A Third?

[bornblossom]

I was just reading up on the meaning of a Double First, and I came across a site that mentioned someone from Cambridge getting a Third in the Part Ones. Err...can someone clarify what this is? Does this mean third-class honors in Part One of the tripos examinations?

Can someone translate this (however roughly) in US grading terms? Is a Third still relatively good?

Also, is a Double First the highest you can get for an English lit degree (comparable to summa cum laude, perhaps), awarded when you get Firsts in both Part One and Two of the English examinations?

Confuzzled. Obviously.

Thanks.