宜家的成功秘诀(中英文对照)摘自经济学人[小编推荐]

第一篇：宜家的成功秘诀(中英文对照)摘自经济学人[小编推荐]

上海大学毕业设计(论文)

宜家的成功秘诀

摘自：《经济学人》

高效的运营，精细的税务规划，加上严格的控制

以下段落的顺序已被随机打乱，请各位自己动手排列成一篇完整通顺的文章。

开个玩笑而已。但如果你有过在宜家购物的经验，那么你对把家具组件打包带回家再拼装时的种种麻烦和挫败感一定不会感到陌生。可是无数的消费者对此并没有怨言，只因为两点：宜家的产品不但时髦，而且非常便宜。

2009年9月份接任宜家集团执行总裁的麦克奥尔森说“我们讨厌浪费”。他指着一个鲜红色的“Ektorp”沙发，神情中显露出些许自豪。去年他的设计团队想到了一个办法，使常用的三座沙发在包装时占据的空间更小，同样大的空间能够放进去的沙发数量就能多一倍。这个方法使沙发的价格也相应地下降了100欧元（约合135美元），而且使运输过程中产生的二氧化碳也大幅度减少。节约是宜家企业文化中的核心理念。奥尔森认为这一理念可以追溯到公司的发源地斯马兰，瑞典南部一个贫穷的地区。他说那里的居民“倔强、节俭、善于过精打细算的日子。”自从英格瓦坎普拉德在1943年创办宜家以来，公司就一直致力于让“条件有限的人能够像有钱人一样布置自己的家”。

宜家给外界的印象是一个具有环保意识、社会责任感强的公司。奥尔森毫不掩饰他对宜家支持慈善事业和只使用可再生能源的肯定。他说他希望和自己一块儿工作的人是快乐的、诚实的、习惯于独立思考的。公司200名高管中有40%是女性，这一点令他也颇感自豪。

宜家的经营业绩是相当不错的。在2010财政年度，宜家的销售额增长7.7%，达到231亿欧元，净利润上升了6.1%，达到27亿欧元。法国的Conforama和英国的Habitat及其他业内竞争对手都难以望其项背。尽管80%的销售额来自于经济受创的欧洲地区，宜家仍凭借其强大的品牌效应和廉价政策成功度过了经济危机。2010年宜家在西班牙和意大利的销售额分别上涨了8.2%和11.3%。在保加利亚和罗马尼亚，宜家也是经营的有声有色，并且正计划进一步拓展在中欧和东欧地区的业务。

以节俭闻名的德国人是宜家最大的主顾，他们的消费量占宜家的总销售额的15%。宜家甚至已经融入了德国的文化：2009年在汉堡的一间剧院里上演了一部与之有关的戏剧《来自瑞典的奇迹》，该戏剧采用瑞典民歌曲调演唱的方式展现了这个“家具业始祖”的发展历程。

然而在宜家清新的形象背后，却是一个极具瑞典特征、本能般低调、甚至在某些人眼里等级制度森严的公司。所有六名监督委员会的成员均为瑞典人（84岁的坎普拉德现任高级顾问）。几年来，有关公司在亚洲使用童工和购买活鹅鹅毛的批评之声一直不绝于耳。有记者透露，坎普拉德年轻时曾支持过瑞典的法西斯组织；他在一封公开信中已经就此致歉。

近来，在拥有12家门店的俄罗斯，宜家遇到一些麻烦。虽然宜家一向致力于反腐败运动，并冻结了在俄罗斯的投资以抗议政府的监管不力，但去年它却卷入到了一场丑闻之中。两名驻俄罗斯的高管被解雇，原因据称是一名分包商为获得其位于圣彼得堡的商场的供电而向他人行贿，但两名高管对此事却充耳不闻。

每当有负面消息传出时，开诚布公是宜家一贯的作风，这让人很是钦佩。但公司的所有权结构却很不透明。一些批评者认为宜家的内部架构最大程度地减少了纳税，降低了公司的透明度，却给坎普拉德家族带来了丰厚的回报，并且杜绝了宜家被外人收购的可能。宜家集团在全球26个国家里有284家商场，其母公司是英格卡控股，一家在荷兰注册的私有公司。英格卡控股则完全归斯地廷英格卡基金会所有。该基金会的注册地也在荷兰，无需缴税，系非营利性实体，1982年坎普拉德将其在宜家的股份纳入到该基金会名下。一个由五名成员组成、坎普拉德任主席的执行委员会负责基金会的运行。

