以下是小編整理的哲理類英語美文欣賞：我怎樣白手起家， 希望對你有所感觸。

　　How a Simple Idea Became a Huge Business

　　我怎樣白手起家

　　要是我有個水晶球能窺見未來，我會怎么樣呢?

　　許多人一遇到障礙就打退堂鼓，但我不會這樣。

　　我一旦有了目標，就必然鍥而不舍，全力以赴。

　　我相信人生中充滿機會，但我們往往不懂得把握。

　　By Howard Schultz

　　霍華德·舒爾茨

　　[1]When I was a child growing up in public-housing projects in Canarsie, Brooklyn, I rememberlying in bed at night thinking: what if I had a crystal ball『水晶球』and could see the future? ButI quickly shut out『摒棄』the thought. I realized I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life.All I knew was I had to get out of the projects, get out of Brooklyn.

　　[1]小時候我住在紐約市布魯克林區(qū)卡納西的房租低廉的住宅區(qū)，有一天夜里躺在床上思量：要是我有個水晶球能窺見未來，我會怎么樣呢?不過我迅即拋開了這個念頭。我知道自己在人生路上仍然漫無目標，只知道必須設(shè)法離開這里，離開布魯克林。

　　【額外知識】Brooklyn：美國紐約市的五大行政區(qū)之一(其余四區(qū)是曼哈頓、布朗克斯、昆斯和里士滿)，為黑人和窮人聚居區(qū)。

　　[2]I was fortunate to go to college, but I didn't know what to do next. I had no mentor 『導(dǎo)師;良師』to help me sort out my options『選擇』. My main goal was to escape the strugglesmy working-class parents lived with every day.

　　[2]后來我有幸上了大學(xué)，卻不知道下一步該怎么走，也沒有人替我指點迷津。我的父母都是工人階級，每天都必須操勞，而我當時最大的愿望就是不步他們的后塵。

　　[3]Eventually I discovered I had a talent for sales, and was hired by a Swedish housewarescorporation. By age 28, I was vice president in charge of sales in the United States. I had anexcellent salary and a co-op『合作』apartment in New York City, and was happily married to abeautiful woman, Sheri. My parents couldn't believe I had come so far so fast. The life I wasleading was beyond their best dreams for me.

　　[3]我發(fā)現(xiàn)自己善于推銷，便進入了一家瑞典人開的家庭用品公司工作。我表現(xiàn)出色，28歲就晉升為主管國內(nèi)銷售的副總裁，薪金優(yōu)厚。我買了套住宅，又娶了如花似玉的妻子--雪瑞，生活舒適愉快。連我的父母都不敢相信我會如此飛黃騰達。他們從未夢想過我能過上這樣的生活。

　　[4]Most people would be satisfied with all this. But I was getting antsy『熱鍋上螞蟻般的;坐立不安的』. I wanted to be in charge of my own destiny 『命運』. It was around this time, in the early1980s, that I became aware of a strange phenomenon. A little retailer『零售商』in Seattle wasplacing large orders for a drip coffee maker: a simple plastic cone 『圓錐體』set on athermos『保溫瓶』. The company, Starbucks Coffee and Tea, had only four small stores, yet itwas buying our product in quantities larger than Macy's was. Why was Seattle so taken withthis coffee maker when the rest of the country was using electric coffee makers?

　　[4]一般人有了如此成就，也許會志得意滿，我卻還想更上一層樓，決意要主宰自己的命運。就在這個時候(80年代初期)，一個奇特現(xiàn)象引起了我的注意。西雅圖有家經(jīng)營零售業(yè)的小公司向我們訂購滴濾式咖啡壺。這家公司名叫"明星咖啡連鎖公司"，只有4家小店，向我們買這種產(chǎn)品的數(shù)量卻超過百貨業(yè)巨擘梅西公司。當時美國各地普通使用電氣咖啡壺。何以此器具在西雅圖那么受歡迎?

　　【額外知識】

　　Seattle：美國西北部華盛頓州首府。瀕臨太平洋，著名的波音(Boeing)飛機制造公司坐落于此。

　　Macy's：即R. H. Macy & Co.梅西公司。美國資格最老、最著名的百貨公司，總部設(shè)在紐約。

　　[5]I had to find out, so I went to Seattle.

