【英语趣味课堂】成功与失败-Success and Failure

Todd: We're talking about education and about, you know, people applying themselves and giving grades and giving praise and stuff like that. Have you ever thought that maybe we, because we're both teachers, both of us are teachers, that maybe we put too much effort on judging everybody and that maybe it's OK for kids to realise failure is not really a bad thing or maybe quitting is not a bad thing?

Julia: Absolutely. Yeah, I think, I think all the emphasis should be put on the effort that people make and yeah the failing or succeeding is kind of secondary to that.

 

Todd: Because it does seem that we push kids at all levels to get good grades, go to college, get that good job and that, that usually works out but in a lot of cases people find success because they fail, because they don't do well and that leads them to something else in life. So I guess, I'm not saying don't try, just quit at everything, but that we have to just accept that actually maybe quitting is not such a bad thing.

 

Julia: No, I don't think it is. No, I think you're working, that's all part of the learning process, working out what. I was lucky. I was given very good advice at school and I wasn't pushed to get good grades, I wasn't pushed to pursue a career. The advice I was given was do what you enjoy doing cos they're the things you'll be good at.

 

Todd: Yeah.

 

Julia: And that was great advice. I don't have a career but I'm happy.

 

Todd: There you go. There was a great quote the other day by someone in the paper about starting your own business and the person said, you know, follow your passion and keep at it and the money will follow and I think that's pretty much the case for a lot of people that, you know, that they find success. It's kind of how it worked out for me with the website actually. So Elllo, I did it for years, I didn't make any money and now it makes a little money but I just enjoyed it. I kept doing it, I kept doing it and I think that's kind of the key. Don't stop.

 

Julia: There's that other famous quote about doing what makes you come alive. Don't ask what the world needs, ask what makes you come alive because the world needs people who've come alive, meaning like pursue your passion and that will lead to success, whatever success means. It's the way we define success as well is also part of the problem.

 

Todd: True, true.

 

Julia: You know, high income, is that success? And in my book that's not what success is. Success is happiness.

 

Todd: So what is happiness?

 

Julia: Happiness is just contentment, absolute peace with the way you are right now and what you're doing right now. Not striving or yearning¹ for things that are beyond your grasp.

 

Todd: Beyond your reach?

 

Julia: Yeah.

 

Todd: Yeah, that's good.

 

重点词汇：

 

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

emphasis

 

I think that all the emphasis should be put on the effort that people make.

 

The 'emphasis' of something is its focus. Notice the following:

 

The emphasis of this class is improving your writing.

Her parents put a lot of emphasis on good grades.

pursue

 

I wasn't pushed to pursue a career.

 

If you 'pursue' something, you make a huge effort to attain² or get it. Notice the following:

 

Most children now pursue a higher education after high school.

He has been romantically pursuing her for years now.

quote

 

There was a great quote the other day by someone in the paper.

 

A 'quote' is something important or profound that was said by someone else. Notice the following:

 

Have you heard the quote about patience?

All of her notebooks in middle school were covered with quotes and song lyrics³.

come alive

 

There's that other famous quote about doing what makes you come alive.

 

Something that makes you 'come alive' makes you very animated⁴ and excited. Notice the following:

 

Fashion is something that really makes her come alive.

It fun to watch kids come alive when they discover something they are passionate⁵ about.

passion

 

Pursue your passion, and that will lead to success.

 

'Your passion' is something that you are very interested in and makes you excited to be a part of. Notice the following:

 

Music is definitely his passion.

Is exercise a passion, or do you do it for your health?

contentment

 

Happiness is just contentment.

 

When you have 'contentment,' you are satisfied. Notice the following:

 

I have finally found a level of contentment in my life.

Dogs have such a look of contentment when they are outside and running.

striving / yearning / beyond your grasp

 

It's about peace and not striving or yearning for things that are beyond your grasp.

 

Something that is 'beyond your grasp' is not possible for your to attain or achieve. When you 'strive' towards something, you are making an intense effort to reach a goal. If you are 'yearning' for something, you really want it and you think a lot about how much you want it. Notice the following:

 

You say that you want to improve, but I don't see that you are striving for it.

She spent most of her pregnancy⁶ yearning for ice cream.

It always feels like the solution to all of these problems is just beyond my grasp.

1 yearning   

a.渴望的；向往的；怀念的

参考例句：

• a yearning for a quiet life 对宁静生活的向往
• He felt a great yearning after his old job. 他对过去的工作有一种强烈的渴想。

2 attain   

vt.达到，获得，完成

参考例句：

• I used the scientific method to attain this end. 我用科学的方法来达到这一目的。
• His painstaking to attain his goal in life is praiseworthy. 他为实现人生目标所下的苦功是值得称赞的。

3 lyrics   

n.歌词

参考例句：

• music and lyrics by Rodgers and Hart 由罗杰斯和哈特作词作曲
• The book contains lyrics and guitar tablatures for over 100 songs. 这本书有100多首歌的歌词和吉他奏法谱。

4 animated   

adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的

参考例句：

• His observations gave rise to an animated and lively discussion.他的言论引起了一场气氛热烈而活跃的讨论。
• We had an animated discussion over current events last evening.昨天晚上我们热烈地讨论时事。

5 passionate   

adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的

参考例句：

• He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。
• He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

6 pregnancy   

n.怀孕，怀孕期

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。