.“我遲疑不決地選了壹管藍色顏料，然後小心翼翼地在雪白的底子上的畫上蠶豆般大小的壹筆。就在這時，我聽到車道上傳來壹輛汽車的聲音，於是壹份耕耘，壹份收獲答案只是參考，請大家努力自學驚恐地丟下我的畫筆。當我看清是誰從汽車裏走出來時，更是驚慌失措。來者正是住在附近的著名畫家約翰?萊佛利爵士的妻子。
."‘在畫畫呢!’她大聲說道。 ‘多麽有趣。可妳還在等什麽呢? 把畫筆給我---大的那支。 ’她猛地用筆蘸起顏料，還沒等我緩過神來，她已經揮筆潑墨在驚恐不已的畫布上畫下了有力的幾道藍色。誰都看得出畫布無法回擊。我不再遲疑。我抓起那支最大的畫筆，迅猛異常地向我可憐的犧牲品撲了過去。自那以後，我再也不曾害怕過畫布。 ”
"Very hesitantly I selected a tube of blue paint, and with infiniteprecaution made a mark about as big as a bean on the snow-white field. At thatmoment I heard the sound of a motorcar in the drive and threw down my brush ina panic. I was even more alarmed when I saw who stepped from the car: the wifeof Sir John Lavery, the celebrated painter who lived nearby
"'Painting!' she declared. 'What fun. But what are you waiting for?Let me have the brush — the big one.' She plunged intothe paints and before I knew it, she had swept several fierce strokes andslashes of blue on the absolutely terrified canvas. Anyone could see it couldnot hit back. I hesitated no more. I seized the largest brush and fell upon mywretched victim with wild fury. I have never felt any fear of a canvas since
U2
這種對於勤奮的信念是促成亞洲學生成績突出的三大要素中的第壹個。它來源於亞洲人***同的儒教傳統?即公元前5世紀那位中國聖人的哲學思想?他的教義對中國社會產生了深遠的影響。孔夫子的主要教義之壹是?人們通過努力能夠完善自我。
儒教也為亞洲人的成功提供了另壹個要素。在孔夫子的哲學中?家庭起著最重要的作用----這種定向引導人們為家庭的榮譽而學習工作?而不僅僅是為了他們自己。壹個人永遠無法報答他的父母?而且在亞洲人中間還有壹種責任感、乃至負罪感?這是壹種如同新教哲學在西方壹樣的強大力量。
Thisbelief in hard work is the first of three main factors contributing to Asianstudents' outstanding performance. It springs from Asians' common heritage ofConfucianism, the philosophy of the 5th-century-BC Chinese sage whose teachingshave had a profound influence on Chinese society. One of Confucius's primaryteachings is that through effort, people can perfect themselves.
Confucianismprovides another important ingredient in the Asians' success as well. InConfucian philosophy, the family plays a central role — an orientation that leads people to work for the honor of the family, notjust for themselves. One can never repay one's parents, and there's a sense ofobligation or even guilt that is as strong a force among Asians as Protestantphilosophy is in the West.
U3
我遇到的第壹位文化翻譯是壹位設備安裝工程師?名叫喬治?他在壹家我擔任國際業務部主任的美國公司裏工作。這家公司剛同壹家日本商社開辦了壹家合資企業?美方管理部門需要有人在它的獨特技術方面培訓日本雇員。喬治對設備及其安裝和使用的透徹了解使他成為最能勝任這項工作的雇員?所以當喬治接受了暫時調往日本的壹份兩年期合同時?大家都很高興。
從壹開始?喬治就被所有的日本雇員欣然接受。日方經理通常不信任任何被派去代表美方業主的人?但喬治生性隨和?沒有人把他看作是對自己職業的壹種威脅。所以他們喜歡就廣泛的各類問題征求他的意見?包括大洋彼岸他們的合作夥伴的古怪行為。公司上下的工程師們都珍視喬治的專業知識和他友好而技能熟練的幫助?他們已養成了壹有問題----任何問題?就找他幫忙的習慣。辦公室裏的秘書們都熱衷於幫助這個討人喜歡的單身漢學習日語。
Thefirst cultural translator I ever met was an installation engineer, George byname, who worked for an American company where I was the director ofinternational operations. The company had just started a joint venture with aJapanese firm, and the American management needed someone to train the Japaneseemployees in its unique technology. George's solid understanding of theequipment, its installation and use made him the best-qualified employee forthe job, so everyone was happy when George accepted a two-year contract fortemporary transfer to Japan.
Fromthe start, George was well accepted by all the Japanese employees. Japanesemanagers often distrust anyone sent to represent US owners, but George was sonaturally nonassertive that no one could see him as a threat to their careers.So they felt comfortable asking his advice on a wide range of matters,including the odd behavior of their partners across the ocean. Engineersthroughout the company appreciated George's expertise and his friendly andcapable help, and they got into the habit of turning to him whenever they had aproblem — any problem. And the secretaries in the office wereeager to help this nice bachelor learn Japanese.