　　[5]為了查明原委，我前往西雅圖。

　　Fresh Approach

　　濃郁香氣撲鼻而來

　　[6]Starbucks's flagship store was modest『樸素的』but full of character. The minute the dooropened, a heady『刺鼻的;濃烈的』aroma『芳香』of coffee drew me in. Behind a woodencounter stood bins containing coffees from all over: Sumatra, Kenya, Ethiopia, Costa Rica.Along one wall was a shelf full of coffee-related merchandise『商品;貨物』, including ourthermos-and-cone coffee maker.

　　[6]明星咖啡連鎖公司的總店樸實無華，卻別具風(fēng)格。我一推開店門，濃郁醉人的咖啡香氣便撲鼻而來。木柜臺后面有一列箱子，分別裝盛從蘇門答臘、肯尼亞、埃塞俄比亞和哥斯達黎加世界各地進口的咖啡?？恐鴫Φ呢浖苌蠑[滿各種咖啡用具，包括我們生產(chǎn)的滴濾式咖啡壺。

　　[7]The counterman scooped『用勺舀』out Sumatrancoffee beans, ground『grind的過去式。磨;碾碎』them, put the grounds in a filter『過濾器』 in thecone and poured hot water over them to give me asample of their product. When he handed me thecoffee, the aroma enveloped『籠罩;掩蓋』my entireface. I took a tentative『實驗性的;試探性的』sip.

　　[7]柜臺服務(wù)員用勺子舀出少許蘇門答臘咖啡豆，磨成粉，倒入滴濾式咖啡壺的濾格，澆下熱水，沖一杯咖啡供我品嘗。他把杯子遞過來時，咖啡的香氣籠罩了我的臉。我淺嘗了一口。

　　[8]Whoa. My eyes shot wide open. It was stronger than any coffee I had ever tasted. Bycomparison, I realized, the coffee I had been drinking was swill『洗碟水;泔水』. That night Ihad dinner with one of Starbucks's owners, Jerry Baldwin. I had never heard anyone talk abouta product the way Jerry talked about coffee. He wasn't just calculating『算計』 how tomaximize『使增加/擴大到最大限度』 sales. He and his partner, Gordon Bowker, believed theywere providing customers with something they ought to enjoy. It was an approach tobusiness that was fresh and appealing『動人的;有吸引力的』to me.

　　[8]"哇!"我心里贊嘆，不由得兩眼圓睜。這是我有生以來所喝過的最濃烈的咖啡，以前喝的咖啡相形之下像洗碟水。當晚我跟明星咖啡連鎖公司的股東杰里·巴登一起吃飯。我以前從未見過有誰像他談咖啡那樣談?wù)撃承┊a(chǎn)品。巴登不只是努力推銷而已：他和合伙人戈登·博格都相信，他們所賣的都是顧客會喜愛的東西。這樣的經(jīng)商態(tài)度令我耳目一新，也為之心折。

　　Inexplicable Attraction

　　不可言喻的吸引力

　　[9]I tried to persuade Jerry Baldwin to hire me-although it did not seem to be a logical careermove. Taking a job at Starbucks would mean giving up my job and Sheri's job-and for what?Moving across the country to join a tiny outfit 『公司;機構(gòu)』with four coffee stores? It didn'tmake sense to my friends or family, especially my mother. "You're doing well-you have afuture," she argued. "Don't give it up for a small company nobody's heard of ."

　　[9]我想說服巴登雇用我--老實說，此舉似乎并不明智。我如果去明星咖啡連鎖公司上班，就必須辭去現(xiàn)在的職位，而我的妻子也必須放棄現(xiàn)在的工作。我的親友，尤其是母親，都認為我的想法沒有道理。"你現(xiàn)在干得很不錯--前途遠大，"她勸道："不要為一個誰都沒有聽說過的小公司而放棄現(xiàn)在的工作。"

　　[10]I thought of the loss of security『保障』, remembering how when I was seven my fatherhad broken his ankle at work. He was stuck at home for more than a month. He was a truckdriver delivering diapers『尿布』, so when he didn't work, he didn't get paid. Our family had noincome, no health insurance『保險』-nothing to fall back on. That image of my father-slumped『垂頭彎腰地坐』on the couch, leg in a cast-was burned into my mind.

　　[10]我考慮的是失去保障，不禁想起7歲那年父親工作時摔斷踝骨，在家里困了一個多月的往事。他的職業(yè)是開卡車運送尿布，不上班就沒有工資，我們一家人的生活頓時陷入困境。他一條腿裹著石膏頹然坐在長沙發(fā)上的情景，深深印在我的記憶中。

　　[11]But Starbucks held an inexplicable attractionfor me. During the year after my first visit, I foundreasons to get back to Seattle several times. Then inthe spring of 1982, Jerry and Gordon invited me tomeet board『董事會』member Steve Donovan.