在荷兰注册的另一家私有公司—宜家国际系统，则拥有宜家的商标和概念，它的母公司为宜家国际控股，是一个在卢森堡注册的公司。宜家国际控股的所有人很多年来一直不为外界所知，宜家也拒绝透露他们的身份。

一月份播放的一部瑞典记录片爆料说，一支由坎普拉德家族控制，名为Interogo的列支敦士登基金会，是宜家国际控股的真正所有者，而宜家国际系统和每个宜家商场签订的特许经营协议则是宜家国际控股收入的来源。这可是个赚大钱的买卖：宜家称所有的特许经营店都要上交收入的3%作为使用宜家知识产权的专利权税。宜家集团是最大的特许经营商；其他特许经营商负责管理其余的35家商场，这些商场主要分布在中东和亚洲地区。荷兰的一家商场由宜家国际系统直接管理。

在瑞典电视台播出这部引发争论的记录片后，坎普拉德回应说“低税”是公司奉行的低成本政策中与生俱来的一部分。然而宜家这种绞尽脑汁减少公司税赋的做法却与其注重社会责任的对外形象不太相称。奥尔森决定向外界披露更多财务方面的信息，以图消除针对宜家透明度低的批评。去年公司有史以来首次向外界公布了销售、利润、资产和负债等方面的数据。

奥尔森认为宜家保留私有公司的身份会更具竞争力。与其被上市所累，为完成季度目标而殚精竭虑，莫不如去关注公司长远的发展。奥尔森计划将宜家在中国开店的速度提高一倍，中国目前已经有11家宜家商场。公司在俄罗斯遇到的麻烦没有使奥尔森退缩，他计划在未来几年内在莫斯科地区有可能再开三家商场。奥尔森还希望在当地的零售业对外开放时进军印度市场，他甚至还想扩张宜家在英国的版图。对于英国人来说，家就是一座城堡，而城堡需要家具来装饰。

附录2：The secret of IKEA's success

From：《the Economist》

Lean operations, shrewd tax planning and tight control

THE paragraphs below are arranged randomly;you will have to assemble the finished article yourself.Just kidding.But if you shop at IKEA, you are no doubt familiar with the hassle and frustration of assembling its flat-pack furniture at home.Millions of customers endure it, for two reasons: IKEA’s products are stylish and they are very, very cheap.“We hate waste,” says Mikael Ohlsson, who took over as chief executive of IKEA Group in September 2009.He points proudly at a bright-red “Ektorp” sofa.Last year his designers found a way to pack the popular three-seater more compactly, doubling the amount of sofa they could cram into a given space.That shaved €100($135)from the price tag—and significantly reduced the carbon-dioxide emissions from transporting it.Thrift is the core of IKEA’s corporate culture.Mr Ohlsson traces it back to the company’s origins in Smaland, a poor region in southern Sweden whose inhabitants, he says, are “stubborn, cost-conscious and ingenious at making a living with very little”.Ever since Ingvar Kamprad founded IKEA in 1943, the company has tried to allow “people with limited means to furnish their houses like rich people”.IKEA presents itself as a green company with a social mission.Mr Ohlsson boasts of its charitable work and its aim to use only renewable energy.He says he wants his “co-workers” to be happy, honest and inclined to think for themselves.He is proud that 40% of the company’s 200 top managers are women.Business is good.In the fiscal year 2010, IKEA’s sales grew by 7.7% to €23.1 billion and net profit increased by 6.1% to €2.7 billion.Conforama, Habitat and other rivals do not come close.IKEA’s strong brand and low prices helped it to weather the downturn, even though 80% of its sales are in crisis-hit Europe.In 2010 its sales rose by 8.2% in Spain and 11.3% in Italy.The firm is doing well in Bulgaria and Romania and planning to expand further in central and eastern Europe.Thrifty Germans are IKEA’s best customers, accounting for 15% of sales.It has become part of German culture: in 2009 a Hamburg theatre staged an opera about it, “Wunder von Schweden”(“Miracle from Sweden”), a biography of the “furniture messiah” set to Swedish folk tunes.Yet behind IKEA’s clean image is a firm that is very Swedish, secretive by instinct and, some say, rigidly hierarchical.All six members of the supervisory board are Swedish.(Mr Kamprad, at 84, is a senior adviser.)Over the years the company has been accused of using child labour in Asia and of buying feathers plucked from live geese.Journalists revealed that Mr Kamprad had backed a Swedish fascist group in his youth;he apologised in an open letter.More recently, IKEA has had problems in Russia, where it has 12 stores.Having campaigned against corruption and even frozen its investments there for a while to protest against poor governance, last year IKEA was itself involved in a scandal.It

