Jaguar is an endangered animal.It is said that there are le than 20 jaguars in the world currently, one of which is now living in the national zoo of Peru.In order to protect this jaguar, Peruvians singled out a pitch of land in the zoo for it, where there are herds of cattle, sheep and deer for the jaguar to eat.Anyone who has visited the zoo praised it to be the “Heaven of Tiger”.However, strange enough, no one has ever seen the jaguar prey on the cattle and sheep.What we could see is its lying in its house eating and sleeping.
美洲虎是一种濒临灭绝的动物,据说,现在世界上尚存不足20只,其中有一只生活在秘鲁的国家动物园里。为了保护这只美洲虎,秘鲁人在动物园里单独圈出一块地,让它自由生存,圈地中有成群的牛、羊、鹿供老虎享用。参观过虎园的人都说这是“虎的天堂”。然而奇怪的是,没人看见这只老虎去捕捉牛羊,唯一见到的情景就是它躺在空洞的虎房里吃了睡、睡了吃。
Some people thought that the jaguar felt too lonely, so they collected money and rented a female tiger to accompany it.Nonethele, it did not make too much sense.The jaguar just sometimes went out of its house with its “girlfriend”and stayed in the sun for a while before it came back to its house again.“It is normal for the jaguar to be lazy in this environment.Tiger is the king of forest but you simply put some small animals around him.That is why the jaguar shows no interest in going out.Why don’t you put two wolves or at least a jackal around him?”A visitor proposed.Others all agreed with him and put five panthers into the jaguar’s territory.Since then, the jaguar did not go back to its house any more.It either stands on top of the hill roaring or goes down from the hill strolling without sleeping all day long.It did not eat the meat provided by the zoo staff and has totally got back to its nature.
一些市民认为它太孤独了,就集资从国外租雌虎来陪它生活。然而此举并未带来多大改观,那只老虎最多陪伴外来的“女友”走出虎房,到阳光下站一站,不久就又回到它的“卧室”。“它怎能不懒洋洋呢?虎是林中之王,你们放一群吃草的小动物,能提起它的兴趣吗?这么大的一个老虎保护区,你们不放两只狼,至少也得放一只豺狗吧?”一位来此参观的市民建议道。人们觉得他说得有理,就把5只美洲豹投进了虎园。结果,自从豹子进园后,美洲虎就再没回过虎房,它不是站在山顶长啸,就是从山上下来,在草地上游荡,不再长时间睡觉,不再吃管理员送来的肉,基本恢复了本性。
Actually, this principle does not only apply to animals, but also apply to human beings.Here is another story.There was a rich man who was selecting a husband for his only child among a multitude of pursuers.The man led all the pursuers to a river and pointed to the crocodiles, saying, “Anyone who can swim acro the river safe and sound will marry my daughter.” Those pursuers looked at each other and no one dare take the initiative.At that moment, a man plunged into the river bravely and swam at a staggering speed to the other side.All the people applauded for his courage with great sense of admiration.Neverthele, the man, after landing on the bank, shouted angrily, “Who pushed me into the river just now?”
不仅是动物,人也如此。有则故事说,一个富人为独生女儿选婿,求婚者众多。于是这个富人将求婚的男子们带到一条河边,指着河中的鳄鱼说:“如果有人能够安全地游到对岸,我就把女儿嫁给他。”这些男子你看我我看你,谁也不敢跳进河里。正在互相观望之际,突然有一个男子“扑通”一声跳了下去,然后以超乎寻常的速度游到对岸。大家对这个勇敢的男子充满钦佩和羡慕, 报以热烈的掌声。没想到这个男子上岸后,生气地大声问:“刚才是谁把我推下河去的?”
Maybe the man, after thinking of the whole proce and the good consequence he is going to obtain, will feel obliged to the one who pushed him into the river.It is fairly common that disadvantages will turn into advantages and misfortunes into fortunes! But many of us cannot manage to realize the significance of our “rivals” to our succe.Generally speaking, many people will see the one who “pushes him into the river” as an opponent.However, if you think in a deeper sense, you will realize that it is also a bleing and opportunity to have someone like that! It is the one who “pushes you into the river”who makes you feel the sense of crisis and stimulates your ambition and desire to strive! You will resolve to eliminate all difficulties and progre to another stage of your life!
