Unit 2 Jobs and Careers课文翻译大学体验英语二(2)

I did this for two years, but the lessons I learned have lasted a lifetime. I acquired discipline and a strong work ethic, and learned at an early age the importance of balancing life's competing interests - in my case, school, homework and a job. This really helped during my senior year of high school, when I worked 40 hours a week flipping burgers at a fast-food joint while taking a full load of college-prep courses.

The hard work paid off. I attended the U.S. Military Academy and went on to receive graduate degrees in law and business from Harvard. Later, I joined a big Los Angeles law firm and was elected to the California state assembly. In these jobs and in everything else I've done, I have never forgotten those nights in the parking lot. The experience taught me that there is dignity in all work and that if people are working to provide for themselves and their families, that is something we should honor.

Note: Louis Caldera was the 17th Secretary of the Army of the U.S.A.

Suze Orman: The Waitress

I had my first job at a local diner called the Buttercup Bakery when I was 22. I worked there for seven years and learned so many lessons, especially from a fellow waitress Helen who had incredible self respect and did what she loved - serving people. She made everyone smile and feel good, customers and co-workers alike.

Being a waitress changed my life. One of my regular customers was Fred Hasbrook, an electronics salesman. He always ate a ham-and-Monterey-Jack omelet, and when I

saw him walking toward the diner, I tried to have it on his table as soon as he sat down.

Thanks to the newfound confidence I picked up from Helen, I dreamed of having my own restaurant. But when I called my parents to ask for a loan, they said, "We just don't have the money."

The next day, Fred saw me and asked, "What's wrong, sunshine? You're not smiling today." I shared my dream with him and said, "Fred, I know I can do more if somebody would just have faith in me."

He walked over to some of the other diner regulars and the next day handed me checks totaling $50,000 - along with a note that I have to this day. It reads, "The only collateral on this loan is my trust in your honesty as a person. Good people with a dream should have the opportunity to make that dream come true."

I took the checks to Merrill Lynch - the first time I had ever entered a brokerage house - where the money was invested for me. I continued working at the Buttercup, making plans for the restaurant I would open. My investments soured, though, and I lost the money.

I found myself thinking about what it would be like to be a stockbroker. After great deliberation I decided to apply for a job at Merrill Lynch. Even though I had no experience, I was hired and ended up becoming a pretty good broker. Eventually I paid back Fred and my customers the $50,000, plus 14-percent annual interest. Five years later, I was able to open my own firm.

I got a thank-you note from Fred, which will be imprinted on my heart forever. He had been sick and wrote that my check had helped cover his mounting medical bills. His letter read, "That loan may have been one of the best investments that I will ever make. Who else could have invested in a counter 'girl' with a million-dollar personality and watch that investment mature into a very successful career woman. How few 'investors' have that opportunity?"

Note: Suze Orman is a bestselling financial author whose books include "The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom" and "The Courage to Be Rich."

PB 我的第一份工作

两名杰出的美国人回忆他们第一份工作的经历

路易斯·卡尔德拉：停车场的清洁工

我很小的时候，我父母就给我灌输了有关家庭、信念和爱国主义的观念。虽说生计艰难，他们对我和四个兄弟姐妹总是强调，我们很幸运，生活在一个伟大的国家，有无穷无尽的机会。

我开始做第一份正式工作时，才十岁。我父亲本杰明在一家纸箱工厂工作时，背部受伤，此后重新接受培训，成了一名理发师。那个购物中心的老板免去了父亲的部分租金，作为交换，父亲要清扫停车场，每星期三个晚上，这就意味着我们得凌晨三点起床。父亲用一台类似割草机的机器来收集垃圾，母亲和我就清空垃圾箱，用手捡垃圾。清扫完停车场要花两三个小时。回家途中，我就在车里睡着了。

这件事我只做了两年，但从中学到的东西却令我终生受益。我懂得了自我约束，培养了一种强烈的工作责任感，从小就懂得协调生活中相互矛盾的各种兴趣的重要性——对我而言，就是协调好上学、家庭作业和工作的关系。我上高中的最后一年，这个经历对我的帮助真的很大。那时我在一家快餐店做汉堡包，每周工作40小时，同时学习全部大学预科课程。 天道酬勤。我上了美国军事学院，接着又获得了哈佛的法学和商业两个硕士学位。后来，我加入了芝加哥一家大型律师事务所，并入选加州议会。不论是从事这些工作还是做别的任何事情，我从未忘记在停车场度过的那些夜晚。这种经历让我明白：所有的工作都有尊严，只要人们能自食其力，养家活口，就该受到尊重。

注：路易斯·卡尔德拉是美国第十七任陆军部长。

苏丝·奥曼：女餐厅服务员

我第一份工作是在当地一家叫小黄花面包房的餐厅工作，那年我22岁。我在那儿工作了七年，学到了很多东西，从工友海伦身上我学到的东西尤其多，她非常自爱，做着自己热爱的事情——为他人服务。她会让大家都微笑并心情舒畅，顾客和工友人人如此。

服务员这个工作改变了我的一生。我认识一个老主顾，电子产品销售员弗莱德·哈斯布鲁克。他总是点一份火腿加干酪煎蛋，我一看见他朝餐厅走来，就尽量在他刚坐下时就把一份煎蛋放在他的桌子上。

受了海伦的激励，我重新找到了自信，梦想开一家自己的饭店。我打电话问父母借钱，但他们说，“我们没有那么一笔钱。”

第二天，弗莱德见到我，问道，“怎么啦，阳光女孩？你今天没有笑啊。”我给他讲了我的梦想，对他说，“弗莱德，我知道我可以做得更多，只要有人相信我。”

他朝店里其他的一些常客走去。第二天，他递给我几张支票，总共有50,000美元，还有一张便条。上面写道，“这笔借款的唯一抵押是我相信你为人诚实。有梦想的好人应该有机会把梦想变为现实。” 那便条我一直保留至今

我把支票拿到Merrill Lynch证券公司，这是我平生第一次走进证券公司，让他 …… 此处隐藏：3258字，全部文档内容请下载后查看。喜欢就下载吧 ……