had to sack two senior executives in Russia for allegedly turning a blind eye to bribes paid by a subcontractor to secure electricity supplies for its St Petersburg outlets.When damaging news breaks, IKEA has an admirable habit of coming clean.But the firm’s ownership structure is opaque.Critics grumble that its set-up minimises tax and disclosure, handsomely rewards the Kamprad family and makes IKEA immune to a takeover.The parent for IKEA Group, which controls 284 stores in 26 countries, is Ingka Holding, a private Dutch-registered company.Ingka Holding, in turn, belongs entirely to Stichting Ingka Foundation, a Dutch-registered, tax-exempt, non-profit-making entity, which was given Mr Kamprad’s IKEA shares in 1982.A five-person executive committee, chaired by Mr Kamprad, runs the foundation.The IKEA trademark and concept is owned by Inter IKEA Systems, another private Dutch company.Its parent company is Inter IKEA Holding, registered in Luxembourg.For years the owners of Inter IKEA Holding remained hidden from view and IKEA refused to identify them.In January a Swedish documentary revealed that Interogo, a Liechtenstein foundation controlled by the Kamprad family, owns Inter IKEA Holding, which earns its money from the franchise agreements Inter IKEA Systems has with each IKEA store.These are lucrative: IKEA says that all franchisees pay 3% of sales as a royalty.The IKEA Group is the biggest franchisee;other franchisees run the remaining 35 stores, mainly in the Middle East and Asia.One store in the Netherlands is run directly by Inter IKEA Systems.After the airing of the polemical documentary on Swedish TV, Mr Kamprad retorted that “tax efficiency” was a natural part of the company’s low-cost culture.Yet such diligent efforts to reduce the firm’s tax burden sit uncomfortably with IKEA’s socially conscious image.Mr Ohlsson is trying to defuse criticism of IKEA’s opacity by providing more information on its finances.Last year the firm published detailed figures on sales, profits, assets and liabilities for the first time ever.Mr Ohlsson argues that IKEA is more competitive as a privately owned company.Instead of sweating to meet the quarterly targets the stockmarket demands, it can concentrate on long-term growth.Mr Ohlsson plans to double the pace of store openings in China, where IKEA already has 11 outlets.Undeterred by the firm’s headaches in Russia, he plans to open perhaps three more stores in the Moscow area in the next few years.Mr Ohlsson hopes to move into India when the retail market opens up there.He even sees room for expansion in Britain.An Englishman’s home is his castle, and castles need furniture.

第二篇：20130105经济学人中英文对照(三)

South Korea’s new president 韩国新总统朴槿惠

Plenty on her plate 准备仍需继续

Park Geun-hye prepares to address some of her father’s legacy 朴槿惠准备继承父亲遗志

Jan 5th 2013 | SEOUL | from the print edition

PARK GEUN-HYE’S campaign advertising described her as a “prepared female president”.Having narrowly defeated the Democratic United Party(DUP)candidate, Moon Jae-in, on December 19th, two-thirds of her slogan will be realised with her inauguration on February 25th.The “prepared” part, however, is less clear.朴槿惠的竞选广告形容她是一位“做好了准备的女总统”。12月19号，她以微弱优势击败了民主统和党候选人文在寅。而随着1月25日就职典礼的举行，这句口号的三分之二将得以实现。然而，关于其“是否真的做好了准备”，一切仍有待观察。

South Korean presidents-elect appoint transition teams to help smooth their way into office and many of their members then take up posts in the new government.With her appointments, Ms Park seems to be trying to bridge the political divide.Her transitional team, consisting of nine subcommittees, is headed by Kim Yong-joon, a former head of South Korea’s Constitutional Court.新总统组建了职务交接委员会来帮助新政府上台。他们中的很多成员之后也将在新政府中拥有一席之地。朴槿惠似乎在以这种委派职务的方式来尽力弥合政治上的分歧。职务交接委员会由9个分科委员会组成。其委员长由前韩宪法法院院长金容俊担任。