　　[11]但是，對我來說，明星咖啡連鎖公司有不可言喻的吸引力。其后我在一年之內(nèi)又找借口去了西雅圖幾趟，到1982年春天，巴登和博格邀我去會晤公司董事史蒂夫·坦南瓦爾德。

　　[12]The meeting went exceptionally well. I toldthem how I had served Starbucks coffee to myfriends in New York, how enthusiastic『極感興趣的』they had been. Starbucks could be so muchbigger, I argued. It could grow beyond the Northwest. It could become a national company.

　　[12]會晤時氣氛極好。我告訴他們，我曾經(jīng)用明星咖啡連鎖公司的咖啡招待紐約的朋友，嘗過的人都贊不絕口。我又指出，這公司其實可以大展宏圖，沖出西北部發(fā)展成為全國大企業(yè)。

　　[13]The partners seemed inspired『振奮;感動』by my vision『構(gòu)想;見解』. Back in New Yorkthe next day, I eagerly awaited Jerry's call. But they had decided not to hire me. "Your planssound great," Jerry said. "But that's just not the vision we have for Starbucks." Instead ofcharming『吸引』them, I had spooked『使受驚嚇;使膽怯』them.

　　[13]三位股東似乎欣賞我的見解。第二天我回到紐約，急切等候巴登的電話。但是他們決定不雇用我。巴登說："你的計劃好極了，只可惜不符合我們經(jīng)營明星咖啡連鎖公司的方針。"

　　A Trip to Italy

　　意大利之行

　　[14]I still believed so much in the future of Starbucks that I couldn't accept "no" as a finalanswer. I had to join this company.

　　[14]我對明星咖啡連鎖公司的前途仍深具信心，不甘就此罷休。

　　[15]The next day I called Jerry back. "Jerry," I protested, "this isn't about me. It's about yourcompany." I spoke and he heard me out, then fell silent. "Let me sleep on it," he said. "I'll callyou tomorrow."

　　[15]第二天我又打電話過去。"巴登，"我說，"這不是為我自己著想，而是為你們公司…?quot;他耐心傾聽，然后沉默了一陣。"讓我再想一晚，"他說，"明天給你回音。"

　　[16]Perhaps he slept; I certainly didn't.

　　[16]也許他睡了一覺，可是我卻整夜未眠。

　　[17]The next morning I picked up the phone on the first ring. "You have the job, Howard," hesaid. "When can you come?"

　　[17]次日早晨，電話鈴一響我就拿起聽筒。"我們決定雇用你，"巴登說，"什么時候來上班?"

　　[18]So many times I've been told something can't be done. But if I believe in it, I can't let it go.Part of my determination comes from my enthusiasm, and part is fear of failure. The exampleof my dad was always in my mind. An honest man who worked hard and loved his children, hewas never able to take control of his life and climb out of the hole of blue-collar jobs-truckdriver, factory worker, cabdriver-that left him a beaten man.

　　[18]許多人一遇到障礙就打退堂鼓。但是我不會這樣;我一旦有了目標，就必然鍥而不舍，全力以赴。我能如此堅毅，一方面是憑著滿腔熱誠，另一方面是畏懼失敗。我常常想起父親坎坷的一生。他為人誠懇、工作勤奮、愛護兒女，卻一直不能掌控自己的人生方向，不能擺脫藍領(lǐng)工人的地位--卡車司機、工廠工人或出租汽車司機--以致抱撼終身。

　　[19]After I had been at Stabucks for a year, I had an experience that changed my life. I went toMilan to attend an international housewares show. On my first morning I noticed a littleespresso『濃咖啡』bar. Behind the counter a tall, thin man was cheerfully greeting customers.

　　[19]進明星咖啡連鎖公司一年之后，由于另一件事，我的人生又有了大轉(zhuǎn)變。我去意大利米蘭參觀國際家庭用品展覽，第一天早晨便注意到會場里有個小小的蒸餾咖啡吧。柜臺后面有個高高瘦瘦的男人在笑吟吟地招呼顧客。

　　[20]"Espresso?" He asked, holding out a cup. After three sips it was gone, but I could still feelits warmth and energy.

