学弈
Two ways of learning
Read, find evidence, and explain in your own words.
Read
弈秋，通国之善弈者也。使弈秋诲二人弈，其一人专心致志，惟弈秋之为听；
Yi Qiu was the finest player of the board game Go in the country. He was asked to teach two people. One gave his full attention, listening only to Yi Qiu’s instruction.
一人虽听之，一心以为有鸿鹄将至，思援弓缴而射之。虽与之俱学，弗若之矣。
The other listened but kept imagining that a large bird was about to arrive and thinking of drawing a bow with a corded arrow to shoot it. Though learning alongside the first pupil, he did not do as well.
为是其智弗若与？曰：非然也。
Was this because he was less intelligent? The answer is: that was not the reason.
Explore the text
节选自《孟子·告子上》。弈是下围棋，诲是教导，俱是一起，弗是不。弓缴的缴读浊的音，指带丝绳的箭；句末的与读余的音，表示疑问。
An excerpt from Mencius, Gaozi I. Yi means play Go; hui means teach; ju means together; fu means not. In gong zhuo, zhuo is a cord attached to an arrow. The final yu is a question particle.
孟子在这个故事里比较两人的注意力，否定了智力较差这个解释。它不是一次考试给人贴标签的理由。试着选一件小事专心做一会儿，再休息，看看什么环境能帮到你。
Mencius contrasts the pupils’ attention and rejects lower intelligence as the explanation in this story. It is not a reason to label someone after one test. Try focusing on one small task, then take a break and notice which surroundings help you.
Words to practise
弈学专心志