Mr Kim is a conservative like Ms Park, but is not seen as hardline by the 48% who voted for Mr Moon.As a young judge in 1963, he even ruled against the detention of an army chief-of-staff who had opposed Ms Park’s father, the dictator Park Chung-hee.Ms Park has also taken care to give prominent roles to natives of Jeolla province, such as Han Kwang-ok, head of the subcommittee on national unity.Jeolla suffered under successive military regimes in the past, and always votes for the DUP rather than Ms Park’s Saenuri Party.金容俊和朴槿惠总统一样是保守派人士，但在支持文在寅的那48%选民看来，他的作风却并不强硬。1963年，当时还是一名年轻法官的文在寅甚至反对拘捕一名反总统武装的头目。而时任总统正是朴槿惠的父亲，独裁统治者朴正熙。朴槿惠还特别对一些全罗道出身的官员委以要职，例如目前正担任统一分科委员会委员长的韩光玉。历史上，全罗道曾长期处于军事政权统治下，并且一向倾向于支持民主统和党，而非朴槿惠所属的新国家党。

The rallying cry of the election was “economic democratisation”, a fluffy term that has two main strands, both of which Ms Park seems to be sticking to.The first is to counter the vast(and increasingly unpopular)power of families that run the chaebol, South Korea’s huge conglomerates.Ms Park’s party is historically pro-chaebol.Her father set up the system that enabled them to flourish with governmental support.But she has promised a otugher line, notably on the system of cross-holdings that permit control of a conglomerate with only a small amount of capital 朴槿惠的竞选口号是推行“经济民主化”。这一政策力度温和，朴槿惠总理的变革主要集中在两个方面。首先是对那些势力庞大且日渐令人生厌的家族企业说“不”。在韩国，这种大型企业被称为财阀。从历史上看，朴槿惠所在的新国家党其实就是财阀的前身。正是她的父亲开创了这种模式，使企业得以依靠政府而蓬勃发展。但朴槿惠却走了一条更为艰难的道路，尤其是考虑到当前制度下财阀间的交叉控股现象—他们往往只需持有一笔小额资本便可实现对彼此集团的永久性支配。

At a meeting on December 26th with the Federation of Korean Industries, a chaebol lobby group, Ms Park emphasised jobs over profit maximisation.She has also pledged to be tougher on crooked behaviour.In the past decade three chairmen of the largest five chaebol have received presidential pardons following convictions for offences such as fraud and tax evasion.If she sticks to her word, this will stop.12月26日，朴槿惠与财阀游说组织，韩国产业联合会会面。比起如何实现利润最大化，她在会上强调得更多的是就业问题。同时她还承诺将严厉打击业界不法行为。仅在过去十年里，韩国五大财阀的董事长中就有三位因为诈骗和逃税迫使总统动用了豁免权。而今后这种现象将不复存在。

The second strand is the expansion of the welfare state.Ms Park promises to provide free child care for under-fives, and to subsidise social security contributions and university-tuition fees for the poor.On January 1st the national assembly approved 2.4 trillion won($2.3 billion)of extra welfare spending to pay for all this, as part of the “Park Geun-hye budget”.Old conservatives like the outgoing finance minister, Bahk Jae-wan, have long grumbled about the populism of such measures.改革的另一个方面则是关于社会福利支出。朴槿惠承诺将推行五岁以下儿童免费教育，贫困大学生学费减免以及加强公共社会安全等一系列措施。1月1日，韩国国会通过了为以上方针增拨2亿四千万韩元（约合2300万美元）的议案，同时将这笔支出纳入政府预算中。但一些保守人士，如前财政部部长朴宰完，则对这份福利方案颇有微词。

