化学老师鲁藜是古渡中学高一年级43班的班主任。

Lu Li was a chemistry teacher in charge of Class 43, Grade 1, in the Ancient Ferry Crossing High School.

43班新生入学不久，还未教学生们做化学试验，鲁老师就先拿他们做试验品，做了一个古怪的试验。

Soon after the freshmen came to school and before they were taught how to do chemistryexperiments, they were taken as guinea pigs by Mr Lu for an odd experiment.

鲁老师把该班54名学生平均分为3组，每组18人。第一组安排数学老师匡满带队，学生何叶任组长;第二组指定语文老师席君秋带队，学生林立升任组长;第三组则由他自己带队，学生吕布布任组长。按照预先确定的计划，三组学生同时从古渡中学出发，徒步去三个不同的村庄。

Mr Lu divided the 54 students in the class into 3 teams – 18 members on each team. The first team was led by Full Kuang the math teacher with a student Leaf He serving as the team leader; the second team was led by Xi Junqiu the Chinese teacher with a student Lin Lisheng serving as the team leader; the third team was led by Mr Lu himself with a student Cloth Lü serving as the team leader. As scheduled, the three teams needed to start from the Ancient Ferry Crossing High School and walk to three different villages.

第一组出发时，匡老师只叮嘱学生们跟他走，至于去哪儿、有多远都别问。当然，问了也无可奉告。他说到了就到了。

When the first team started off, Mr Kuang only told the students to follow. As to where they should go or how far away they should trudge, they should not enquire. Of course, he wouldn’t answer though they asked. When he said here we are, there they were.

第二组动身前，席老师先告诉学生们，他们要去的地方是通什村，距离古渡中学10公里。

Before the second team hit the road, Mr Xi told the students that they were going to Tongshi Village, which was ten kilometres away from their school.

第三组要走的路程也是10公里，他们的目的地是哈尔盖村。一上路，鲁老师就向学生们讲明了情况。只是：第三组所走的道路，每隔1公里，路旁都竖有1块醒目的里程碑;第二组则不然，路上1块里程碑也没有。

The third team also needed to cover ten kilometres and their destination was Ha’ergai Village. Before they set off, Mr Lu informed the students about this. Moreover, on their way there was an eye-striking milestone every one kilometre but there were no such milestones along the road taken by the second team.

返回学校，进入教室，在座位上一一坐好，学生们都用怪怪的眼光打量鲁老师。鲁老师却满脸微笑地站在讲台前，双手伏着讲台，神秘兮兮地询问各组的试验情况。

After coming back to the school, entering their classroom and sitting down on their respective seats, the students sized Mr Lu up with strange eyes. Mr Lu, standing in front of the teaching desk all smiles and resting his two hands on top of it, asked mysteriously how the experiment had gone on with each respective team.

跟着匡老师，才走约2公里，我们这组就有人叫苦叫累;走到近5公里，不少同学已疲惫不堪;再往前走，多数同学都牢骚满腹、神情沮丧;个别人怒气冲冲，有的干脆蹲在路边等候。当匡老师终于说目的地南曲村到了时，跟在他身后的学生只有了6人!这时，匡老师连连摇头，他告诉我们：从南曲村到学校的距离是10公里呢!第一组组长何叶气喘吁吁地说。

“After following Mr Kuang for barely about two kilometres, some on our team started to moan and groan; after walking for about five kilometres, many classmates were dog-tired; when we trudged further away, most students complained bitterly and felt depressed; one or two among them ranted and raved and several even hunkered down by the road waiting. When Mr Kuang finally saidhere we are at Southern Bend Village, only six of us were behind him! At that time, shaking his head repeatedly, Mr Kuang told us, ‘Southern Bend Village is only ten kilometres from our school!’” Leaf He, the leader of the first team, related while panting.

那——为什么会这样?鲁老师关切地问。

“Then – why did it go like this?” Mr Lu enquired cordially.

因为目的地不明，又不知道有多远的路程，大家感觉都很茫然;一茫然，消极悲观的情绪随之上涌;消极悲观的情绪一上涌，要到达目的地自然就甚难。何叶深思熟虑后回答。

“Because we didn’t know what the destination would be and how long we needed to walk for. Everyone felt puzzled. If you feel puzzled, you are pessimistic; if you’re pessimistic, it’s naturally difficult for you to reach the destination.” Leaf He answered after pondering it over.

说得在理呀!鲁老师直点头。

“Yeah, you got a point!” Mr Lu nodded repeatedly.

