Anonymous
心灵寄语
没有雄心壮志的人，他们的生活缺乏伟大的功力，自然不能盼望他们会有杰出的成就。
——华罗庚
It is not difficult to imagine a world short of ambition. It would probably be a kinder world：with out demands， without abrasions1，without disappointments. People would have time for reflection. Such work as they did would not be for themselves but for the collectivity. Competition would never enter in. conflict would be eliminated， tension become a thing of the past. The stress of creation would be at an end. Art would no longer be troubling， but purely celebratory2 in its functions. Longevity would be increased， for fewer people would die of heart attack or stroke caused by tumultuous3 endeavor. Anxiety would be extinct. Time would stretch on and on， with ambition long departed from the human heart. Ah， how unrelieved boring life would be！
There is a strong view that holds that success is a myth， and ambition therefore a sham4. Does this mean that success does not really exist？That achievement is at bottom empty？That the efforts of men and women are of no significance alongside the force of movements and events. Not all success， obviously， is worth esteeming5，or all ambition worth cultivating. Which are and which are not is something one soon enough learns on one"s own. But even the most cynical secretly admit that success exists；that achievement counts for a great deal；and that the true myth is that the actions of men and women are useless. To believe otherwise is to take on a point of view that is likely to be deranging6. It is， in its implications， to remove all motives for competence， interest in attainment， and regard for posterity7.
We do not choose to be born. We do not choose our parents. We do not choose our historical epoch8，the country of our birth， or the immediate circumstances of our upbringing. We do not， most of us， choose to die；nor do we choose the time or conditions of our death. But within all this realm9 of choicelessness， we do choose how we shall live：courageously or in cowardice， honorably or dishonorably， with purpose or in drift. We decide what is important and what is trivial10 in life. We decide that what makes us significant is either what we do or what we refuse to do. But no matter how indifferent the universe may be to our choices and decisions， these choices and decisions are ours to make. We decide. We choose. And as we decide and choose， so are our lives formed. In the end， forming our own destiny is what ambition is about.
佚名
不难想象，一个没有雄心壮志的世界将会变成什么样子。也许，那将会是一个更加友善的世界：没有需求，没有磨擦，没有失望。人们有更多的时间去思考。他们所从事的工作将不是为了自身的利益，而是为了整个人类的利益。竞争难以介入。冲突将会消除，紧张的局势已成为过去。不再有不断更新和创新的压力。艺术将不再是枯燥费神的，庆典就是它唯一的作用。人的寿命将会延长，因为激烈的竞争所引起的心脏病和中风的概率将大大降低。焦虑将不复存在。时光流逝，人们的脑海里已经没有了抱负的念头。啊，这样的人生将变得多么无聊！
有这样一种观念，它强烈地赞同成功是神话，因此抱负是虚无缥缈的。这是不是意味着成功并不是真实的存在？成就追根究底只是一场空？与运动和重大事件的力量相比，人类的力量是多么得微不足道。显然，并非所有的成功都值得景仰，也并非所有的抱负都值得追崇。一个人能自然地学会辨识出哪些事情是有价值的，而哪些没有。然而，即使是最为愤世嫉俗的人也会偷偷地承认成功的存在；成就的意义举足轻重；而把世上男男女女的所作所为说成是徒劳无功才是真正的无稽之谈。那些持有成功不存在的观点的人很容易错乱。这种观点的本意是为了消除一切提高能力的动机，消除追求进步的兴趣，消除对子孙后代的关怀。
我们无法选择出生，无法选择父母，无法选择出生的历史时期和出生所在的国家，或是选择自己成长的环境。我们大多数人都无法选择死亡，无法选择死亡的时间或条件。然而，在这么多的无法选择之中，我们却可以选择如何生活：是勇敢无畏还是胆小怯懦，是光明磊落还是厚颜无耻，是目标坚定还是随波逐流。我们决定生活中哪些至关重要，哪些微不足道。我们选择做的以及拒绝做的，正是这些决定让我们的人生更加有意义。但是，不论世界对我们所做的选择和决定有多么漠不关心，这些选择和决定终究是我们自己做出的。我们决定，我们选择。而当我们决定和选择时，便形成了我们的生活。最终构筑我们命运的就是雄心壮志之所在。
词汇空间 ocabulary
1.abrasion n. 摩擦，磨损
2.celebratory adj. 庆祝的，兴高采烈的
3.tumultuous adj. 激昂的，骚乱的
4.sham n. 假象，假装
5.esteem v. 尊敬，珍重
6.derange v. 使错乱，扰乱
7.posterity n. 子孙，后代
8.epoch n. 时代，时期
9.realm n. 领域，范围
10.trivial adj. 琐碎的，微不足道的
文化链接 Culture Background
古人的雄心壮志（诗一首）
昆仑
欲往何处觅雅训？
巍巍昆仑皆惊愤。
风里鲲鹏欺大鸟，
雨中雏燕竞轻俊。
今朝我欲乘风去，
大展雄才高万仞。
横扫天下邪与恶，
一泻君子千古恨。
妙语拾珠
1.But within all this realm9 of choicelessness， we do choose how we shall live：courageously or in cowardice， honorably or dishonorably， with purpose or in drift.
然而，在这么多的无法选择之中，我们却可以选择如何生活：是勇敢无畏还是胆小怯懦，是光明磊落还是厚颜无耻，是目标坚定还是随波逐流。
2.We decide. We choose. And as we decide and choose， so are our lives formed. In the end， forming our own destiny is what ambition is about.
我们决定，我们选择。而当我们决定和选择时，我们的生活便得以形成。最终构筑我们命运的就是雄心壮志之所在。