A dangerous neighbourhood 躁动的邻国

Although Ms Park has undoubtedly shifted her party on domestic issues, foreign policy is unlikely to change much from that of outgoing president, Lee Myung-bak.Ms Park speaks some Chinese and will want to overcome the strains caused by China’s insistence on sending North Korean refugees back home rather than to South Korea, as well as the incursion of Chinese fishing boats into South Korean waters.But relations with America are strong and she will not want to risk them merely to please China.On December 24th, the Obama administration offered South Korea four advanced spy drones 尽管朴槿惠政府不遗余力地对本国各方面施行改革，但其外交政策却基本沿袭了前总统李明博时期的作风。朴槿惠会说一些汉语，因此也想借机和缓一下由于朝鲜难民遣返问题以及中方渔船非法作业问题而稍显紧张的两国关系。不过，介于美韩之间的同盟关系，她也不会以此为代价去讨好中国。就在12月24日，奥巴马才刚刚宣布为韩提供4台先进的无人侦察机。

America’s expansion of its missile-defence programme in Asia raises Chinese concerns about.containment Some analysts say this will make Beijing see South Korea’s alliance with America as part of a wider anti-China strategy, rather than one merely directed at North Korea.There could be problems ahead, regardless of the fluency of Ms Park’s Chinese.中国认为美国对韩导弹防御系统的支援其实是一次针对中方的遏制性战略部署。有分析指出这将使中国视美韩结盟为整个反华战略的一部分，而非单单只针对朝鲜。无论朴槿惠总统的汉语有多流利，中韩关系都将因此面临一些新的挑战。

American officials hope Ms Park can repair damaged ties with their other main regional partner, Japan.South Koreans remain angry about colonial-era sex slavery, and the ownership dispute over the Dokdo islands(known as Takeshima in Japan), visited by President Lee in August.Ms Park’s father once served in the Japanese imperial army that occupied northeast China, making it politically impossible for her to show too much kindness to Japan.美国当局希望朴槿惠政府能与其在亚洲的另一盟友日本改善关系。韩国仍对日方在慰安妇问题上的态度以及独岛（日本称竹岛）所有权争端一事耿耿于怀。2012年8月，前总统李明博曾登上了独岛。朴槿惠的父亲曾在日军占领中国东北时为其效力，这就注定了她在政治立场上不会是亲日派。

Shinzo Abe, Japan’s new premier, sent envoys to meet Ms Park on January 4th in an attempt to ease the tension, but the South Korean press has been working itself into a frenzy over Mr Abe’s strident nationalism.His big majority gives him leeway to be diplomatic, but any move to rescind a 1995 apology for wartime suffering his country caused would be disastrous for the bilateral relationship.为了缓解局势，1月4日，新任日本首相安倍晋三派遣使团与朴槿惠会面。不过，韩国媒体此时早已掀起了对安倍极端民族主义的口伐笔诛。1995年，日本曾为发动侵略战争致歉。如今，虽然民众的大力支持使安倍有资格代表日本的外交立场，但是只要日方对当初的道歉有一丝收回之意，都将给两国脆弱的关系带去毁灭性的打击。

Then there is North Korea.Ms Park has based her approach on reciprocity, pitched halfway between the “sunshine” policy of former presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun, and the frostiness of Mr Lee.She says she will start with small economic projects and humanitarian aid, and engage further if the North’s leader, Kim Jong Un, chooses diplomacy with the South.She calls it “trustpolitik”

.关于朝鲜问题，朴槿惠既不像前总统金大中﹑卢武铉那样采取“阳光政策”，也不像李明博般态度强硬，而是在互惠互利的基础上，走折衷路线。她承诺将首先给予朝鲜一部分经济人道主义援助，如果金正恩愿意双方建立外交，再进一步深化两国关系。朴槿惠表示这会是一次“信任外交”。

On January 1st Mr Kim gave the first new year’s speech by a North Korean leader for 19 years, calling for an end to confrontation.But, although the style may mark a change, his demand for the implementation of old sunshine-era agreements is likely to leave Ms Park unmoved.Experience shows that one of the few things North Korea can be trusted to do is to continue developing nuclear weapons.Mr Kim may well test a device soon.Ms Park will need to be prepared.1月1日，金正恩发表了朝鲜领导人19年来首次新年致辞，宣称朝韩对峙的时代已经结束。不过，尽管金正恩放低了姿态，但倘若他要求韩国政府履行“阳光政策”时代达成的协议，或许会使朴槿惠在对朝态度上强硬起来。经验告诉我们，关于朝鲜，唯一可以相信的就在于它肯定会继续核武器的开发。金正恩也许很快就会进行试验。对此，朴槿惠必须有所准备。

第三篇：奥巴马告诉你演讲成功秘诀(中英文对照)

