A Lesson for Living
人生的教训
“Everything happens for the best,” my mother said whenever I faced disappointment. “If youcarry on, one day something good will happen.”
Mother was right, as I discovered after graduating from college in 1932, I had decided to try for a job in radio, then work my way to a sports announcer. I hitchhiked(搭便车) to Chicago and knocked on the door of every station and got turned down every time.
In one studio, a kind lady told me that big stations couldn’t risk hiring an inexperiencedperson. “Go find a small station that’ll give you a chance,” she said.
I thumbed home to Dixon, Illinois. While there were no radio-announcing（无线电播音） jobs in Dixon, my father said Montgomery Ward had opened a store and wanted a local athlete to manage its sports department. Since Dixon was where I had played high-school football, I applied. The job sounded just right for me. But I wasn’t hired.
My disappointment must have shown. “Everything happens for the best,” mom reminded me. Dadoffered me the car to job hunt. I tried WOC Radio in Davenport, Iowa. The program director, a wonderful Scotsman named Peter MacArthur, told me they had already hired an announcer.
As I left his office, I asked aloud, “How can a fellow get to be a sports announcer if he can’t get a job in a radio station?”
I was waiting for the elevator when I heard MacArthur calling, “What was that you said about sports? Do you know anything about football?” Then he stood me before a microphone and asked me tobroadcast an imaginary game.
The preceding autumn, my team had won a game in the last 20 seconds with 65-yard run. I did a 15-minute build-up to that play, and Peter told me I would be broadcasting Saturday’s game!
On my way home, as I have many times since, I thought of my mother’s words: “If you carry on, one day something good will happen.”
I often wonder what direction my life might have taken if I’d gotten the job at Montgomery Ward.
译文
“一切都会好的。”每当我面临失望时，母亲都会说。“如果你坚持下去，总有一天好事会出现。”
1923年大学毕业时，我才发现母亲说的没错。当时，我决定在电台找一份工作，然后通过奋斗，当一名体育播音员。我搭便车来到芝加哥，敲了每一家电台的门，每次都被拒之门外。
在一家演播室，一位好心的女士告诉我说，大电台都不可能冒风险去聘用没有经验的人。“找一家小电台，它会给你一个机会的。”她说。
我搭便车回到家乡伊利诺伊斯迪克森。迪克森没有无线电播音的工作。父亲告诉我说，蒙哥马利•沃德开了一家商店，想在当地聘用一位运动员管理体育部。因为迪克森是我中学曾打过橄榄球的地方，所以我就提出了申请。这份工作对我正合适，但我还是没被雇佣。
我的失望之情一定是露了出来。“一切都会好的。”妈妈提醒我说。爸爸将车给我，让我去找工作。我去了衣阿华州达文波特WOC电台试了试。节目主管是一个名叫彼得•麦克阿瑟的了不起的苏格兰人。他告诉我说他们已经雇佣了一名播音员。
我离开他的办公室时，大声问道：“一个在广播电台都找不到工作的人怎么能成为一名体育播音员呢？”
我等电梯时，听到麦克阿瑟朝我喊道：“你说的体育是怎么回事？你知道橄榄球吗？”于是，他让我站在麦克风前，请我为一场假象的比赛解说。
在前一年的秋天，我的球队在最后20秒以65码的距离赢得了一场球。我对那场球赛做了15分钟的精彩解说。彼得告诉我可以为星期六的比赛解说！
在回家的路上，我想到了母亲的那番话，从此多次都是这样：“如果你坚持不懈，好事总有一天会到来。”
我常常想，如果得到了蒙哥马利•沃德的那份工作，我的人生会通向何方。
拓展训练
“Everything happens for the best.” Whenever I faced disappointment, my mother would say this to me.
After I graduated from 35_____ in 1932, I decided to find a job in radio as a sports announcer (广播员). I went to Chicago and knocked at the door of every station. But 36_____, I was refused every time.
At one station, a kind lady told me that 37_____ stations wouldn’t hire an inexperienced person and 38_____ that I try my luck at smaller stations. Following her advice, I went back to Dixon, where I had grown up. There were no radio-announcing jobs in Dixon, and my father said a newly-opened store wanted a local athlete to work for it. I applied for the job, but I was refused 39_____.
“Everything happens for the best,” Mom reminded me. Dad 40_____ me the car to look for a job. I tried WOC Radio in Davenport, Iowa. The program director, Peter MacArthur, told me they had already 41_____ an announcer.
As I l eft his office, my 42_____ boiled over. “How can I become a sports announcer if I can’t get a job in a radio station?” I asked aloud.
While I was waiting for the elevator, I heard someone 43_____. It was MacArthur. “What was
that you said about sports? Do you know anything about football?”
Then he asked me to broadcast an imaginary game. 44_____ my performance, he offered me a chance to work there.
On my way home, I thought of my mother’s words: “If you 45_____, one day something good will happen. Something wouldn’t have happened if not for that previous (先前的) 46_____.”
272w 21sth Century total 358
35. A. family B. office C. college D. bank
36. A. immediately B. usually C. unluckily D. naturally
37. A. small B. big C. old D. new
38. A. agreed B. asked C. explained D. suggested
39. A. more B. again C. already D. finally
40. A. offered B. borrowed C. gave D. bought
41. A. chosen B. decided C. invited D. hired
42. A. frustration B. anger C. pride D. worry
43. A. shouting B. talking C. calling D. crying
44. A. Interested in B. Pleased with C. Excited about D. Surprised at
45. A. carry on B. get on C. come on D. try on
46. A. information B. encouragement C. effort D. disappointment
答案：CCBDB ADACB AD