The measure of man's real character is
what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.
—Thomas Macaulay Some thirty years
ago, I was studying in a public school in New York. One day, Mrs. Nanette
O'Neill gave an arithmetic{{U}} (36) {{/U}}to our class. When the papers
were{{U}} (37) {{/U}}she discovered that twelve boys had made exactly
the{{U}} (38) {{/U}}mistakes throughout the test. There
is nothing really new about{{U}} (39) {{/U}}in exams. Perhaps that was
why Mrs. O'Neill{{U}} (40) {{/U}}even say a word about it. She only
asked the twelve boys to{{U}} (41) {{/U}}after class. I was one of the
twelve. Mrs O'Neill asked{{U}} (42) {{/U}}questions, and
she didn't{{U}} (43) {{/U}}us either. Instead, she wrote on the
blackboard the{{U}} (44) {{/U}}words by Thomas Macaulay. She then
ordered us to{{U}} (45) {{/U}}these words into our exercise-books one
hundred times. I don't{{U}} (46) {{/U}}about the other
eleven boys. Speaking for{{U}} (47) {{/U}}I can say. it was the most
important single{{U}} (48) {{/U}}of my life. Thirty years after being{{U}}
(49) {{/U}}to Macaulay's words, they{{U}} (50) {{/U}}seem to
me the best yardstick(准绳), because they give us a{{U}} (51) {{/U}}to
measure ourselves rather than others. {{U}} (52)
{{/U}}of us are asked to make{{U}} (53) {{/U}}decisions about
nations going to war or armies going to battle. But all of us are called{{U}}
(54) {{/U}}daily to make a great many personal decisions.{{U}}
(55) {{/U}}the wallet, found in the street, be put into a pocket{{U}}
(56) {{/U}}turned over to the policeman? Should the{{U}} (57)
{{/U}}change received at the store be forgotten or{{U}} (58) {{/U}}?
Nobody will know except{{U}} (59) {{/U}}. But you have to live with
yourself, and it is always{{U}} (60) {{/U}}to live with someone you
respect.