YOU might say that one reason Barack Obama is president of the US is because he knows how to give a good speech.In 2004, when Massachusetts Senator John Kerry was the Democratic Party`s nominee for the presidency, a little-known senator from Illinois gave the keynote speech at the Democratic National

Convention.That senator was Obama.It was a remarkable speechhis two memoirs have become best-sellers.The skills he needed to succeed in his previous jobs have also contributed to his success as a speechmaker.在当选总统前，奥巴马曾做过律师、大学教授。他还是一位成功的作家，出版的两部回忆录都非常畅销。正是这些早年在工作中锻炼出的技能，让他得以成为一名成功的演说家。

As a lawyer, Obama learned how to make strong, convincing arguments.As a professor, he learned how to explain complex subjects in ways that helped students understand without boring them.As a writer, he learned how to use language to have a powerful impact on his audience.Star musician will.i.am even turned one of Obama`s early speeches into a song during the election campaign.身为律师，奥巴马懂得如何在辩论中给出令人信服的有力论据。而身为教授，他明白如何将复杂的事物以学生清晰易懂的方式解释清楚。同时身为作家，他更精通如何用语言打动观众。著名流行乐团黑眼豆豆的灵魂人物will.i.am，甚至将奥巴马早期竞选的一篇演讲编成了歌曲。

Obama delivers speeches to audiences large and small.He can make his audiences laugh or cry.His speeches are always thoughtful, well written, and just right for each occasion.奥巴马在各种大大小小的场合都发表过演说。他既能使人捧腹，也可以催人泪下。无论在什么场合，他的演讲总是那么得体，思想与文笔交相辉映。

奥巴马的秘密武器 Secret weapon更多信息请访问：http:/// Teleprompter: Obama doesn`t go anywhere without his Teleprompter.The

textbook-sized panes of glass holding the president`s prepared remarks follow him wherever he goes to speak.提词器：无论去哪里，奥巴马都随身携带提词器。每次外出演讲，他都会带着这个笔记本大小的方形玻璃装置，里面有备好的演讲摘要。

Writing team: Obama has a team of people who write his speeches.The writers chat with Obama for hours about what he wants to say.They listen to recordings of past presidential addresses and seek advice from advisers.Obama usually edits and rewrites the drafts several times.写作团队：该团队专门负责为奥巴马撰写演讲稿。演讲前，他们会和奥巴马座谈数小时，充分了解他想要表达的内容。之后，他们还要听过去的总统演讲录音，并向顾问寻求建议。奥巴马通常会对出来的草稿再进行数次编辑改写。

Obama's tricks for a lighthearted speech that stays on message:

如何在轻松愉快的演讲中传达你的信息？奥巴马自有妙招：

Make fun of the guests: Obama starts his speech by gently teasing his guests.His opening lines grab the audience`s attention while giving them an opportunity to relax and laugh at themselves and each other.打趣来宾：奥巴马经常在演讲一开始打趣来宾。这样一来，他的开场白不仅能成功吸引听众们的注意力，还可以让他们放松下来，彼此会心一笑。

Make fun of yourself: A good rule for speechmakers: If you`re going to make a joke about someone else, be sure to make one about yourself, too.Obama mocks his own poor choices for filling the position of Commerce Secretary, saying, “No President in history has ever named three Commerce Secretaries this quickly.” In fact, his first two nominees for the position withdrew their names for different reasons.In a process that had otherwise gone smoothly, the Obama

Administration was tripped up by the problem of filling the Commerce seat.拿别人开涮的同时，也别忘了自嘲：对一个演讲者而言，如果你想要拿其他人打趣，那么一定别忘了也要来自嘲一下。奥巴马曾嘲笑自己在商务部长提名上没有太多选择，他说：“在这么短的时间内任命3位商务部长，恐怕我是头一个了。”实情是，前两位被提名者都由于种种原因而推掉了。结果任命商务部长这么一件本应很顺畅的事，却成了奥巴马政府的老大难。

跟着奥巴马学英语

第四篇：三个成功儿子给妈妈的礼物中英文对照

妈妈的礼物

Presents To Mother

There was a woman who had three sons.When they had grown up the sons left home went out on their own and prospered years later.Getting back together they discussed the gifts they were able to give their elderly mother.一个女人有3个儿子。长大成人后，儿子们纷纷出外谋生，数年后功成名就。回到家乡，他们聚在一起，商量送什么礼物给年迈的母亲。

The first said “I will build a big house for our mother.”

