I have just received a letter from my old school, informing me that my former headmaster, Mr. Stuart Page, will be retiring next week. Pupils of the school, old and new, will be sending him a present to mark the occasion. All those who have contributed towards the gift will sign their names in a large album which will be sent to the headmaster's home. We shall all remember Mr. Page for his patience and understanding and for the kindly encouragement he gave us when we went so unwillingly to school. A great many former pupils will be attending a farewell dinner in his honour next Thursday. It is a curious coincidence that the day before his retirement, Mr. Page will have been teaching for a total of forty years. After he has retired, he will devote himself to gardening. For him, this will be an entirely new hobby. But this does not matter, for, as he has often remarked, one is never too old to learn.
參考譯文
我剛剛收到母校的一封信，通知我説以前的校長斯圖亞特.佩奇先生下星期就退休了。為了紀念這個日子，學校的學生——無論老同學還是新同學——將送他一件禮物。所有湊錢買此禮品的人都將自己的名字簽在一本大簽名簿上，簽名簿將被送到校長的家裏。我們不會忘記佩奇先生對我們既有耐心又充滿理解，也不會忘記在我們不願去上學時他給予我們的`親切鼓勵。很多老同學都準備參加下星期四為他舉行的告別宴會。佩奇先生退休的前一天正好是他執教滿40年的日子，這真是奇妙的巧合。他退休後，將致力於園藝。對於他來説，這將是一種全新的愛好。但這沒有關係，因為正如他常説的那樣，人要活到老學到老。
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