有一種廣為流傳的說法，許多年輕人知道本傑明？富蘭克林的職業生涯後，都很受鼓舞。年僅12歲的富蘭克林便離開學校，闖**天涯。剛出校門，他隻是埋頭看書。不過，沒過多久他便發現，自己光靠讀書成不了學識淵博的人。意識到這點後，他馬上采取了措施。上學的時候，富蘭克林就弄不懂數學。在數學上無可救藥的富蘭克林甚至還有兩次放棄的經曆，最後離開學校時，富蘭克林早已對數學徹底絕望。然而沒過多久，這個印刷學徒就體會到了貧乏的數字知識所帶來的重重困難。麵對在學校期間讓他頭昏腦漲的“算術”，大約14歲的富蘭克林第三次發起挑戰，並最終體會到掌握數學帶來的方便與快樂。隨後，在一本囊括幾何學入門知識的航海著作中，富蘭克林真正理解了書中的真諦，因此感受到了 “數學的無窮魅力”。我們還聽人說，為了改進寫作技巧，富蘭克林後來還學習了一門類似的課程，並最終成為同時代的傑出人物。年僅16歲的富蘭克林，寫文章的水平已經達到登峰造極的程度。有一次，富蘭克林私下裏把自己的文章寄到他哥哥的報社，很多人誤認為是一些文學界知名人士的傑作。
通常，那些克服障礙、劣勢和挫折的人才能獲得最大的成功。
心靈小語
剛剛踏上漫長、艱苦的成功之路時，你不會感到輕鬆，道理就像船隻在海上航行一樣。你一定要按照希望著陸的地方確定航程，並好好利用一切有益的環境。
記憶填空
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.
佳句翻譯
1. 三點後，我身心疲憊、步履蹣跚地去睡覺。
譯______________
2. 假如一些年輕人遇到事情便輕易放棄的話，我期待他們從我的經曆中得到鼓舞和力量。
譯______________
3. 那些克服障礙、劣勢和挫折的人才能獲得最大的成功。
譯______________
短語應用
1. I persuaded my father to let me leave my home in Dudley， Mass.， and strike out for myself.
strike out：狠打；出擊；敲打出（火花等）
造______________
2. The most successful man is he who has triumphed over obstacles， disadvantages and discouragements.
triumph over：獲得勝利
造______________
不要忽略那些小想法
Don’t Ignore That Little Thought
卡羅琳？加蘭果 / 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.