A teacher teaching Maths to seven-year-old Laiq asked him, “If I give you one apple and one apple and one apple, how many apples will you have?”Within a few seconds Laiq replied confidently, “Four!”

The dismayed teacher was expecting an effortless correct answer (three). She was disappointed. “Maybe the child did not listen properly,” she thought. She repeated, “Laiq, listen carefully. If I give you one apple and one apple and one apple, how many apples will you have?”

Laiq had seen the disappointment on his teacher’s face. He calculated again on his fingers. But within him he was also searching for the answer that will make the teacher happy. His search for the answer was not for the correct one, but the one that will make his teacher happy. This time hesitatingly he replied, “Four…”

The disappointment stayed on the teacher’s face. She remembered that Laiq liked strawberries. She thought maybe he doesn’t like apples and that is making him loose focus. This time with an exaggerated excitement and twinkling in her eyes she asked, “If I give you one strawberry and one strawberry and one strawberry, then how many you will have?”

Seeing the teacher happy, young Laiq calculated on his fingers again. There was no pressure on him, but a little on the teacher. She wanted her new approach to succeed. With a hesitating smile young Laiq enquired, “Three?”

The teacher now had a victorious smile. Her approach had succeeded. She wanted to congratulate herself. But one last thing remained. Once again she asked him, “Now if I give you one apple and one apple and one more apple how many will you have?”

Promptly Laiq answered, “Four!”

The teacher was aghast. “How Laiq, how?” she demanded in a little stern and irritated voice.

In a voice that was low and hesitating young Laiq replied, “Because I already have one apple in my bag.”

“When someone gives you an answer that is different from what you expect don’t think they are wrong. There maybe an angle that you have not understood at all. You will have to listen and understand, but never listen with a predetermined notion.”

Well said!
people often fail to understand children, especially if they are not their own.

-
super cool story!
-
And i wish my paper checkers read this story especially the part "“When someone gives you an answer that is different from what you expect don’t think they are wrong. There maybe an angle that you have not understood at all. You will have to listen and understand, but never listen with a predetermined notion.”

__________________
I am a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it .

hmm good boy, n well said azure.

__________________
“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” ― Neale Donald Walsch

i wish my paper check had read it.. he awarded me with zero in essay.. quite ironic!! i mean c'mon Mr. Paper Checker.. zero in an essay paper.. for God's sake give me a break!!!!

Ok if the two of us did not have the same mind set or did not belong to the same school of thought even then disagreeing with someone to an extent that you are awarding her with zero is strange.. In school I was taught that in an argument no one is wrong, but you have to be wise enough to understand the point of view of the other person.. And I am sure honorable Mr. Paper Checker must have spent at least 15-20 years of his life teaching English and checking English papers..

TO my best knowledge I did not even write against any political personality or the dogma of any political party, I did not criticize anything in my paper.. It was balanced and well thought out piece i produced after a tiresome brainstorming of three hours..

Despite all this I am thankful to the Almighty for, this is, I know the best for me.. may be it was not meant for me..

ON a serious note I believe there is a dire need for change in the system of examination and selection for such a highly level recruitment which directly affects course of activities in our country and the future of our nation..

Cheers!

@Lady

Rightly said. Sorry to say our examinaton system and our marking criteria is one of the poorest in the world. Not to speak of students our examiners even have to come of age yet.

__________________
Best end of life is not knowledge but action.
Don't limit yourself to what you think people are expecting!

-

han! zero! wakie? zero! ye kese ho sakta hai!
zero? kuch tou likha ho ga.

Did you consider the option of getting your paper rechecked?
The paper checker might have forgotten to add a digit before that zero!
-
This is really inhumane! Criminal!
The result of 3 hours hard-work is a "zero" !
He didn't think your writing was quite up to the mark, fine! koi marks tou dey sakta tha! 20,25,30! anything. insaniyat bhi koi chez hoti hai.
-
But really, i appreciate your approach towards this whole thing.
OF course, everything(good or bad) is from ALLAH and only HE knows what is best for us.
ALLAH bless you. amen amen

__________________
I am a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it .

@ Azure: thank you

yes I applied for rechecking and according to them there wasn't anything wrong in the system..in other words i deserved a zero

kher hai koi baat nai..ye field nahin to aur sahi aur nahin to aur sahi..

Rizq is from Allah bus source aisa ho jo insan ko mutmain kre..Allah ka kareeb lai na k itni azmaish mai dalay k insan Allah se dur ho jai..

I read somewhere that never ask Allah for authority for you might not be able to bear the responsibility which comes with that authority.. therefore, i appeared in the exam but kept praying to Allah that if I am not capable of handling this authority please do not put me in this trial..and I believe such an approach towards life will make it easy iA..

-
hmmm :|
well according to paper checking rules, you can't challenge the marks that the paper checker has awarded you with. ab chahey paper checker ney neind meyn diye hon marks ! ap usko galat nahe kerh sktey. zulm hai :|
-
Anyhow, all the very best for whatever you do in your life.

__________________
I am a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it .

Lady why don't you think to reappear again, you have availed one attempt,
may be you will get top score in next exam, it happens. Don't get
disappointed, i sympathise with you, it hurts but try again and again,
this failure should further strengthen your resolve to fight back.
I wish you best of luck