双语有声阅读：“不可能”就是“可能”

When Henry ford¹ decided² to produce his famous v-8 motor, he chose to build an engine with the entire eight cylinders³ cast in one block, and instructed his engineers to produce a design in one for the engine. The design was placed on paper, but the engineers agreed, to a man, that it was simply impossible to cast an eight-cylinder engine-block in one piece.

 

Ford said, “Produce it anyway.”

 

“But,” they replied, “It’s impossible!”

 

“Go ahead.” Ford commanded, “And stay on the job until you succeed, no matter how much time is required.”

 

The engineers went ahead. There was nothing else for them to do, if they were to remain on the ford staff. Six months passed and nothing happened. Another six months passed, and still nothing happened. The engineers tried every conceivable plan to carry out the orders, but the thing seemed out of the question:“impossible!”

 

At the end of the year ford checked with his engineers, and again they informed him they had found no way to carry out his orders.

 

“go right head,” said ford, “I want it, and I’ll have it.”

 

They went ahead, and then, as if by a stroke⁴ of magic, the secret was discovered.

 

The ford determination had won once more!

 

This story may not be described with minute accuracy⁵, but the sum and substance of it is correct. Deduce⁶ from it, you who wish to think and grow rich, the secret of the ford millions, if you can. You’ll not have to look very far.

 

Henry ford was successful, because he understood and applied⁷ the principles of success. One of these is desire: knowing out the lines in which the secret of his stupendous achievement have been described. If you can do this, if you can lay your finger on the particular group of principles which made Henry ford rich, you can equal his achievements in almost any calling for which you are suited.

 

亨利福特在要制造有名的v8汽缸引擎汽车时，曾指示他手下的工程师着手设计一种引擎，要把八个汽缸全放在一起。设计的纸上作业完成了，但是工程师们都异口同声地跟福特说，“要把八个汽缸全放在一起，压根是不可能。”

 

福特说：“无论如何都要做出来。”

 

他们又回答：“但是，那不可能啊！”

 

“动手做。”福特一声令下， “不论花多少时间，做到交差为止！”

 

工程师只得着手去做。如果他们还想呆在福特的公司里讨生活，就别无他途可行，值得去做。过了半年，没有动静。又过了半年，一样没有半点进展。工程师们试过了所有想得出来的计划去执行命令，结果仍然是：“不可能！”

 

1 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 cylinders   

n.圆筒( cylinder的名词复数 )；圆柱；汽缸；（尤指用作容器的）圆筒状物

参考例句：

• They are working on all cylinders to get the job finished. 他们正在竭尽全力争取把这工作干完。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• That jeep has four cylinders. 那辆吉普车有4个汽缸。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 stroke   

n.笔画，击打，连续的动作，中风，心跳；vt.奉承，轻抚； vi.击打，心跳...

参考例句：

• He drove in a nail with one stroke of the hammer.他一锤就把钉子敲进去了。
• He broke the lock with one stroke of the hammer.他一锤就把锁砸坏了。

5 accuracy   

n.准确(性)；精确(性)

参考例句：

• There is need to check the accuracy of these figures.有必要核对一下这些数字的精确性。
• I doubt the accuracy of your statement.我怀疑你的话的正确性。

6 deduce   

vt.演绎，推论，推断

参考例句：

• We can deduce a conclusion from the premise.我们可以从这个前提推出结论。
• I imagine that you may deduce an apt moral from my tale.我觉得你也许能从我的际遇中引出恰当的教训。

7 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。