2006年VOA标准英语-California Father of Six Offers Father's Day Ad

By Mike O'Sullivan
Los Angeles
14 June 2006

A California man who rose from poverty, built a successful business and raised six sons along the way has some Father's Day advice for other fathers and their sons.  In Los Angeles, VOA's Mike O'Sullivan spoke¹ with Joe Massengale about his recent book, "Six Lessons for Six Sons."

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Joe Massengale was born in poverty in Marshall, Texas, and suffered the jeers² of other children for being so poor.  An African American, he also saw discrimination, and once watched as a mob threatened to lynch his father.  He was determined³, however, not to become bitter, or let resentment⁴ hold him back from pursuing his dreams.

He decided⁵ to head to Los Angeles, were some of his brothers were living, and asked the railway clerk for a ticket.

"And he said, the fare will be $40.86. And I said, Oh my goodness!  He said, I guess that will stop you from going out there," Mr. Massengale recalled.

The high fare did not stop him, and neither did other obstacles he encountered along the way.

In Los Angeles, Joe worked at tree trimming with his brothers, and later decided to start his own tree-trimming business.  He and a friend rented a truck and walked up and down the street, knocking on doors.

Joe Massengale  
  
"You knock on the door.  You don't even have a card.  You just talk to the people, tell them what you're there for," he explained.  "And they were nice enough to talk to you.  And if you could come across to them, they'd give you a job."

He says that after unsuccessfully visiting 150 houses, the young men finally persuaded a woman to give them a chance.  That first day on the job was the start of a successful 60-year business.

Later, there were business cards, a marketing⁶ plan, and long-term relationships with wealthy and sometimes famous customers in Beverly Hills.  But he says his early hardships taught him rules that he would later pass on to his sons, about the importance of confidence, strength of character, pride, persistence⁷, and other qualities.

Joe's reminiscences are woven together with comments from his sons, and others who speak of lessons learned from their fathers.  The book include short contributions from ex-boxing champion George Foreman, from the first African American in space, Guy Bluford, as well as Oscar-winning actress Anjelica Huston and Olympic gold medallist Rafer Johnson.

Joe has had a varied⁸ career, with forays into radio, breeding racehorses and running a restaurant.   He says, in whatever he has done, success has come from persistence and hard work.

He adds that young people today have big ideas, often too big. 

"They want to jump the gun," he explained.  "That's what they want to do.  It's the wrong thing to do.  If it's a gardening job, take it.  Take it.  Take an honest job."

Throughout his life, Joe Massengale says he has focused on his family and has tried to convey to his sons the importance of character. 

His sons now range in age from 26 to 53, and live in various cities, from Los Angeles to Philadelphia and Seattle.  Most have their own businesses in fields that include catering⁹, real estate and high tech investment.  But he says they are always willing to help in his tree-trimming business.

"They never did get too big," he said.  "When I call, I say, hey look, I've got a job.  I need you guys to come out here and help me.  And they would do it."

Joe Massengale lives today in a very different world from the one he grew up in.  But he says the qualities that helped him endure discrimination and poverty are helping his sons lead successful lives today

1 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

2 jeers   

n.操纵帆桁下部（使其上下的）索具；嘲讽( jeer的名词复数 )v.嘲笑( jeer的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They shouted jeers at him. 他们大声地嘲讽他。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The jeers from the crowd caused the speaker to leave the platform. 群众的哄笑使讲演者离开讲台。 来自辞典例句

3 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

4 resentment   

n.怨愤，忿恨

参考例句：

• All her feelings of resentment just came pouring out.她一股脑儿倾吐出所有的怨恨。
• She cherished a deep resentment under the rose towards her employer.她暗中对她的雇主怀恨在心。

5 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。

6 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

7 persistence   

n.坚持，持续，存留

参考例句：

• The persistence of a cough in his daughter puzzled him.他女儿持续的咳嗽把他难住了。
• He achieved success through dogged persistence.他靠着坚持不懈取得了成功。

8 varied   

adj.多样的，多变化的

参考例句：

• The forms of art are many and varied.艺术的形式是多种多样的。
• The hotel has a varied programme of nightly entertainment.宾馆有各种晚间娱乐活动。

9 catering   

n. 给养

参考例句：

• Most of our work now involves catering for weddings. 我们现在的工作多半是承办婚宴。
• Who did the catering for your son's wedding? 你儿子的婚宴是由谁承办的？