I know I should have told the headmaster at the time. That was my real 1. He had gone out of the study for some 2, leaving me alone. In his absence I looked to see 3 was on his desk. In the 4 was a small piece of paper on which were written the5 “English Writing Prize: History Is a Series of Biographies(人物传记). ”
A(n)6 boy would have avoided looking at the title as soon as he saw the 7. I did not. The subject of the English Writing Prize was kept a 8 until the start of the exam, so I could not 9 reading it.
When the headmaster 10, I was looking out of the window.
I should have told him what had 11 then. It would have been so 12 to say, “I'm sorry but I 13 the title for the English Writing Prize on your desk. You'll have to 14it. ”
The chance passed and I did not 15 it. I sat the exam the next day and I won. I didn't mean to cheat, but it was still cheating 16.
That was thirty-eight years 17 when I was fifteen. I have never told anyone about it before, nor have I 18 to explain to myself why not.
The obvious explanation is that I could not admit I had seen the title 19 admitting that I had been looking at the things on his desk. 20 there must have been more behind it. Whatever it was, it has become a good example of how a little mistake can trap you in a more serious moral corner(道德困境).