资源描述:
《We are What We Choose(选择比天赋更重要)》由会员上传分享,免费在线阅读,更多相关内容在教育资源-天天文库。
1、WeareWhatWeChoose选择比天赋更重要RemarksbyJeffBezos,asdeliveredtotheClassof2010Baccalaureate(贝索斯在普林斯顿大学2010年学士毕业典礼上的演讲)May30,2010(2010年5月30日)Asakid,IspentmysummerswithmygrandparentsontheirranchinTexas.Ihelpedfixwindmills,vaccinatecattle,anddootherchores.Wealsowatche
2、dsoapoperaseveryafternoon,especially"DaysofourLives."MygrandparentsbelongedtoaCaravanClub,agroupofAirstreamtrailerownerswhotraveltogetheraroundtheU.S.andCanada.Andeveryfewsummers,we'djointhecaravan.We'dhitchuptheAirstreamtrailertomygrandfather'scar,andoffwe'
3、dgo,inalinewith300otherAirstreamadventurers.在我还是一个孩子的时候,我的夏天总是在德州祖父母的农场中度过。我帮忙修理风车,为牛接种疫苗,也做其它家务。每天下午,我们都会看肥皂剧,尤其是《我们的岁月》。我的祖父母参加了一个房车俱乐部,那是一群驾驶Airstream拖挂型房车的人们,他们结伴遍游美国和加拿大。每隔几个夏天,我也会加入他们。我们把房车挂在祖父的小汽车后面,然后加入300余名Airstream探险者们组成的浩荡队伍。Ilovedandworshippedmyg
4、randparentsandIreallylookedforwardtothesetrips.Ononeparticulartrip,Iwasabout10yearsold.Iwasrollingaroundinthebigbenchseatinthebackofthecar.Mygrandfatherwasdriving.Andmygrandmotherhadthepassengerseat.Shesmokedthroughoutthesetrips,andIhatedthesmell.我爱我的祖父母,我崇敬
5、他们,也真心期盼这些旅程。那是一次我大概十岁时的旅行,我照例坐在后座的长椅上,祖父开着车,祖母坐在他旁边,吸着烟。我讨厌烟味。Atthatage,I'dtakeanyexcusetomakeestimatesanddominorarithmetic.I'dcalculateourgasmileage--figureoutuselessstatisticsonthingslikegroceryspending.I'dbeenhearinganadcampaignaboutsmoking.Ican'tremembe
6、rthedetails,butbasicallytheadsaid,everypuffofacigarettetakessomenumberofminutesoffofyourlife:Ithinkitmighthavebeentwominutesperpuff.Atanyrate,Idecidedtodothemathformygrandmother.Iestimatedthenumberofcigarettesperdays,estimatedthenumberofpuffspercigaretteands
7、oon.WhenIwassatisfiedthatI'dcomeupwithareasonablenumber,Ipokedmyheadintothefrontofthecar,tappedmygrandmotherontheshoulder,andproudlyproclaimed,"Attwominutesperpuff,you'vetakennineyearsoffyourlife!"在那样的年纪,我会找任何借口做些估测或者小算术。我会计算油耗还有杂货花销等鸡毛蒜皮的小事。我听过一个有关吸烟的广告。我记不
8、得细节了,但是广告大意是说,每吸一口香烟会减少几分钟的寿命,大概是两分钟。无论如何,我决定为祖母做个算术。我估测了祖母每天要吸几支香烟,每支香烟要吸几口等等,然后心满意足地得出了一个合理的数字。接着,我捅了捅坐在前面的祖母的头,又拍了拍她的肩膀,然后骄傲地宣称,“每天吸两分钟的烟,你就少活九年!”Ihaveavividmemoryofwhathappened,anditwasnotwh