Honours

I was having a conversation the other day with a friend who is here from another country. I have to assume that they had just learned about the British first degree classification system.

Friend: (out of the blue) Did you get honours in your degree?
Me: Yes... but this isn't really something you ask people socially.
Friend: What class of honours?
Me: A first.
Friend: A first! You don't look like someone who'd get a first!
Me: (tries unsuccessfully not to show my amusement)