那么第二组的情况呢?他把目光投向林立升。

“What about the second team?” he cast his eyes to Lin Lisheng.

我们这组吗?林立升眨了眨眼，情况可比第一组要好!走了大致5公里，才有人叫苦叫累;走到7公里多时，不少同学才表现疲倦;再往前走，我们还能咬紧牙关，艰难迈步。等席老师指点目的地，高喊：快到了，快到了!同学们才昂首挺胸、精神抖擞。好在我们这组没人当逃兵，全部到达了目的地!

“Our team?” Lin Lisheng blinked. “Much better than the first team! Not until we’d walked for about five kilometres did someone start to moan and groan; only after we had covered more thanseven kilometres did some appear tired; though we trudged further away, we could still grit our teeth and drag our feet forward. When Mr Xi, pointing at the destination, shouted loudly, ‘We are almost there, almost there,’ we again spirited up with our heads held high and our chests sticking out. There were no deserters on our team. We all reached the destination!”

为什么没人当逃兵?鲁老师有意追问。

“Why were there no deserters?” Mr Lu shot a prying question intentionally.

因为目的地很明确，行程也十分清楚。总的说来，大家心里有个底。林立升脱口而出。

“Because we knew our destination and journey clearly. Generally speaking, we had an answer in our mind,” Lin Lisheng blurted out.

既然如此，同学们为什么还会感觉劳累、疲惫?鲁老师再问。

“Since it went on like this, why did some still feel exhausted?” Mr Lu queried again.

因为只是走呵走，走了多远?还有多久?路上没有标识，心中没有底数。仍会不时有茫然之感!林立升摸摸后脑勺。

“Because we walked and walked only. For how long we’d walked? And how much more time was needed? We didn’t know. There were no milestones on the way and thus sometimes we felt puzzled!” Lin Lisheng touched the back of his head.

鲁老师首肯。

Mr Lu nodded his agreement.

到第三组了。鲁老师用手指轻轻地敲了敲讲台。

“The third team now.” Mr Lu rapped the teaching desk gently with a finger.

很简单，我们这组沿途有说有笑、精神焕发。大家几乎是身轻如燕、健步似飞地赶到了目的地。吕布布满脸的阳光灿烂。

“Simple and easy. Our team chatted and laughed in high spirits on our way and reached our destination soon, each light-bodied like a swallow and swift-footed as if flying.” Cloth Lü’s face was a ray of sunshine.

鲁老师眼睛一亮：为什么会这样好?

Mr Lu’s eyes brightened up. “Why was it as good as this?”

因为我们的目的地和总行程早已了然于胸。路上还不断地出现里程碑。每走一段路，看到一块里程碑，大家便知道离目的地又近了1公里。心里就又多了一份成就感，精神当然也为之一振!吕布布说得眉飞色舞。

“Because we knew our destination and journey. On our way milestones just kept cropping up. At the sight of one milestone after walking a distance, we knew we were one kilometre nearer and tasted one more helping of happiness from our accomplishment. Certainly our morale is always high!” Cloth Lü was alight with joy.

鲁老师也听得频频颔首。

Mr Lu nodded repeatedly.

这时，终于就有学生憋不住，站起来高声而不解地问：鲁老师，你为什么要做这么个试验?

At this time, one student, unable to hold back, stood up and asked loudly, “Mr Lu, why would you do this experiment?”

问得好!鲁老师扬扬手示意那个同学落座。又意味深长地看看全班学生：同学们，你们不是反复、多次地问我，这高中三年究竟怎么过吗?现在，我已把答案告诉了你们。仔细想想吧!

“A good question!” Mr Lu waved a hand and signalled the student to sit down. Then he gazed meaningfully at the class. “Boys and girls, didn’t you ask me repeatedly how you should pass your three high school years here? Now, I’ve given you my answer. Just think about it!”

同学们茅塞顿开、恍然大悟，一个个高兴地笑了。

Light dawned and all the students smiled heartily.

从此，43班的学生比该校同年级其他班的学生都有锐气。

From then onwards, the students in Class 43 always showed more get-up-and-go than those in the other classes.

3年后的高考，他们也比该校同年级的其他班考得更好。

Three years later in the college entrance examinations, they did better than their schoolmates in the same grade.

很多年过去了。忆起那次特殊的试验，同学们仍然历历在目、心潮澎湃。他们知道，鲁老师总在路上。路上，总有耀眼的里程碑!

Many years passed by. Whenever that special experiment came to their minds, the students still felt it a clear picture and their hearts stirred because they knew Mr Lu was always there; moreover, there were always those eye-striking milestones!