2. Napoleon was ill

Jack had gone to the university to study history, but at the end of his first year, his history professor failed1 him in his examinations, and he was told that he would have to leave the university.

However, his father decided that he would go to see the professor to urge2 him to let Jack continue his studies the following year.

He's a good boy, said Jack's father, "and if you let him pass this time, I'm sure he'll improve3 a lot next year and pass the examinations at the end of it really well."

No, no, that's quite impossible, replied the professor immediately. "Do you know, last month I asked him when Napoleon had died, he didn't know!"

Please, sir, give him another chance, said Jack's father. "You see, I'm afraid we don't take any newspaper in our house, so none of us even know that Napoleon was ill."

Notes:

1. fail 失败，使……不及格

2. urge 怂恿

3. improve 提高

拿破仑病了

杰克到一所大学去学历史。第一学期结束时，历史课教授没让他及格。他被告知将要退学。

然而，杰克的父亲决定去见教授，强烈要求让杰克继续来年的学业。

“他是个好孩子”，杰克的父亲说，“您要是让他这次及格，我相信他明年会有很大进步，学期结束时，他一定会考好的。”

“不，不，那不可能”，教授马上回答。“你知道吗？上个月我问他拿破仑什么时候死的，他都不知道。”

“先生，请再给他一次机会吧。”杰克的父亲说：“你不知道，恐怕是因为我们家没有订报纸。我们家的人连拿破仑病了都不知道。”

Useful link:

1821年5月5日，被流放到南大西洋圣赫勒拿岛上的拿破仑与世长辞，法国当局随后宣称他死于“心血管疾病”。