Chapter Nine: Learning to Learn

“Today’s study task is as simple as basketball training: read the first junior high physics textbook from cover to cover, word by word,” Lin Lang said to Lin Nan, who was seated across the desk.

“Knowledge is like a great tree. Its roots are the foundation, extending in all directions underground, constantly drawing nutrients from the soil to feed the trunk above. Only when these roots grow strong and deep can the trunk become thick and tall, flourishing ever more under the sun and rain.”

“The roots are invisible, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist; in fact, they are the most important. For the tree, the roots often prove more reliable than the sun and rain outside. External factors are unpredictable and uncontrollable, but the roots belong to you—they are real and cannot deceive.”

Lin Lang’s simple words captivated Lin Nan, who listened intently. Yet, he wondered, what does this have to do with learning?

Seeing the slight confusion on Lin Nan’s face, Lin Lang continued, “When you do physics and chemistry problems, have you ever noticed that most of the knowledge points are clear and definite, but there’s always one small point you’re unsure about, which makes the whole solution and answer uncertain?”

Lin Lang’s words struck right at Lin Nan’s heart, and surely at many students’. Indeed, after every exam, the mistakes always stemmed from those moments of hesitation. He tried to memorize the errors each time, but by the next exam, he had forgotten, or couldn’t recognize them after the slightest change.

Lin Lang went on, “But you don’t feel this way in math exams, do you? It’s either you totally don’t know the problem, or you make careless mistakes.”

Lin Nan nodded.

After every math exam, he always finished with confidence, believing he’d get a perfect score. Only rarely did he encounter a final question with no clue how to solve it. More often, though, the results revealed points lost to carelessness—one or two at a time.

Lin Nan loved math. He listened intently to every lesson, and the humorous teaching style of his math teacher kept him from ever drifting off.

But physics and chemistry were different; sometimes he would daydream, his mind wandering. Perhaps those uncertain points of knowledge were missed in those moments.

As for language and English classes, daydreaming had become routine.

Lin Lang finally smiled and said, “So, from today our task is to build a foundation—a solid one, so we won’t fear any difficult problems or challenges. Now start reading the first junior high physics book, word by word. If you don’t understand something, look it up on the computer.”

With that, Lin Lang left the study to read the newspaper in the living room, leaving Lin Nan alone to dive into the ocean of knowledge.

Opening the first page of the physics textbook, Lin Nan felt something different this time.

The title page: A Journey in Science.

On a sunny beach, a child played carefree. Sometimes he gazed at the sea, sometimes he bent down to pick something from the sand. Suddenly, he ran to the side and picked up a smooth pebble; then he ran to another spot and found a beautiful shell...

Holding colorful pebbles and pretty shells, the child looked out at the vast sea, wondering what world lay hidden in its surging waves. Maybe the stones beneath the sea were even prettier, maybe...

At this, Lin Nan thought of the car engine and lightbulb he had discussed with his father recently—are they not pebbles or shells as well?

He continued reading, word by word.

Yes, what kind of world is the ocean? We need to discover it. Physics is an ocean of knowledge, and it needs us to explore. In this exploration, aren’t we just like the child above? We find beautiful pebbles and shells and rejoice...

For the first time, Lin Nan realized that reading a physics textbook could be so interesting. How had he never noticed such a fascinating introduction before?

He read on, discovering Newton’s law of universal gravitation and Galileo’s research on pendulums...

Seeing these physicists from over three hundred years ago, Lin Nan felt admiration and curiosity; anyone featured in a textbook must surely be worthy of respect.

Take Newton, for example. Lin Nan had heard his name often since he was very young, but what kind of person was he really?

A sudden surge of curiosity prompted Lin Nan to turn on the computer and search for Newton.

The first thing he saw was a list of distinguished titles:

Physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, father of modern physics...

Lin Nan thought, such a great scientist—he must have been a prodigy as a child!

He recalled back in first grade, when the teacher asked the class, “Children, what are your dreams?” Most of the class eagerly replied, “Scientist!”

It was only now that Lin Nan understood how difficult it was to become a scientist.

Scrolling down with the mouse, Lin Nan found Newton’s biography.

He discovered that young Newton was not a child prodigy; his grades were average, but he loved to read, especially books about building simple mechanical models. Inspired, he crafted various odd gadgets himself: windmills, wooden clocks, collapsible lanterns, and more.

