Chris: Hey Sue, how’s the math class going? Are you head of the class?
Susan: Are you kidding? There’s a bunch of foreign students in the class---from China somewhere---and they are on top.
Chris: Why do you think so many Chinese students excel in math? It’s been my observation that the Chinese students are usually the best.
Susan: In class they don’t say much, but they definitely get the best marks.
Chris: I think part of it is their work ethic. They never skip class, and they pay attention.
Susan: One Chinese student in my class did homework each night until the early hours. He never took a break, watched TV, or went out for a beer.
Chris: That’s the secret of their success: hard work and deligence.
Susan: It’s so unfair. I could probably do better if I worked harder, but that’s no fun. I think learning should be more fun.
Chris: Someone with a knowledge of chess would find a chess tournament fascinating. But if you don’t have the knowledge, then you won’t understand the significance of the moves, and you’ll be bored.
Susan: So what you’re saying is knowledge requires hard work, and knowledge makes things interesting. I am not against knowledge; I just want to learn it in an interesting way. What’s more, “All work and noplay makes Jack a dull boy.”
