新世纪大学英语 2 课文 翻译 8.Did You Have a Tough Childhood (2).doc

Did You Have a Tough Childhood?Jill Ammon-WexlerThis article is from http:/EzineA. The author, Jill Ammon-Wexler, is a doctor of psychology, pioneer brain / mind researcher, and former adviser to the Pentagon (五角大楼). close1RT Many claim unhappy and terrible childhood experiences damage people in their adult years. But is this necessarily true? Actually, just the opposite seems to be true. Intense difficulties, hardships and major obstacles are actually often major contributors to success. Its true that difficult childhoods do leave some people wounded and disadvantaged. But for others, a tough childhood actually drives them to remarkable achievement and success!你经历了不幸的童年吗？吉尔安蒙-韦克斯勒很多人声称，童年时代的严重创伤，会对成年生活造成灾难性影响。果真如此吗？其实，事实刚好相反！重大的困难、艰辛和障碍，往往能造就成功。的确，不幸的童年会使一些人伤痕累累，处于不利的位置。但对另外一些人而言，不幸的童年反而会促使他们取得异乎寻常的成就！close2RT In a classic book entitled Cradles of Eminence, researchers reviewed the childhood family life of 700 of the worlds most successful people. Their goal was to identify the early experiences that contributed to the remarkable achievements of these successful people. All of their research subjects are widely known for their personal accomplishments. Their names are easily recognizable: Franklin D. Roosevelt, Helen Keller, Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, etc.在经典作品伟人的摇篮一书中，研究者们考查了全球最为突出的700名成功人士的童年生活。他们的目标是要找出哪些早期经历有助于这些成功人士取得非凡成就。他们所有的“研究对象”都是因个人成就而蜚声全球的。这些名字都广为人知：富兰克林D罗斯福，海伦凯勒，温斯顿丘吉尔，阿尔伯特爱因斯坦，西格蒙德弗洛伊德，等等。close3RT What they discovered is truly fascinating! Three-quarters of these successful people (525 of the 700) came from deeply troubled childhoods. They had endured extreme poverty, broken homes, and even parental abuse. Over one-fourth (199 of the 700) had to deal with very serious physical handicaps such as deafness, blindness or crippled limbs. And over 80% of those who became successful writers and playwrights had watched their own parents struggle with intense psychological dramas.研究结果真的非常有意思！700名成功人士中，有四分之三（525名）有过极其不幸的童年。他们经历过极端的贫困，破碎的家庭，甚至父母的虐待。超过四分之一的人（700人当中有199名）有严重的生理残障如失聪、失明或肢体残障。成功的作家及剧作家中，有80曾目睹了自己的父母经历失和的一些戏剧性场面。close4RT Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, a former US First Lady provides an excellent example. Anna lost her parents at the age of 10, and had a very unpleasant childhood. As a young girl she was painfully aware of being very homely. And her childhood writings reveal she never had a sense of belonging anywhere, or to anyone. But as she matured, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt refused to remain disadvantaged. She hauled herself up by her own bootstraps and began to strive for a higher, more powerful consciousness.安娜埃莉诺罗斯福，前美国“第一夫人”，就是一个极好的例子。安娜10岁时失去了双亲，童年痛苦不堪。少女时，她就痛苦地意识到自己长相平庸。她童年的习作表明，她从来没有“归属感”，觉得自己不属于任何地方或任何人。但随着她慢慢成熟，安娜埃莉诺罗斯福拒绝一直“处于劣势”。她依靠自己的努力，着手提高自身的觉悟。close5RT After marrying Franklin D. Roosevelt, she ended up courageously nursing her husband through crippling polio. Then when he was elected to the US Presidency in the depth of the Great Depression, Mrs. Roosevelt quickly transformed the position of First Lady. As First Lady, she became an outspoken supporter for the disadvantaged people of all races, religions and countries. At the same time, she helped her husband manage the White House and raised six children.嫁给富兰克林罗斯福后，她需要照料小儿麻痹性后遗症的丈夫，她一直坚强地面对。后来，他临危受命，在经济大萧条最严重时当选美国总统，罗斯福夫人迅速完成了“第一夫人”的角色转换。作为第一夫人，她公开发言支持所有被践踏的种族、宗教和国家，同时还打理着白宫，并抚育六个子女。close6RT After her husbands death, she spent the remainder of her life as a highly respected American spokesperson to the United Nations. At her death, this shy, disadvantaged, homely and withdrawn young woman had become one of the most loved and respected women of her entire generation.丈夫去世后，她就一直作为美国在联合国的发言人，极其受人尊重，直到生命结束。她辞世时，这位年轻时一度腼腆羞涩、身处困境、长相平平、性格内向的女性，已成为她那一代人中最受爱戴的女性之一。close7RT Why did this happen? Eleanor Roosevelt made a personal choice to lift herself beyond her perceived limitations. She displayed a tough, unyielding courage, tempered by remarkable self-control and self-discipline.事情为什么会变成这样呢？埃莉诺罗斯福做出了自己的选择，要用自己的力量超越想象中的“局限”。她非凡的自控和自律造就了坚强不屈的勇气。close8RT Obstacles and hardships do NOT have to lead to failure. Scientific evidence has proven that well-being is NOT always an advantage for either plants or animals. Where there is no challenge, obstacle or hardship, growth and development is often limited. Biologists refer to this as the adversity principle.障碍和困难未必一定会导致失败！科学证据表明，“安逸”并不一定总是优势，动植物都是如此。没有挑战、障碍或困难，成长和发展常常会受到限制。生物学家称之为“逆境原则”。close9RT Consider Lou Gehrig: Lou was such a clumsy kid that the boys in his neighborhood wouldnt let him play on their baseball team. But he tapped into his resources of inner courage and determination. Lou Gehrig is today listed in the baseball Hall of Fame as one of the greatest ball players of all time.试看卢格里克：卢小时候笨手笨脚，附近的男孩都不让他参加自己的棒球队，但他转而找到内在的勇气和决心。如今，卢格里克名列棒球“名人堂”，被视为有史以来最伟大的球类运动员之一。close10RT Then there was Woodrow Wilson, who couldnt read until he was ten years old. Wilson went on in his life to become the twenty-eighth President of the United States. Thomas Edison was deaf. Booker T. Washington was born in slavery, and a club foot crippled Lord Byron. The famous writer Robert Louis Stevenson had tuberculosis. Alexander Pope had a hunchback. Yet each of these individuals became famous historic figures in spite of their handicaps.还有伍德罗威尔逊，十岁才开始识字。威尔逊后来成了美国第二十八任总统。托马斯爱迪生是聋子。布克T华盛顿生而为奴，拜伦爵士天生足部畸形。著名作家罗伯特路易斯史蒂文森身患结核病。亚历山大蒲柏是驼背。但尽管残疾在身，这些人每一个都青史留名。close11RT Helen Keller, who could not hear or see, transformed an entire nation when she graduated with honors from college. She is still a source of inspiration for millions. Then theres Ludwig van Beethoven. Beethoven began to lose his hearing in his 20s, and was completely deaf by 50. Yet he created some of the worlds most beautiful music. Beethoven was once overheard shouting at the top of his voice, I will take life by the throat!海伦凯勒，既聋又盲，以优异成绩从大学毕业时，举国轰动。数以百万计人至今仍视她为灵感的源泉。还有路德维希凡贝多芬。贝多芬二十多岁时听力就开始下降，50岁时完全失聪，