Legend has it that after mastering the mechanics of windmills, Newton built a model mill. He tied a mouse to a wheeled treadmill, placing a kernel of corn just out of reach. The mouse, trying to reach the corn, ran tirelessly, turning the wheel.

Once, while flying a kite, Newton hung a small lantern from the string, and at night villagers thought a comet had appeared.

He also made a small water clock that dripped water onto his face every morning to wake him up.

Newton enjoyed painting and sculpture, especially carving sundials. He placed his sundials all around the house, on corners and windowsills, to observe the movement of the sun’s shadow.

At this, Lin Nan pictured a child who loved tinkering and thinking, creating windmills, kites, water clocks, sundials—a wondrous and magical scene.

“Sundial!” That’s right, what exactly is it? And how is the word pronounced?

Lin Nan continued searching online...

And so, Lin Nan kept reading the physics textbook, though slowly, as he encountered many points that sparked his curiosity or confusion, patiently searching for answers online.

Some things became clear with a single search; others remained vague despite explanations.

But this didn’t dampen Lin Nan’s interest in physics. He looked up everything he didn’t understand, and if he still couldn’t figure it out, he’d run to the living room to ask his father.

Remarkably, Lin Lang could always answer his questions in plain, understandable language, making Lin Nan admire his father ever more.

Time slipped quietly by. Lin Nan stayed in the study from 8:30 until noon, until Lin Lang called him out for lunch.

It’s hard to imagine a thirteen-year-old boy studying for so long, and the sole reason was simply interest.

Interest is the best teacher for a child, and Lin Lang had truly succeeded with Lin Nan.

After lunch, Lin Lang told Lin Nan to take a good nap. Thirteen is the age for growing, and a restful nap is simply delightful.

After Lin Nan had fallen asleep, Lin Lang himself went to his room to rest.

Around two o’clock, Lin Lang woke up to find Lin Nan already back in the study, earnestly reading the textbook and staring at the computer screen.

Lin Lang smiled with satisfaction.

Perhaps Lin Nan was motivated to win the bet for his father’s sake, or maybe Lin Lang’s method had genuinely sparked his interest in learning.

Either way, in just two or three days, Lin Lang’s initial education of Lin Nan was complete.

Confidence, persistence, and self-directed learning—the three qualities most vital in youth—had begun to take root in Lin Nan, worthy of Lin Lang’s reputation as a top teacher.

An afternoon of autonomous study drifted by quietly. At four-thirty, Lin Lang walked to the study and found Lin Nan deep in thought over his textbook.

“Let’s go, time to play basketball!” The passionate call instantly pulled Lin Nan from his sea of knowledge.

He put down his textbook and ran out—boys always prefer sports.

In a flash, he changed into his gear and sneakers, and Lin Lang led him to the QS County Sports Plaza.

The basketball court at QS County Sports Plaza was crowded every day. Unlike Lingnan Park, here most players were middle-aged, forty or fifty, even some elderly men in their sixties and seventies who loved sports and basketball.

Compared to the pure schoolyard games, this place would help Lin Nan’s basketball skills grow.

That day, Lin Nan played against Li Feng. On the surface, it seemed Lin Nan held his own, but Lin Lang knew Li Feng had gone easy on him.

Many subtle “tricks” in offense and defense were left unused by Li Feng—perhaps because Lin Nan was a beginner, Li Feng simply played with skill.

Arriving at the edge of the Sports Plaza court, Lin Lang immediately spotted a middle-aged man in a white jersey on the offensive.

He was guarded by a young man in his thirties. The middle-aged man protected the ball with his left hand, dribbled forward with his right. When the younger man tried to defend closely, the middle-aged man used his strong, forceful left arm to block him perfectly. The block was so well-placed it looked like a normal move; you couldn’t call it a foul. Thus, the man easily drove to the basket and scored off the glass.

Every profession has its secrets and tricks. Newcomers might not understand, but veterans know these are the first things you must learn.

Basketball is no exception. As a competitive sport, it has rules, but also “techniques” on the edge of the rules. You might call them shortcuts and choose not to use them, but you must understand and master them if you want to progress in basketball.

Now, the QS County Sports Plaza basketball court was the perfect place for Lin Nan to learn these lessons.