There was an English schoolmaster in the neighbourhood, whom Alan's parents employed to coach Alan for the Common Entrance examination, who found himself plied with questions about science. In March 1925, back at school, Alan wrote:

邻居有一位英国校长，艾伦的父母请他来辅导艾伦的普通入学考试。但现在的艾伦，却已经完全陷入了科学的世界。1925年3月，艾伦回到学校时写道：

I came out in the same place in Common Entrance* this term as last with 53% average. I got 69% in French.

我这学期的普通入学考试注，和上次名次一样，平均分53%，法语考了69%。

But it was the chemistry that mattered:

他真正关心的还是化学：

I wonder whether I could get an earthenware retort anywhere for some high-heat actions. I have been trying to learn some Organic Chemistry, when I began if I saw something like this

我想知道去哪能找到一个陶瓷容器，这样我就能研究高热反应了。我已经试着学了一些有机化学，比如这样的东西：

H(CH2)17CO2H(CH2)2C

H(CH2)17CO2H(CH2)2C

I would try and work it out like this C21H40O2 which might be all sorts of things it is a kind of oil. I find the Graphic formulae help too, thus Alcohol is

我知道这种C21H40O2也许是一种油。我还发现，有一种形象的公式非常有用，比如说酒精是：

while Methyl ether HCH2 O CH2H or C2H6O you see they shew the molecular arrangement.

甲基乙醚是你看，这样就能看出它们的分子结构。