优秀散文赏析：We Can Succeed
When Britain's great Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill, was young, heattended a public school called Harrow. He was not a good student, and as matter
of fact, had he not been the son of a famous leader, he probably would have been
thrown out of the school for his offences. However, he completed his work at
Harrow, went on to the University, and then had a successful career in the
British Army, touring both Africa and India. He later was elected prime minister
and brought great courage to Britain though his speeches and other work during
the dark days of World War II.
Toward the very end of his period as prime minister, he was invited to
address the young boys at his old school, Harrow. In announcing the coming of
their great leader, the headmaster said, "Young gentlemen, the greatest speaker
of our time, our prime minister, will be here in a few days to address you, and
you should obey whatever sound advice he may give you at that time."
The great day arrived, and the prime minister appeared at Harrow. After
being introduced, Sir Winston stood up - all five feet, five inches and 107
kilos of him! He gave this short but moving speech: "Young men, never give up.
Never give up! Never give up! Never, never, never, never! "
Personal history, education, situation - none of these can hold back a
strong spirit. Think, for example, of Abraham Lincoln, who was elected president
of the United States in 1860. He grew up on a small farm at what was then the
edge of the settled part of the United States. He had only one year of regular
education. In those early years, his family hardly had a penny and he only read
about half a dozen books. In 1832 he lost his job and was defeated when he tried
to get elected to the Illinois government. In 1833 he failed in business. In
1834 he was elected to the state government, but in 1835 the woman he loved
died. In 1838 he was defeated when he tried to become a leader in the Illinois
government, and in 1843 he was defeated when he tried to enter the U.S.
Congress. In 1846 he was elected to Congress but in 1848 lost a second election
and was forced out. In 1849 he was refused a job with the national government,
and in 1854 he was defeated for the U.S. Senate. In 1856 he was defeated in the
election for vice president, and in 1858 he was again defeated for the
Senate.
Many people consider Lincoln to be the greatest president of all time. Yet
it should be remembered how many failures and defeats marked his early life.
Some of the world's greatest men and women have met huge problems and
difficulties at some time in their lives, but have gone on to do great
deeds.
Lock him in a damp prison, and you have a John Bunyan.
Bury him in the snows of Valley Forge, and you have a George
Washington.
Make a musical genius unable to hear, and you have a Ludwig van
Beethoven.
Have him born black in a society filled with bitter hate between races, and
you have a Martin Luther King, Jr.
Have him born of parents who survived a Nazi death camp, destroy his
ability to walk when he is four, and you have the concert violin player, Itzhak
Perlman.
Call him slow to learn, and write him off as stupid, and you have an Albert
Einstein.
had he not been 经典虚拟语句，省略if 译为"他如果不是"
Winston Churchill 温斯顿·丘吉尔，二战时期英国首相
Abraham Lincold 亚伯拉罕·林肯，美国总统
John Bunyan 约翰·班扬 (17s)世界著名作家
Ludwig van Beethoven 路德维希·凡·贝多芬 世界著名音乐作曲家
Martin Luther King, Jr 马丁·路德·金 美国民权运动领袖
Itzhak Perlman 伊沙克·帕尔曼 小提琴之神
Albert Einstein 阿尔伯特·爱因斯坦 伟大物理学家
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