也许那位男子回过神来想一想,他应该感谢那个把他推下去的人。不利变为有利,坏事变成好事,现实生活中比比皆是,但许多人往往认识不到造成这个结果的那个“对手”的作用。一般来讲,许多人都会把推他“下河” 的人视为敌人,但只要仔细想一想,便会发现有一个强劲的推自己“下河”的人存在,未尝不是一种福分,一种机遇。因为这个推你“下河”的人,会让你产生危机感,会激发你更加旺盛的精神和斗志,会让你下定决心排除一切艰难险阻,在超越中实现矛盾的转化。
In our world, one creature without any rivals is a lifele creature.If a man lives without rivals, he is bound to be satisfied with the present and will not strive for the better.He would hold back before all difficulties and decline in inaction and lazine.Adverse environment tends to cultivate succeful people.Therefore, your rivals are not your opponents or those you grudge.Instead, they are your good friends! In our lives, we need some rivals to “push us into the river”, leaving us striving ahead in all difficulties and competitions.In our work, we need some rivals to be picky about us and supervise our work with rigorous requirements and standards.Due to our rivals, we can bring out our potential to the best; Due to our rivals, we will continuously promote our capabilities when competing with them! 一种没有对手的生物,一定是死气沉沉的生物;一个人假如没有了对手,同样难免会变得安于现状,不思进取,知难而退,在怠惰和没落中消沉。逆境往往造就成功。所以,对手既不是敌人也不是冤家,而是诤友、挚友。人生中,我们需要一个对手推自己“下河”,让自己在阻力中前进,在竞争中发展;工作中,我们需要一个对手,对自己横挑鼻子竖挑眼,督促你发现不足,严要求,高标准。有了对手,我们就会把自己的潜能发挥到极致;有了对手,我们就会在与对手的比拼中提高素质,不断进步。
机遇就存在于生活的细节中。同样的一件事，一个成功的人会看得更多更远„„
John and Bobby joined a wholesale company togther just after graduation from college the same year.Both worked very hard.After several years, however, the bo promoted Bobby to the posotion of manager but John remained an ordinary employee.John could not take it anymore, tendered his resignation to the bo and complained the bo did not know how to delegate and did not value hard working staff, but only promoted those who flattered him。
约翰和博比同年大学毕业后，被同一家批发公司录用。他们二人工作都很努力。然而，几年后，老板提拔博比为部门经理，而约翰还是一名普通员工。约翰再也无法忍受，冲动之下写了一封辞职信，并抱怨老板不会用人，不重用那些敬业的员工，只提升那些奉承他的人。
The bo knew that John worked very hard for the years.He thought for a moment and said, \"Thank you for your criticism, but I have a request.I hope you will do one more thing for our company before you leave.Perhaps you will change your mind and take back your resignation.\"
老板知道这几年约翰工作确实很努力。他想了一会儿说：“谢谢你对我的批评。但是我只有一个请求，我希望在你离开之前再为公司做一件事情。或许到时你会改变决定，收回辞呈。”
John agreed.The bo asked him to go and find out anyone selling watermelon in the market.John went and returned soon.He said he had found out a man selling watermelon.The bo asked how much per kg? John shook his head and went back to the market to ask and returned to inform the bo $1.2 per kg。
约翰答应了。 老板让他去市场找到一个卖西瓜的人。约翰去了并很快回来。他说他找到了一个卖西瓜的人。老板问他每公斤多少钱？约翰摇摇头，回到市场去问，然后又回来告诉老板每公斤1.2美元。
Bo told John to wait a second, and he called Bobby to come to his office.He asked Bobby to go and find anyone seling watermelon in the market.Bobby went, returned and said, bo, only one person selling watermelon.$1.2 per kg, $10 for 10kg, he has inventory of 340 melons.On the table 58 melons, every melon weights about 2 kg, bought from the South two days ago, they are fresh and red, good quality。
老板让约翰等一会儿，这时他把博比叫到办公室。他让博比去市场找到一个卖西瓜的人。博比去了，回来之后说：“老板，只有一个卖西瓜的人，每公斤 1.2美元，每10公斤卖10美元。这个人一共有340个西瓜，其中58个放在货架上，每个西瓜重约2公斤，都是两天前从南方运来的，新鲜，红瓤，质量好。”
John was very impreed and realized the difference between himself and Bobby.He decided not to resign but to learn from Bobby。
约翰受到很大的触动，他意识到自己与博比之间的差距。他决定收回辞呈并向博比学习。
My dear friends, a more succeful person is more observant, thinks more and explores in depth.Chances exists in the daily details.For the same matter, a more succeful person sees more and farther so that he can find out an opportunity and catch it to realize his aim.If a person sees one year ahead, while another sees only tomorrow.The difference between a year and a day is 365 times, how could you win?
