There I spent years working in the gloomy basement of the Physics building while my friends were down on the beach sharpening their volleyball skills.

• 我在那儿的“物理学”研究生楼昏暗的地下室里奋斗了数年,而在那段日子,我的朋友们却在海滩上惬意地磨练着他们的排球技术。