Mark Twain was asked one day if he could remember the first money he ever earned(挣得). He thought a long time before answering，and then said,"Yes, it was at school. I can remember everything about it. Schoolboys in those days didn't respect(尊敬)their teachers and didn't take good care of their desks and chairs. They often used knives to cut words or something on them. But if they did so, they would be beaten(被打)in front of the whole school, or would have to pay five dollars(美元)to the school. "

"One day I did such a thing and I had to ask my father what to choose, to be beaten or to pay five dollars. My father said it would be too bad to lose face in front of the whole school, so he decided to give me five dollars to hand over to the teacher. But before giving me the money，he took me to his room and gave me a good beating. But because I had one beating and got used to(习惯)it, I decided I would take another beating at school and keep the five dollars. So that was the first money I ever earned. "