文字難度:★★☆
A few years ago, my younger sister and I were the first ones down the tunnel to 1)board our flight for 2)Norfolk, 3)Virginia. Just as we were about to board the plane, a 4)mechanic emerged from inside the aircraft and blocked the door with his arms. He turned to the flight attendant and hurriedly stated, “We got problems!”
幾年前,我和妹妹搭乘飛機(jī)去弗吉尼亞州的諾福克市,當(dāng)時(shí)我們是最早通過隧道準(zhǔn)備登機(jī)的乘客。正當(dāng)我們要登上飛機(jī)的時(shí)候,一位機(jī)械師從機(jī)艙里走出來,用手臂擋住了艙門。他轉(zhuǎn)過身急促地對乘務(wù)員說道:“我們遇到問題了!”
I thought to myself, “Why did I have to be the one to hear that? Why couldn’t I have been at the back of the line? I didn’t need to know that!” Very soon we were back in the 5)terminal, waiting, and then ultimately back on the plane. I waited for the pilot to give an explanation. Pilots take courses to ease passengers’ minds, right? They know what to say to calm nerves.
我暗想:“為什么是我聽到這個(gè)消息呢?為什么我不是排在登機(jī)隊(duì)伍的最后呢?我不需要知道這件事!”很快地我們返回到候機(jī)室等消息,然后最終又回到了飛機(jī)上。我等著機(jī)長給出一個(gè)合理的解釋。機(jī)長們都學(xué)過如何緩和乘客們的情緒,不是嗎?他們知道應(yīng)該說些什么來寬慰神經(jīng)緊張的乘客們。
Unfortunately, I don’t think this pilot took that course. Soon his voice 6)boomed throughout the plane, “Sorry for the delay, ladies and gentlemen. We had no power on the plane. We have a 7)generator on the ground right now, and we are going to 8)jump-start the engines. Once we get them going, we will get up in the air and head to Norfolk, and see what happens.”
不幸的是,我想我們的這位機(jī)長并沒有學(xué)過這方面的課程。很快,他的聲音就在整個(gè)機(jī)艙里回響:“女士們、先生們,很抱歉飛機(jī)晚點(diǎn)了。我們的飛機(jī)動(dòng)力不足,現(xiàn)在在地面上有臺發(fā)電機(jī),我們準(zhǔn)備借助它來發(fā)動(dòng)飛機(jī)上的引擎。一旦發(fā)動(dòng)了那些引擎,我們就能夠飛到空中并飛向諾福克市,然后隨機(jī)應(yīng)變。”
9)Click.
That was it. That was all he said. See what happens? We are going to get up in the air, and see what happens? Couldn’t we have another plan, one that’s been worked out just a little better?
喀噠——
就這樣。他就是這么說的。隨機(jī)應(yīng)變?我們會首先升空,然后隨機(jī)應(yīng)變?難道我們不能有一個(gè)更好的計(jì)劃嗎?
At this point, all I could do was to laugh nervously. One woman started yelling, “Oh no! We are going to crash!” There were sighs of desperation and anxiety spreading throughout the cabin like a tidal wave, and we hadn’t even taken off yet. Thirty minutes passed and we were still sitting there. Then the voice of the pilot came over the 10)intercom again, “Ladies and gentlemen, I know you are frustrated—so are we—we know you are hot, we only have one engine going right now, and it is working 11)double time.”
這個(gè)時(shí)候,我所能做的只是緊張兮兮地笑了起來。一位女士開始大叫:“噢,不!我們要墜機(jī)了!”絕望和焦慮的嘆息聲像潮汐般席卷了整個(gè)機(jī)艙,而我們甚至還沒有起飛。三十分鐘過去了,我們?nèi)匀煌T谠?。接著廣播里又一次響起了機(jī)長的聲音:“女士們,先生們,我知道你們很沮喪,我們也一樣;我們知道你們現(xiàn)在感到很熱,因?yàn)槲覀儸F(xiàn)在只有一個(gè)引擎能夠正常運(yùn)轉(zhuǎn),而且它正在加速運(yùn)轉(zhuǎn)?!?
Click.
There were moans, as if we had all boarded a 12)vessel of 13)doom. It seemed that, we were all seated in an 14)aluminum 15)casket, 16)buckled next to strangers. After all, the pilot said he was frustrated. He told us our one engine was working double time, and his elaborate plan was to get up in the air, and see what happens! Then we did. We got up in the air, and what happened? Nothing—other than 17)thrust and 18)lift. We arrived in Norfolk, and no sooner had the wheels touched the 19)tarmac than a round of applause burst out, as everyone throughout the airplane simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief.