亲爱的朋友们，成功的人更善于观察，勤于思考和孜孜探求。机遇就存在于生活的细节中。同样的一件事，一个成功的人会看得更多更远。有人看到一年后的情景，而你只看到明天。一年与一天的差距是365倍，你怎么能赢呢？
Slow Down
As the old saying goes,“What is learned in the cradle carried to the grave.” How often I wish I could read a story leisurely and patiently, word by word as I did when I was eight years old or even younger.As a little girl with fervent desire to seek knowledge, my motto had been,“Soon ripe, soon rotten.Soon learn, soon forgotten.” So I preferred spending lots of time on repeatedly reading a lovely story through and through.At that time, maybe some other children about my age thought of me as a deranged person.However, I just let myself do what I liked, saying nothing.
But, then, the quick fix lifestyle today is getting more and more popular.One can not put back the clock.Efficiency means life or death.Therefore, I can not avoid changing my reading habits.Usually, I do not have enough time and energy to read a lovely story word by word.I have no other alternative but to enjoy a pre-digest instead, especially when I am too busy.As a result, I am forced to lose a chance to linger over every word of claic novels or the latest best sellers.
Do not get me wrong.I am not saying every work is worth reading word by word.Sometimes, perhaps reading in this way is just a waste of time and energy.But I am saying that it will be really a big pity when I run into a wonderful work I have no time and energy to enjoy it, that is to say, I can only read it superficially.In addition, some works are easy to understand and not worth spending too much time reading thoroughly.For those works, we might discard the dro and select the eence as well.Sometimes, it is the truth that “You may know by a handful the whole sack.”
Why not slow down and enjoy a lovely story like an innocent child?
放慢速度
俗话说：“在摇篮里学的东西会带进坟墓。”我多么希望自己能够像8岁甚至更年幼的时候那样，悠闲、有耐心、逐字逐句地进行阅读。作为一个有着强烈求知欲的小女孩，我的座右铭曾是：“学得快，忘得快。”所以我喜欢花大量的时间去反复地阅读一个可爱的故事。或许那个时候，一些同龄的孩子会把我当作神经病。不过，我坚持我喜欢做的事，没理会他们。
但是，话说回来，现在快节奏生活方式越来越普遍了。时光不会倒流，效率就意味着生命。因而我不得不改变我的阅读习惯。现在的我通常没有足够的时间和精力去逐字逐句地阅读一个可爱的故事。所以我别无选择，只能享受浓缩版，尤其是太忙的时候。无奈，我失去了推敲经典小说或最新畅销书中每一个字的机会。
不要误解我的意思。我不是说每一部作品都值得逐字逐句去阅读。有时候，这样的阅读方式反而是浪费时间和精力。我是说当我邂逅一部伟大的作品时，却没有时间和精力去细细品味，或者说，我只能大致地浏览一番，对我来说实在是个大遗憾。而有些作品比较易懂，也不值得花太多时间去深究。对于这样的作品，我们不妨取其精华，去其糟粕。“见微知著”或许是对的。
因此，何不放慢速度，做一个天真的孩子，去享受一个可爱的故事呢？
