became an almost daily ritual6 which ended up with me buying more brooms to maximize7 participation. And Sanggat would never fail to show them my books， each time adding a little commentary8 of his own about them in the Iban language.
I did not realize the impact my words had on him until the day I slipped into the river and broke my neck. I was to be paralyzed9 from my shoulders downward for the rest of my life.
I was carried into a speedboat and transported back to civilization. As I lay motionless and exhausted， I noticed that the whole school had gathered by the riverside to bid me farewell. A gaze at their faces told me that I was going to miss them. Then， as the engine of the speedboat started to roar， there was a little commotion10 by the river.
I could see Sanggat making his way to the boat. With tear-filled eyes he approached and in between sobs he asked， “Sir， are you coming back？ Perhaps not？”
Then after a short pause he said， “Sir， if you cannot come back， I’ll see you in the university， ya？” My heart was profoundly touched and as the boat moved away， I realized an important lesson of my own： Teachers must never fail to take time explaining positive lessons to the young ones. Simple and sincere gestures sometimes can have far teaching effects on them and life may never be the same again. It is the small simple pleasures we gather from life that ultimately11 bear great fruits of profound magnitude12. We should watch out for every opportunity we have to assist the young ones towards self-accomplishments.
一天早上，我的一个学生——8岁的桑戈特敲响了我的门，他是来帮我打扫房间的。他注意到有几本厚厚的书整齐地摆在我的书桌上。
他很好奇地问我：“这些书是什么书？”我告诉他这些书是我参加重要的大学入学考试需要看的。他听完之后，皱起了眉头，因为在我们这样一个偏远的地方，连自行车都没有听说过。我借助几张看起来像是大学校园的照片给他解释大学是什么样的。那时沙涝越州还没有大学，最近的一所是在穿过中国南海的马来西亚半岛。
他很吃惊地问道：“但是先生，你是老師，怎么还要学习？”
我们坐下来，我给他讲有关教育的事情，鼓励他将来有机会成为伟大的人。他拿起最厚的一本书，打开一看，惊叫道：“字这么小，有几百万呢，你怎么看得完呢？”
我告诉他，学会读书并且领悟在学校所学课程的精华是很重要的，而且像我这样的老师就是特地被派来教像他这样的特殊学生的，将来有一天，他们也能读像他手上拿的一些大部头的书。他离开了我的房间。
其他学生知道桑戈特经常自愿来帮我打扫房间后，他们也想这样做。于是不久，这几乎成了每天例行的仪式，最后我只有多买些扫帚，使更多的人参与进来。桑戈特总是把我的书拿给他们看，每次都用伊巴语发表一下自己的见解。
我从来没有意识到我的话对他有什么影响，直到有一天我滑进河里，摔断了脖子，肩部以下终生瘫痪。
我被抬进快艇返回城市。当我躺在那儿一动不动、全身疲倦的时候，我注意到全校的学生都聚集到河边来和我道别。看着他们的脸，我就知道我会想念他们的。当快艇的发动机响起来时，河边有一阵小小的骚动。
我看到桑戈特向船走过来，眼里含着泪水。他抽噎着问我：“老师，您还回来吗？还是不回来了？”
过了一会儿他说：“老师，如果您不能回来，我们在大学里相见，好吗？”
我的心被深深地触动了。当船离开时，我自己意识到一个重要的启示：老师必须不忘给学生积极的教育。简单真诚的手势有时会对他们产生深远的影响，他们的生活也会因此而改变。正是我們从生活中得到的点滴的快乐最终结出了丰硕的果实。我们必须抓住每一个机会来帮助年轻人实现自我价值。
Notes：
1. quarter n. [复] 住处；【军】营房 2. frown vi. 皱眉头
3. pep n. [俚] 锐气，劲头，活力 a pep talk 鼓励士气的讲话
4. exclaim vi. & vt. 惊叫；大声说 5. volunteer n. 自愿参加者，自愿者 v. 自愿参加，自愿
6. ritual n. 礼仪；仪式；典礼 7. maximize vt. 使增加（或扩大）到最大限度
8. commentary n. 评论 9. paralyze vt. 使瘫痪；使丧失活动能力
10. commotion n. 混乱；喧闹；骚动 11. ultimately adv. 最后，最终
12. magnitude n. 巨大，庞大；重要，重要性