TED演讲 大人能从小孩身上学到什么(4)

 I loved to write from the age of four, and when I was six, my mom bought me my own laptop equipped with Microsoft Word. 四岁的时候我就喜欢上写作，六岁的时候，我妈给我买了台装有微软Word软件的个人手提电脑。

Thank you, Bill Gates, and thank you, Ma. I wrote over 300 short stories on that little laptop, and I wanted to get published. 谢谢你比尔·盖茨！也谢谢你，妈咪！我用那个小手提电脑写了300多篇短篇故事，而且我想发表我的作品。

Instead of just scoffing¹ at this heresy² that a kid wanted to get published, or saying wait until you're older, my parents were really supportive. 一个小孩想发表作品，这简直是天方夜谭，但我父母没有嘲笑我，也没有说等你长大点儿再说，他们非常支持我。

Many publishers were not quite so encouraging. One large children's publisher ironically said that they didn't work with children. 但是很多出版社的回应让人失望。颇具讽刺意味的是，一个很大的儿童出版社说，他们不跟儿童打交道。

Children's publisher not working with children? I don't know, you're kind of alienating³ a large client there. 儿童出版社不跟儿童打交道？怎么说呢，你这是在怠慢一个大客户嘛。

One publisher, Action Publishing, was willing to take that leap and trust me, and to listen to what I had to say. 有一个出版商，行动出版社 愿意给我一个机会，并倾听我想说的话。

They published my first book, "Flying Fingers," you see it here. 他们出版了我的第一本书《飞舞的手指》，就是这个。

And from there on, it's gone to speaking at hundreds of schools, keynoting to thousands of educators, and finally, today, speaking to you. 那以后，我到数百个学校去演讲，给数千个老师作主题演讲，最后，在今天，给你们作演讲。

I appreciate your attention today, because to show that you truly care, you listen. 我感谢你们今天听我演讲，因为你们会倾听我，这证明你们真的在乎。

But there's a problem with this rosy⁴ picture of kids being so much better than adults. Kids grow up and become adults just like you. 但小孩比大人强得多的这幅乐观图景是存在一个问题的。小孩会长大并变成像你们一样的大人。

Or just like you? Really? The goal is not to turn kids into your kind of adult, but rather, better adults than you have been, which may be a little challenging, considering your guys' credentials⁵. 跟你们一样，真的吗？我们的目标不是让小孩变成你们这样的大人，而是比你们强的大人。考虑到你们都这么了不起，这可能颇具挑战性。

 

1 scoffing   

n. 嘲笑, 笑柄, 愚弄 v. 嘲笑, 嘲弄, 愚弄, 狼吞虎咽

参考例句：

• They were sitting around the table scoffing. 他们围坐在桌子旁狼吞虎咽地吃着。
• He the lid and showed the wonderful the scoffing visitors. 他打开盖子给嘲笑他们的老人看这些丰富的收获。

2 heresy   

n.异端邪说；异教

参考例句：

• We should denounce a heresy.我们应该公开指责异端邪说。
• It might be considered heresy to suggest such a notion.提出这样一个观点可能会被视为异端邪说。

3 alienating   

v.使疏远( alienate的现在分词 )；使不友好；转让；让渡（财产等）

参考例句：

• The phenomena of alienation are widespread. Sports are also alienating. 异化现象普遍存在，体育运动也不例外。 来自互联网
• How can you appeal to them without alienating the mainstream crowd? 你是怎么在不疏忽主流玩家的情况下吸引住他们呢？ 来自互联网

4 rosy   

adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的

参考例句：

• She got a new job and her life looks rosy.她找到一份新工作，生活看上去很美好。
• She always takes a rosy view of life.她总是对生活持乐观态度。

5 credentials   

n.证明，资格，证明书，证件

参考例句：

• He has long credentials of diplomatic service.他的外交工作资历很深。
• Both candidates for the job have excellent credentials.此项工作的两个求职者都非常符合资格。