有一种广为流传的说法，许多年轻人知道本杰明?富兰克林的职业生涯后，都很受鼓舞。年仅12岁的富兰克林便离开学校，闯荡天涯。刚出校门，他只是埋头看书。不过，没过多久他便发现，自己光靠读书成不了学识渊博的人。意识到这点后，他马上采取了措施。上学的时候，富兰克林就弄不懂数学。在数学上无可救药的富兰克林甚至还有两次放弃的经历，最后离开学校时，富兰克林早已对数学彻底绝望。然而没过多久，这个印刷学徒就体会到了贫乏的数字知识所带来的重重困难。面对在学校期间让他头昏脑涨的“算术”，大约14岁的富兰克林第三次发起挑战，并最终体会到掌握数学带来的方便与快乐。随后，在一本囊括几何学入门知识的航海著作中，富兰克林真正理解了书中的真谛，因此感受到了 “数学的无穷魅力”。我们还听人说，为了改进写作技巧，富兰克林后来还学习了一门类似的课程，并最终成为同时代的杰出人物。年仅16岁的富兰克林，写文章的水平已经达到登峰造极的程度。有一次，富兰克林私下里把自己的文章寄到他哥哥的报社，很多人误认为是一些文学界知名人士的杰作。
通常，那些克服障碍、劣势和挫折的人才能获得最大的成功。
心灵小语
刚刚踏上漫长、艰苦的成功之路时，你不会感到轻松，道理就像船只在海上航行一样。你一定要按照希望着陆的地方确定航程，并好好利用一切有益的环境。
记忆填空
1. I was at first everybody’s__. I was abused, called all sorts of nicknames, had to sweep out the office, build fires in__, run errands, post bills, carry papers, wait on the editor, in__ I led the life of a genuine printer’s devil; but when I__ them at length that I had learned to set type and run the press, I got promoted, and another boy was__ to succeed to my task, with all its decorations.
2. It is a long, rough__ at first, but, like the ship on the ocean, you must lay your course for the place where you hope to__, and__ advantage of all favoring circumstances.
佳句翻译
1. 三点后，我身心疲惫、步履蹒跚地去睡觉。
译______________
2. 假如一些年轻人遇到事情便轻易放弃的话，我期待他们从我的经历中得到鼓舞和力量。
译______________
3. 那些克服障碍、劣势和挫折的人才能获得最大的成功。
译______________
短语应用
1. I persuaded my father to let me leave my home in Dudley, Mass., and strike out for myself.
strike out：狠打；出击；敲打出（火花等）
造______________
2. The most successful man is he who has triumphed over obstacles, disadvantages and discouragements.
triumph over：获得胜利
造______________
不要忽略那些小想法
Don’t Ignore That Little Thought
卡罗琳?加兰果 / Caroline Jalango
What happened to that brilliant idea that you once had? Did you ignore it because you thought that it was just a little thought?
Have you ever considered what that little thought would have become if you had acted on your instincts, or if you had paid more attention to it?
Imagine a scenario, where you are sitting at home watching television or reading a book, suddenly a light bulb is turned on in the dark tunnel of your mind as a thought or an idea crosses your mind. The thought catches your attention but seems so meaningless and you are tempted to discard it, but wait a minute!
That thought could be the potential beginning of the success you have so much yearned for. As the thought crosses your mind, your senses become alert and you suddenly see a possibility, a realization, a solution, a conclusion, or find the answer to a problem whose solution has long eluded you.
It is almost as if a divine being has whispered the perfect solution into your ear or awakened your senses to a reality thereby bringing illumination to your life. It is like finding the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle.
This becomes an AHA moment and everything freezes around you as you excitedly try to grasp the practicality of that little but powerful thought.