TED演讲 大人能从小孩身上学到什么(2)

 Then again, who's to say that certain types of irrational¹ thinking aren't exactly what the world needs? 话说回来，谁能说我们这个世界不正是需要某些类型的非理性思维吗？

Maybe you've had grand plans before, but stopped yourself, thinking, "That's impossible," or "That costs too much," or "That won't benefit me." 也许你以前有过宏大的计划，但却半途而废，心想：这个不可能，或代价太高，或这对我不利。

For better or worse, we kids aren't hampered² as much when it comes to thinking about reasons why not to do things. 不管是好是坏，我们小孩子 在思考不做某事的理由时，不太受这些考量的影响。

Kids can be full of inspiring aspirations³ and hopeful thinking, like my wish that no one went hungry, or that everything were free, a kind of utopia. 小孩可能会有满脑子的奇思妙想和积极的想法，例如我希望没有人挨饿，或者所有东西都是免费的，有点像乌托邦的理念。

How many of you still dream like that, and believe in the possibilities? 你们当中有多少人还会有这样的梦想，并相信其可能性？

Sometimes a knowledge of history and the past failures of Utopian ideals can be a burden, 有时候对历史及对乌托邦的了解，可能是一种负担，

because you know that if everything were free, then the food stocks would become depleted⁴ and scarce and lead to chaos⁵. 因为你知道假如所有东西都是免费的，食物储备会被清空，而缺失将会导致混乱。

On the other hand, we kids still dream about perfection. 另一方面，我们小孩还对完美抱有希望。

And that's a good thing, because in order to make anything a reality, you have to dream about it first. 这是件好事，因为要将任何事情变为现实，你首先得心怀梦想。

In many ways, our audacity⁶ to imagine helps push the boundaries of possibility. For instance, the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington, my home state-- yoohoo, Washington! 在很多方面，我们的大胆想象拓宽了可能性的疆界。例如，华盛顿州塔可马市的玻璃博物馆，我的家乡华盛顿州——你好！

has a program called Kids Design Glass, and kids draw their own ideas for glass art. 这个博物馆里有一个项目叫“儿童玻璃设计”，小孩们自由创作自己的玻璃作品。

The resident artist said they got some of their best ideas from the program, 后来，驻馆艺术家说，他们所有的一些极佳灵感就来自这个项目，

because kids don't think about the limitations of how hard it can be to blow glass into certain shapes, they just think of good ideas. 因为小孩不去理会，吹出不同形状玻璃的难度限制，他们只是构思好的点子。

Now, when you think of glass, you might think of colorful Chihuly designs, or maybe Italian vases, 当说到玻璃的时候，你们可能想到的是奇胡利(Chihuly)色彩丰富的玻璃设计，或意大利花瓶，

but kids challenge glass artists to go beyond that, into the realm of brokenhearted snakes and bacon boys, who you can see has meat vision. 但小孩子敢于挑战玻璃艺术家，并超越他们，进入心碎蛇和火腿男孩的领地——看到了吗，火腿男孩有“肉视力”哦。

 

1 irrational   

adj.无理性的，失去理性的

参考例句：

• After taking the drug she became completely irrational.她在吸毒后变得完全失去了理性。
• There are also signs of irrational exuberance among some investors.在某些投资者中是存在非理性繁荣的征象的。

2 hampered   

妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The search was hampered by appalling weather conditions. 恶劣的天气妨碍了搜寻工作。
• So thought every harassed, hampered, respectable boy in St. Petersburg. 圣彼德堡镇的那些受折磨、受拘束的体面孩子们个个都是这么想的。

3 aspirations   

强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音

参考例句：

• I didn't realize you had political aspirations. 我没有意识到你有政治上的抱负。
• The new treaty embodies the aspirations of most nonaligned countries. 新条约体现了大多数不结盟国家的愿望。

4 depleted   

adj. 枯竭的, 废弃的 动词deplete的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• Food supplies were severely depleted. 食物供应已严重不足。
• Both teams were severely depleted by injuries. 两个队都因队员受伤而实力大减。

5 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

6 audacity   

n.大胆，卤莽，无礼

参考例句：

• He had the audacity to ask for an increase in salary.他竟然厚着脸皮要求增加薪水。
• He had the audacity to pick pockets in broad daylight.他竟敢在光天化日之下掏包。