温馨夜读II PART4 1.If the Dream Is Big Enough

 

[00:00.51]Full Sail in Spring Wind

[00:04.43]The youth have a wonderful time, brand-new life and promising¹ future.

[00:09.76]Try to face life positively², believe in yourself, be yourself and control yourself.

[00:15.97]Face the reality courageously³ and fight the difficulties.

[00:20.76]Strive to improve all-around qualities and build healthy and perfect personalities⁴.

[00:27.08]Have the courage to pursue your dreams, inspire yourself with great ideals, and motivate yourself with high spirits.

[00:35.57]Let’s look forward to having a brilliant future!

[00:38.84]1.If the Dream Is Big Enough

[00:43.85]A school was across the street from our home and I would often watch the kids from my window as they played basketball.

[00:51.58]One day, among the children a girl attracted me.

[00:55.06]She seemed so small as she muscled her way through the crowd of boys.

[01:00.07]Running circles around the other kids, she managed to shoot jump shots just over their heads and into the net with no one to stop her.

[01:10.09]Sometimes, I saw her play alone.

[01:12.71]She would practice dribbling⁵ and shooting over and over again, until dark.

[01:18.04]One day I asked her why she practiced so much.

[01:22.83]Without hesitation⁶, she said, “I want to go to college. The only way I can go is if I get a scholarship.

[01:31.11]If I were good enough, I would get a scholarship. I like basketball.

[01:36.01]My Daddy told me if the dream is big enough, the facts don’t count.”

[01:41.24]Then she smiled and ran towards the court to go on practicing.

[01:45.37]I watched her through junior high and into high school.

[01:49.51]Every week, she led her varsity team to victory.

[01:53.32]One day in her senior year, I saw her sitting in the grass, head cradled⁷ in her arms.

[01:59.75]I went over there and sat down beside her.

[02:03.12]Quietly I asked her what was wrong. 

[02:06.82]“Oh, nothing,” She replied softly. “I am just too short.”

[02:13.68]The coach told her that at 5’5”she would probably never get to play for a top ranked college team

[02:22.72]— much less be offered a scholarship — so she should stop dreaming about college.

[02:31.43]She was heartbroken and I felt my own throat tighten⁸ as I sensed her disappointment.

[02:38.62]I asked her if she had talked to her dad about it yet.

[02:42.75]She told me that her father said those coaches were wrong.

[02:48.42]They did not understand the power of a dream.

[02:52.12]He told her that if she really wanted to play for a good college,

[02:56.88]if she truly wanted a scholarship, that nothing could stop her except one thing — her own attitude. 

[03:03.52]He told her again, “If the dream is big enough, the facts don’t count.”

[03:09.51]The next year, as she and her team went to the Northern California Championship game,

[03:14.76]she was seen by a college recruiter⁹, and was offered a full scholarship, to a NCAA women’s basketball team.

[03:23.07]She was going to college, which she had dreamed of and worked toward for all those years.

[03:28.87]It’s true: If the dream is big enough, the facts don’t matter.

1 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

2 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

3 courageously   

ad.勇敢地，无畏地

参考例句：

• Under the correct leadership of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, the army and civilians in flooded areas fought the floods courageously, reducing the losses to the minimum. 在中共中央、国务院的正确领导下，灾区广大军民奋勇抗洪，把灾害的损失减少到了最低限度。
• He fought death courageously though his life was draining away. 他虽然生命垂危，但仍然勇敢地与死亡作斗争。

4 personalities   

n. 诽谤，（对某人容貌、性格等所进行的）人身攻击； 人身攻击；人格, 个性, 名人( personality的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There seemed to be a degree of personalities in her remarks.她话里有些人身攻击的成分。
• Personalities are not in good taste in general conversation.在一般的谈话中诽谤他人是不高尚的。

5 dribbling   

n.（燃料或油从系统内）漏泄v.流口水( dribble的现在分词 )；（使液体）滴下或作细流；运球，带球

参考例句：

• Basic skills include swimming, dribbling, passing, marking, tackling, throwing, catching and shooting. 个人基本技术包括游泳、带球、传球、盯人、抢截、抛球、接球和射门。 来自互联网
• Carol: [Laurie starts dribbling again] Now do that for ten minutes. 卡罗：（萝莉开始再度运球）现在那样做十分钟。 来自互联网

6 hesitation   

n.犹豫，踌躇

参考例句：

• After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天，他终于直说了。
• There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。

7 cradled   

vt.将…置于摇篮中（cradle的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• I cradled the baby in my arms. 我轻轻地把婴儿抱到怀里摇晃着。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Civilization was cradled somewhere in Asia. 文明发源于亚洲某地。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

8 tighten   

v.(使)变紧；(使)绷紧

参考例句：

• Turn the screw to the right to tighten it.向右转动螺钉把它拧紧。
• Some countries tighten monetary policy to avoid inflation.一些国家实行紧缩银根的货币政策，以避免通货膨胀。

9 recruiter   

n.招募者

参考例句：

• The tele recruiter is prompted by a variety of questions, depending on your answers. 针对你不同的回答，这位考官还会提出些不同的问题。
• A recruiter can give you insider pointers and advice. 一个招聘人可以为你提供内行人的观点与建议。