The chapter opens with a flashback to the beginning of the novel, when the narrator explains that he was born into a family of scientists and mathematicians, and that his father was the father of the famous mathematician, Jacques Bellin. Bellin's father was one of the most important figures in the history of the French Revolution, and Bellin was the founder of the country's National Intelligence Academy. The chapter ends with the narrator explaining that he is glad that he has been born, because it means that he will not have to worry about the number of students who have failed the research advancement exam in his lifetime. He wishes that he could come to work every day without worrying about the test, because he would rather be working on his speed dial than on the test. The narrator then tells the story of how he came to be a scientist, and how his father taught him how to read and write. He explains that Bellin taught him to read, write, and write well, and to write well enough to be able to compete with the best mathematicians in the world. The story ends with Bellin telling the narrator that the test is a cheat sheet, because the students who pass the test will pass with no questions asked.