第一个说：“我要给母亲建一所大房子。”

The second said “I will send her a Mercedes with a driver.”

第二个说：“我要把一辆梅塞德斯连同司机一起送给母亲。”

The third said “Remember how mom enjoyed reading the Bible And you know she can't see very well.I sent her a remarkable parrot that recites the entire Bible.It took elders in the church 12 years to teach him.Mama just has to name the chapter and verse and the parrot recites it.”

第三个说：“你们还记得吧？妈妈特别喜欢读《圣经》。你们也知道，她的眼现在有点花了。我要送她一只非同寻常的鹦鹉，这只鹦鹉可以将整部《圣经》背诵下来，神父们花了12年的时间才教会它。妈妈只需要说出篇章、段落，这只鹦鹉就能把它背出来。”

Soon thereafter mom sent out her letters of thanks.之后不久，母亲给儿子们分别回信表示感谢。

“Milton” she wrote to one son “the house you built is so huge.I live in only one room but I have to clean the whole house.”

“米尔顿，”她在信中给一个儿子写道，“你为我建的房子实在有点太大了，我只住一个房间，却需要打扫整所房子。”

“Gerald” she wrote to another “I am too old to travel.I stay most of the time at home so I rarely use the Mercedes.And the driver is so rude”

“杰罗德，”她给另一个儿子写道，“我太老了，不能再出去旅游了。大部分时间我都待在家里，那辆梅塞德斯很少用。而且，那个司机也太粗鲁了！”

“Dearest Donald” she wrote to her third son “you have the good sense to know what your mother likes.The chicken was delicious.”

“我最亲爱的唐纳德，”在给第三个儿子的信中她写道，“你最知道妈妈需要什么，那只小鸡非常好吃。”

第五篇：中英文对照阅读--10年10个人的成功传奇-懵懂童年：秀兰.邓波儿

中英文对照阅读---10年：10个人的成功传奇懵懂童年：秀兰•邓波儿

懵懂童年：秀兰•邓波儿

人的成长轨迹不同，成功也有早有晚。有的人年少成名，不到10岁就名满天下；有的人大器晚成，耄耋之年才品尝到成功的滋味。但不管怎样，只要满怀激情地把有限的人生投入到自己真正喜欢的事业，早晚会有一番作为。

懵懂童年：秀兰•邓波儿

不到10岁的秀兰•邓波儿在长达四年的时间里一

直是最有票房号召力的明星。20世纪30年代晚期，她

在20世纪福克斯公司（20th Century Fox）每部电影

中的片酬达到史无前例的5万美元。她定义了“童星”

一词，而这也是她自传的书名。

但过早的成功往往伴随着把童年奉献给辛苦工作、而不是玩耍的代价。在普通孩子四处游玩和涂鸦的年

纪，邓波儿每年就要参演4部电影。

“年少的冲锋者们愿意在年纪轻轻时就牺牲了自由

和选择，”位于纽黑文市的咨询顾问、《像个老板样》

（It's Okay to Be the Boss）的作者布鲁斯•塔尔干

说。“他们在年幼时就把大把的时间和精力投入到专心

致志的追求中。”

虽然邓波儿在22岁时息影，但早年的那种牺牲为

她提供了平台和知名度，使她得以活跃于政坛，担任公

司董事，成为老布什执政时期美国驻捷克斯洛伐克的大

使。Although Temple retired from movie-making at age 22, that early sacrifice gave her the platform and name

recognition to become active in politics, serve on

corporate boards, and fill the role of U.S.ambassador to

Czechoslovakia during the administration of President

George H.W.Bush.“The early young chargers are willing to sacrifice freedom and choice at a young age,” says Bruce Tulgan, New Haven-based consultant and author of It's Okay to Be the Boss.“They put in a huge amount of time and energy in a focused pursuit at a very young age.”Childhood: Shirley TempleBefore the age of 10, Shirley Temple enjoyed four years as the top box-office draw in America, earning an unprecedented $50,000 per film from 20th Century Fox in the late 1930s.She gave definition to the term child star, which was the title of her autobiography.But early success often comes with the cost of devoting your childhood to hard work rather than play.Temple acted in four films a year at an age when ordinary children swing in the playground and master cursive writing.