英漢英語(yǔ)美文：生命中最重要的東西
one day an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration those students will never forget.
一天，一名時(shí)間管理專家在向一群在商業(yè)這一行打拼的學(xué)生講課時(shí)，為了清楚地說(shuō)明一個(gè)論點(diǎn)，他用了一個(gè)令學(xué)生們永遠(yuǎn)不會(huì)忘記的演示來(lái)表達(dá)。
as he stood in front of the group of high-powered over-achievers he said, "okay, time for a quiz.” then he pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed mason jar and set it on the table in front of him.
他站在這群精力充沛、成就出類拔萃的學(xué)生面前，說(shuō)道：“好的，我們來(lái)做個(gè)測(cè)試。”然后，他拿出一個(gè)容量為一加侖的廣口玻璃瓶，放在他面前的桌上。
he then produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar. when the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "is the jar full?"
接著，他拿出十多個(gè)拳頭大小的石塊，將它們小心翼翼、一塊一塊地放進(jìn)瓶子里。等石塊填滿到瓶口，再也塞不下時(shí)，他問(wèn)：“（你們說(shuō)），瓶子被裝滿了嗎？”
everyone in the class said, "yes."
上課的學(xué)生都說(shuō)：“滿了。”
he replied, "really?"
他的回應(yīng)是∶“真的滿了嗎？”
he reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel, then dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the space between the big rocks.
他伸手到桌下取出一桶碎石，接著，他將一些碎石倒進(jìn)瓶子里，并搖晃著瓶子讓碎石順著石塊之間的間隙里漏進(jìn)瓶中。
he asked the group once more, "is the jar full?"
他再一次地問(wèn)這群學(xué)生：“瓶子被裝滿了嗎？”
by this time the class was on to him. "probably not," one of them answered.
這一次，學(xué)生們領(lǐng)悟到了一些他的意圖。一個(gè)學(xué)生回答說(shuō)，“可能還沒(méi)滿吧。”
"good!" he replied.
他的回應(yīng)是，“回答的好！”。
he reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. he started dumping the sand in the jar and it went into all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. once more he asked the question, "is the jar full?"
他伸手到桌底下，拎出了一桶沙。他突然把沙往瓶子里倒，沙子漏進(jìn)了石塊與碎石之間殘留的縫隙，到不能再倒進(jìn)沙子時(shí)，他又一次問(wèn)：“瓶子被裝滿了嗎？”
"no!" the class shouted.
全班學(xué)生大聲回答，“沒(méi)裝滿！”
once again he said, "good!"
再一次地，他說(shuō)道：“回答的好!”
then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. then he looked at the class and asked, "what is the point of this illustration?"
然后他又一把抓過(guò)一大罐水，開(kāi)始往瓶子里倒，一直倒到水浸到瓶口。然后，他看著學(xué)生們，發(fā)問(wèn)：“這個(gè)演示說(shuō)明了什么要點(diǎn)？”
one eager student raised her hand and said, "the point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit some more things in!"
一個(gè)學(xué)生急忙舉起了她的手，回答：“要點(diǎn)是：不管你的日程安排得多緊，如果認(rèn)真努力地想辦法，你總是能夠在其中安插更多的事情。”
"good answer, but no," the speaker replied, "that's not my point. the truth this illustration teaches us is: if you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all. what are the 'big rocks" in your life? in my life they are my children... my wife... my loved ones... my education... my dreams... charities and worthy causes... teaching or mentoring others... doing things that i love... time for myself... my health... remember to put these big rocks in first or you'll never get them in at all."
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