问题描述:
AladyinanoldcottondressandherhusbanddressedinanoldsuitsteppedoffthetraininBostonandwalkedintothepresidentofHarvard’souteroffice.ThesecretarycouldtellinamomentthatsuchcountrypeoplehadnobusinessatHarvard.Shefrowned(皱眉).“Wewanttoseethepresident”themansaidsoftly.“He’llbebusyallday”thesecretarysaidcoldly.“We’llwait”theladyreplied.
Forhoursthesecretarydidn’ttalktothemhopingthatthecouplewouldfinallybecometiredandgoaway.Theydidn’t.Andthesecretaryfinallydecidedtodisturbthepresident.“Maybeiftheyjustseeyouforafewminutesthey’llleave”shetoldhim.Hefrownedtoo.Someoneofhisimportanceobviouslydidn’thavethetimetospendwiththem.
Thepresidentwalkedtowardthemunwillingly.Theladytoldhim“WehadasonthatattendedHarvardforoneyear.HelovedHarvardandwasveryhappyhere.Buthewasaccidentallykilled.AndmyhusbandandIwouldliketosetupamemorial(纪念碑)tohimsomewhereoncampus.”Thepresidentwassosurprisedthatheshoutedsharply“Wecan’tputupastatue(塑像)foreverypersonwhoattendedHarvardanddied.Thisplacewouldlooklikeacemetery(墓地).
“Ohno”theladyexplained“Wedon’twanttobuildastatue.WethoughtwewouldgiveabuildingtoHarvard.”Thepresidentrolledhiseyes.Heglancedattheirplainclothesandsaidwithsurprise“Abuilding!Doyouhaveanyideahowmuchabuildingcosts?WehaveoversevenandahalfmilliondollarsinthephysicalbuildingshereatHarvard.”
Foramomenttheladywassilent.Thepresidentwaspleased.Hecouldgetridofthemnow.Theladyturnedtoherhusbandandsaidquietly.“Isthatallitcoststostartauniversity?Whydon'twejuststartourown?”Herhusbandnodded.Mr.andMrs.LelandStanfordwalkedawaytravelingtoPaloAltoCaliforniawheretheysetuptheuniversitywiththeirnameStanfordUniversityamemorialtoasonthatHarvardnolongercaredabout.
小题1:WhatdidtheoldcouplegotoHarvardfor?