U4
失敗從來就不是什麽令人愉快的事情。它讓成年人和孩子同樣傷心。然而?壹旦妳學會了去利用失敗?它就能對妳的生活起到積極的作用。第壹步是要問?“我為什麽失敗了?”要抵制責怪別人的本能沖動?問問自己做錯了什麽?如何才能改正。如果別人能夠給予幫助?那就不要羞於詢問。
Failureis never pleasant. It hurts adults and children alike. But it can make apositive contribution to your life once you learn to use it. Step one is toask, "Why did I fail?" Resist the natural impulse to blame someoneelse. Ask yourself what you did wrong, how you can improve. If someone else canhelp, don't be shy about inquiring.
成功鼓勵人們重復過去的行為?因而遠不及失敗這個老師來得好。妳可以從壹次極糟的晚會中學會如何舉辦壹次成功的晚會?從第壹次不當的選房中學到下次選房時要註意些什麽。即使壹次看似徹底的失敗也能激發新的思路?引起方向的改變。
Success,which encourages repetition of old behavior, is not nearly as good a teacher asfailure. You can learn from a disastrous party how to give a good one, from anill-chosen first house what to look for in a second. Even a failure that seemstotal can prompt fresh thinking, a change of direction.
U5
要做到工作學習兩不誤很困難。“我要壹直熬夜學習?每天壹大早又要去上班。我上課時很難集中思想?上班時也很難受?因為我實在太累了?”她說。不過她第壹學期最後還是得了兩個A。
普麗西拉決定攻讀考古專業?並在1992年夏天獲得了檢驗自己對這壹學科興趣的第壹個機會。華盛頓州立大學的野外考古中心正在發起壹個夏季研究項目?發掘位於華盛頓州斯內克河邊的壹個遺址。普麗西拉全力投入這項工作?給項目管理人留下了深刻印象。夏季結束時?有壹個教授給她提供了壹份工作。“他說?‘我們剛拿到北達科他州壹個項目的合同。如果妳願意休學壹個學期?我們就聘用妳。’”這份工作偏離了普麗西拉要獲得學士學位的追求。“但那時我已不再懷疑我最終會完成學業?所以很坦然地抓住了這次機會?”她說。
Balancingwork and school was difficult. "I was staying up late studying, and goingto work early every morning. I was having a hard time concentrating in class,and a hard time on the job because I was so tired," she says. But sheended up with two A's in her first semester anyway.
Priscilladecided to pursue an archaeology major, and in the summer of 1992, she got herfirst opportunity to really test out her interest in the subject. Thearchaeological field school of Washington State University was sponsoring a summerresearch project at a site alongside the Snake River in Washington. Priscilla threw herself into thework, and the project supervisors were impressed. At the end of the summer, oneof the professors offered her a job. "He said,‘We just got a contract for a project in North Dakota. We want to hire you if you'rewilling to take a semester off from school.'" The offer was a diversionfrom Priscilla's pursuit of her BA. "But by then I no longer doubted thatI would ultimately finish school, so I felt comfortable grabbing thisopportunity," she says.
U6
他被稱為“活著的最有才華的人”?“20世紀後期最偉大的天才”?以及“愛因斯坦的傳人”。因《時間簡史》壹書而聞名遐邇為眾人所知的斯蒂芬?霍金是壹個多重意義上的明星科學家。霍金擅長於用壹種非科學工作者樂於接受的文體揭示宇宙的奧秘?這種天賦使他聲譽鵲起?也使他的書在英國和美國都成了暢銷書。該書因在《星期日泰晤士報》十大暢銷書名單上持續了184周?並在全世界銷售了500多萬冊而在《吉尼斯世界紀錄大全》上贏得了壹席之地──對壹本科學書籍來說?這簡直是前所未聞的成功。
這壹切是如何發生的呢？壹個幾乎全身癱瘓通過電腦說話的人只能是如何克服這些令人難以置信的障礙?獲得了遠遠超過大多數人所夢想過的成就的呢？?
He hasbeen proclaimed "the finest mind alive", "the greatest genius ofthe late 20th century", and "Einstein's heir". Known tomillions, far and wide, for his book A Brief History of Time, Stephen Hawkingis a star scientist in more ways than one. His gift for revealing the mysteriesof the universe in a style that non-scientists can enjoy made Hawking aninstant celebrity and his book a bestseller in both Britainand America.It has earned a place in the Guinness Book of Records for spending 184 weeks inThe Sunday Times "top-ten" lists, and has sold more than five millioncopies worldwide — virtually unheard-of successfor a science book.
How didall this happen? How has a man who is almost completely paralysed and unable tospeak except through a computer overcome these incredible obstacles andachieved far more than most people ever dream of?