公众人物毕业演讲 第143期:2012年Michael Lewis普林斯顿大学(7)

 　　Exactly 30 minutes into the problem-solving the researchers interrupted each group

　　在他们开始解决问题30分钟时 研究人员们会打断各组

　　They entered the room bearing a plate of cookies. Four cookies

　　他们会拿着一盘饼干进入房间

　　The team consisted of three people and there were these four cookies

　　总共四块 小组里有三个人 但却有四块饼干

　　Every team member obviously got one cookie but that left a fourth cookie, just sitting there

　　显然每个成员分到了一块 但还剩下第四块放在那儿

　　It should have been awkward. But it wasn't

　　这本应该是个尴尬的处境 但事实并非如此

　　With incredible consistency¹ the person arbitrarily appointed leader of the group grabbed the fourth cookie, and ate it

　　每个组的表现难以置信的一致 那个被随机任命做组长的人 拿了第四块饼干 并把它吃了

　　Not only ate it, but ate it with gusto lips smacking², mouth open, drool at the corners of their mouths

　　不仅吃了 而且吃的津津有味咂咂做响 大嚼特嚼 口水横流

　　In the end all that was left of the extra cookie were crumbs³ on the leader's shirt

　　最后那块饼干剩下的 只有组长衣领上的饼干渣了

　　So this leader had performed no special task

　　这位组长没有任何丰功伟绩

　　He had no special virtue⁴

　　也没有过人的美德

　　He'd been chosen at random⁵, 30 minutes earlier

　　他只是30分钟前随机被选的

　　His status was nothing but luck

　　他的身份除了运气什么都没有

　　But it still left him with the sense that the cookie should be his

　　但他仍然觉得饼干应该是他的

　　This experiment helps to explain Wall Street bonuses and CEO pay and I'm sure lots of other human behavior

　　这个实验有助于解释华尔街的奖金和CEO薪酬 我也确信它还可以解释很多人类行为

　　This is how people behave when they blind there luck

　　这就是人们掩盖他们的幸运所做出的表现

　　But it also is relevant to you to new graduates of Princeton University

　　但它同时也和普林斯顿大学的 新毕业生有关

　　Because in a general sort of way

　　通过某种一般性的方式

　　you have been appointed the leader of the group

　　你已被任命为小组领袖

　　Your appointment may not be entirely⁶ arbitrary

　　你的任命不一定是完全随机的

　　But you must sense its arbitrary aspect you are the lucky few

　　但你必须意识到它的随机的那一面 你们是少数的幸运儿

　　Lucky in your parents lucky in your country lucky that a place like Princeton exists

　　幸运在于你有这样的父母 幸运在于你有这样的国家 幸运在于有普林斯顿这样的地方

　　that can take in lucky people introduce them to other lucky people and increase their chances of becoming even luckier

　　专门吸引幸运的人 把他们介绍给其他幸运的人 并增加他们更加幸运的机会

　　Lucky that you live in the richest society the world has ever seen in a time when no one actually expects you to sacrifice your interests to anything

　　幸运在于你正处于世界历史上最富饶的社会 处于一个没有人会要求你为任何事 牺牲自己的利益的时代

　　All of you have been faced with the extra cookie

　　你们都面对着那块多出来的饼干

　　All of you will be faced with many more of them

　　你们也将面对更多

　　In time you will find it easy to assume that you deserve the extra cookie

　　随着时间的推移 你会发现你很容易觉得 你本来就配得那块多出来的饼干

　　For all I know, you may deserve the extra cookie

　　就我所知 你可以这样认为

　　But you'll be happier, and the world will be better off if you at least pretend that you don't

　　但你可以更快乐 这个世界也可以变得更美好 如果你能够至少假装你不配

　　So never forget, In the nation's service

　　永远不要忘记 为国效力

　　In the service of all nations

　　为万国效力

　　Thank you. And good luck

　　谢谢 祝你们好运

1 consistency   

n.一贯性，前后一致，稳定性；(液体的)浓度

参考例句：

• Your behaviour lacks consistency.你的行为缺乏一贯性。
• We appreciate the consistency and stability in China and in Chinese politics.我们赞赏中国及其政策的连续性和稳定性。

2 smacking   

活泼的，发出响声的，精力充沛的

参考例句：

• He gave both of the children a good smacking. 他把两个孩子都狠揍了一顿。
• She inclined her cheek,and John gave it a smacking kiss. 她把头低下，约翰在她的脸上响亮的一吻。

3 crumbs   

int. (表示惊讶)哎呀 n. 碎屑 名词crumb的复数形式

参考例句：

• She stood up and brushed the crumbs from her sweater. 她站起身掸掉了毛衣上的面包屑。
• Oh crumbs! Is that the time? 啊，天哪！都这会儿啦？

4 virtue   

n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力

参考例句：

• He was considered to be a paragon of virtue.他被认为是品德尽善尽美的典范。
• You need to decorate your mind with virtue.你应该用德行美化心灵。

5 random   

adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动

参考例句：

• The list is arranged in a random order.名单排列不分先后。
• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。

6 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。