第10章 拐弯处的发现 Where the Railway Bends
佚名/Anonymous
A young man traveled by train. As it was rumbling across a wilderness, passengers looked out of windows idly and aimlessly.
When the train approached a bend it slowed down and then an unadorned house came into view. It was so conspicuous against the desolate landscape that everybody on the train turned to“admire”it with eyes wide open. Some passengers even began a discussion about it.
The young man was also impressed by the scene. On his return he got off the train at the nearest station and found his way to the house. Its owner told him that troubled by the noise of the train he wanted to sell the house but nobody would buy it.
Soon after the young man spent thirty thousand dollars for the house, regarding it as a favorable site for advertisement. It was facing the railway bend where the train had to slow down and the weary passengers would cast their eyes at the house to refresh themselves.
He managed to get access to big companies and tried his best to convince them of the advantage of the place for advertisement. Finally the Coca Cola Company took a lease on it to put up promotion signs. The young man was paid 180 thousand for a three-year rent.
The story is absolutely true. It proves that potential discovered may lead to success.
有位年轻人乘火车去旅行。当火车隆隆地驶过一片荒野时，乘客们都慵懒地、毫无目的地望着窗外。
在接近一个拐弯处时，火车减慢了速度。接着，一座朴实的房屋闯入了人们的视线。它与荒凉的地貌形成了鲜明的对比，于是人们都睁大眼睛欣赏起来。有些乘客甚至开始对这座房屋“品头论足”起来。
这幅景象也给年轻人留下了印象。回程中，他在离房子最近的站下了车，并找到了通往那座房子的路。房屋的主人告诉他，由于火车噪音的困扰，他很想卖掉房子，但没有人愿意买。
很快，年轻人花3万美元买下了那座房子，他将它视为做广告的理想之地。房子正好面对转弯处，在那里火车将不得不减慢速度，疲惫的乘客会将视线集中到这座房子上，来放松自己。
他设法同一些大公司取得了联系，竭力使他们相信用那座房屋打广告的优势。终于，可口可乐公司租下那里用于打促销牌，租金18万美元，租期三年。
这是一个完全真实的故事。这个故事证明，发现有可能带来成功。
记忆填空
1.When the train approached a____________it slowed down and then an unadorned____________came into view. It was so conspicuous____________the desolate landscape that everybody on the train turned to“admire”it with____________wide open. Some passengers even____________a discussion about it.
2.He managed to get access to big companies and____________his best to convince them of the advantage of the____________for advertisement. Finally the Coca Cola Company took a lease on it to put up promotion____________. The young man was paid 180 thousand____________a three-year rent.
佳句翻译
1.当火车隆隆地驶过一片荒野时，乘客们都慵懒地、毫无目的地望着窗外。
译___________________________________________________
2.房屋的主人告诉他，由于火车噪音的困扰，他很想卖掉房子，但没有人愿意买。
译___________________________________________________
3.房子正好面对转弯处，在那里火车将不得不减慢速度，疲惫的乘客会将视线集中到这座房子上，来放松自己。
译___________________________________________________
短语应用
1....then an unadorned house came into view.
come into view：进入视野
造___________________________________________________
2.Soon after the young man spent thirty thousand dollars for the house, regarding it as a favorable site for advertisement.
regard as：把……当做……；把……视为……
造___________________________________________________