第六届希望之星初中组决赛选手鞠健：演讲稿

　　比赛演讲稿

　　How High Can You Jump

　　Flea trainers have observed a strange habit of fleas. When Fleas are trained by putting them in a cardboard box with a top on it. The fleas will jump up and hit the top of the box over and over again. As you watch them jump and hit the lid, something very interesting becomes obvious. The fleas continue to jump, but they are no longer jumping high enough to hit the top.

　　When you take off the lid, they fail to jump out of the box. Why? The reason is simple. They have conditioned themselves to jump just so high. Once they have conditioned themselves to jump just so high, that's all they can do!

　　Many times, people do the same thing. They restrict themselves and never reach their potential. Just like the fleas, they can't jump higher, thinking they are doing all they can do.

　　译文：

　　跳蚤训练人发现跳蚤有一个奇怪的习惯。当跳蚤被放在有盖的纸板盒里时，跳蚤会不断地跳起来，撞击顶盖。你观察它跳起来撞击顶盖，会慢慢注意到一个有趣的现象。它们仍不断地向上跳，但不会再撞到顶盖了。

　　当你把顶盖拿开时，跳蚤跳不出盒子了。这是什么原因呢？这很简单，它们已经习惯于只跳这么高了。一旦习惯于这样，它们就只能跳这么高了。

　　很多时候，人也是一样。他们限制自己，从来不去努力开发自己的潜能。就像不能跳得更高的跳蚤一样，它们只以为自己的能力发挥到了极限。

　　My Constant Companion

　　As I am now a junior high school student, I have a great many friends, but there is one whom I prize over all the rest. I first made his acquaintance when I began to go to school. He has been my constant companion ever since.

　　Though he is serious in appearance, he never fails to be interesting. Often he is clever, sometimes merry and delighted .he is the most knowledgeable friend a person could have. He knows virtually every language of the world, all the events of history, and the words of all the great poets and philosophers. A kindly benefactor, he is admired and enjoyed by everyone who makes his acquaintance.

　　To me, he is the most patient of all my company. He encourages and instructs me. when I am young, solaces and comforts me when I am old. He is a friend not only to me but also to millions around the world. Shall I tell you his name? His name is “reading”.

　　译文：

　　我现在是一名中学生，我有很多朋友。而其中我珍视一个朋友，胜过所有其他的朋友。我刚上学便与他相识。从那以后，我们就是长久的朋友了。

　　他很注意外表，也总是十分有趣。通常情况下，他是极聪明的，有时也会很愉快和高兴。他是一个人能拥有的最博学的朋友。他确实懂得世界上的所有语言，历史上各件大事，以及所有诗意的语言和哲性的话语。他，一个亲切的奉献者 ，为所有与他相识的人所景仰和喜爱。

　　对我来说，他是朋友中最耐心的一个。年少时，给我鼓励和教导；年老时，也能给我慰籍和关怀。他不仅是我的朋友，也是世界上千千万万人的挚友。可以允许我告诉你他的名字吗？他的名字是“读书”。