喀噠——
機(jī)艙內(nèi)一片哀號,似乎我們搭乘的是一艘瀕臨毀滅的飛船。似乎我們都坐在一口鋁制大棺材里,被安全帶牢牢扣住,身旁坐著的都是陌生人。畢竟,那位機(jī)長說他也很沮喪。他告訴我們,我們的一個(gè)引擎正在加速運(yùn)轉(zhuǎn),而他的詳細(xì)計(jì)劃是先升空,然后隨機(jī)應(yīng)變!接著,我們真的這么做了。我們升上半空,然后發(fā)生了什么呢?什么也沒有發(fā)生,除了感受到推力和上升力。我們抵達(dá)了諾福克市,飛機(jī)的輪子接觸到停機(jī)坪的地面時(shí),機(jī)艙里掌聲雷動(dòng),飛機(jī)上的每個(gè)人都同時(shí)舒了一口氣。
Although, I do sincerely like to have a plan better than “see what happens” worked out when flying—it really isn’t such a bad life strategy. All too often, I would see people chasing their goals halt frozen with 20)inaction just because they don’t have all the necessary pieces or guaranteed results, when in reality—they will never have all the pieces. Success will never be guaranteed. The best thing that you can do is, just get up in the air, and see what happens. Sometimes adjustments would be made in the air, or shall we say, in the middle of the process.
雖然在飛行的時(shí)候,我誠摯地希望能有一個(gè)比“隨機(jī)應(yīng)變”更好的計(jì)劃——但“隨機(jī)應(yīng)變”也不失為一個(gè)良好的人生策略。我時(shí)常會看到追求目標(biāo)的人們怠于行動(dòng),僅僅因?yàn)樗麄儾痪邆渌械谋匾獥l件,或者對結(jié)果沒有十足的把握;其實(shí)在現(xiàn)實(shí)生活中,他們永遠(yuǎn)都不可能具備所有的必要條件。成功從來不是十拿九穩(wěn)的。你能做的最好的事就是飛上半空,然后隨機(jī)應(yīng)變。有時(shí)候,你可以在半空中,或者說在事情的進(jìn)程中,根據(jù)情況做出調(diào)整。
If your effort is to build a business, then listen closely, “Get up in the air, and see what happens!” Don’t give yourself all the reasons why you can’t. Do not wait until you have everything you need. You never will!
如果你在努力開創(chuàng)一番事業(yè),那么可要聽仔細(xì)了:“先飛到半空中,然后隨機(jī)應(yīng)變!”不要總是為自己找理由解釋為什么你做不到。不要等到你擁有了你所需要的一切再行動(dòng)——你永遠(yuǎn)都等不到那一天。
If your mission is to start a friendship, say “Hello”; get up in the air, and see what happens! Don’t stress over what you will talk about—21)wing it, and make mid-air adjustments. The results could be very rewarding. Do not allow yourself to stay on the runway, just because you feel the flight may seem doomed. In friendships the only doomed flights are the ones that stay on the runway.
如果你想開始一段友誼,就主動(dòng)地說“你好”,試著交往,然后隨機(jī)應(yīng)變!不要擔(dān)心你接下來的話題——隨機(jī)應(yīng)變,在交往的過程中進(jìn)行調(diào)整,結(jié)果會很有收獲的。不要僅僅因?yàn)槟阌X得這次“飛行”可能會失敗,就讓自己一直停留在跑道上。對于友誼來說,唯一會失敗的“飛行”就是那些一直停留在跑道上的“班機(jī)”。
If your goal is to learn a new skill, “Get up in the air, and see what happens!” It might not be as challenging as you thought. You might be smarter than you thought. It could be fun!
如果你的目標(biāo)是學(xué)習(xí)一種新技能,“飛到半空中,然后隨機(jī)應(yīng)變!”這種新技能可能沒有你想的那么富有挑戰(zhàn)。你也可能比自己以為的更聰明。學(xué)習(xí)的過程可能是很有趣的!
When traveling, I still hope that my pilot has a more detailed plan than, “We will see what happens.” Although in life, it isn’t such a bad strategy, after all.
雖然在旅行的時(shí)候,我還是希望我的機(jī)長有一個(gè)比“我們隨機(jī)應(yīng)變”更周詳?shù)挠?jì)劃,但在人生中,這種策略其實(shí)還不錯(cuò)。