　　[20]"蒸餾咖啡?" 他問，然后遞給我一杯。我啜吸三口就喝光了，不過咖啡的香濃溫暖我卻至今難忘。

　　[21]That day I discovered the romance『浪漫情調(diào)』and ritual『規(guī)矩;習(xí)慣』of coffee bars in Italy. Mymind started churning 『翻騰』. My company'sconnection to coffee lovers did not have to belimited to their homes, where they ground andbrewed『煮』our coffee. What we should do was sellcoffee by the cup, in coffee bars.

　　[21]那天我見識了意大利咖啡吧的浪漫格調(diào)和營業(yè)作風(fēng)。我于是開始動腦筋。其實，我們公司和咖啡愛好者的關(guān)系不必局限在他們家里。我們何不開設(shè)咖啡吧，論杯賣咖啡，讓他們不必自行研磨沖泡也能喝到我們的咖啡?

　　[22]On my return to Seattle, however, my bosses argued that Starbucks was a retailer, not arestaurant or a bar. They pointed out that Starbucks was successful. Why rock『使搖擺』theboat?

　　[22]回到西雅圖后，我向老板提出此計劃，他們卻不以為然，強調(diào)明星咖啡連鎖公司是零售業(yè)者，不是餐廳或酒吧。他們還指出公司很賺錢，何必冒風(fēng)險另辟蹊徑?

　　[23]I was torn between loyalty『忠誠』 to Starbucks and confidence in my vision for coffeebars. In the end I followed my vision. With Sheri's support, in late 1985 I left Starbucks andstarted my own company, Il Giornale.

　　[23]我對公司當然應(yīng)該忠心耿耿，可是我對咖啡吧計劃也充滿信心，認為值得一試，因此左右為難。最后，我決定實現(xiàn)自己的計劃。在妻子雪瑞的支持下，我1985年冬天離開明星咖啡連鎖公司，創(chuàng)辦了伊爾·喬爾納萊公司。

　　[24]Within six months we were serving more than a thousand customers a day in our tinySeattle store. It became a gathering place-just like the espresso bars in Italy. We opened asecond store six months after the first, and a third one in Vancouver.

　　[24]不到半年，我們在西雅圖開的小店每天都有1000多位顧客光臨。第一家店開張6個月后，我們開了第二家，然后在溫哥華開了第三家。

　　[25]In March 1987 Jerry Baldwin and Gordon Bowker decided to sell their Starbrcks stores. Assoon as I heard, I knew I had to buy. With the support of my Il Giornale investors, Starbuckswas mine five months later. I had a chance to accomplish my dreams, but I also had the hopesand fears of nearly a hundred people resting on my shoulders. It was electrifying『令人振奮的』,but also frightening.

　　[25]1987年3月，巴登和博格決定出售明星咖啡連鎖公司。我一聽到消息，就知道我非承購不可。伊爾·喬爾納萊公司的股東都表示支持，于是5個月后，明星咖啡連鎖公司便歸我所有。我有了實現(xiàn)雄心壯志的機會，卻也肩負了將近100人的希望與憂慮，心里既振奮又惶恐不安。

　　[26]At the same time I was facing a huge personal crisis『危機』. My father was dying. InJanuary 1988 I went home to see my dad one last time. But it was the saddest day of my life.He'd had no savings, no pension『養(yǎng)老金』. More important, he had never attainedfulfillment『滿足』and dignity『尊嚴』from work.

　　[26]也在這時候，我父親病入膏肓。1988年1月，我回家去見他最后一面。那是我生平最悲傷的一天。他沒有積蓄，沒有養(yǎng)老金。更糟的是，他不曾從工作中體會過尊嚴和成就感。

　　[27]Although I didn't plan it this way, Starbucks has become a living legacy 『遺產(chǎn)』of my dad.I've tried to be the kind of employer I wish he had worked for. Starbucks now has more than1500 stores and 25,000 employees. Unlike other retailers, we provide stock options and fullhealth benefits, even for part-time employees.

　　[27]雖然我不是有意為之，明星咖啡連鎖公司卻已成了紀念先父的事業(yè)。他一生從未遇到過好雇主，因此我身體力行，決意做個好老板。我們的作風(fēng)跟一般零售業(yè)者不同：所有員工包括兼職者都享有優(yōu)先認股權(quán)，以及周全的保健福利。

　　[28]In the years since I first heard of Starbucks, I've often wondered: what would havehappened had I just accepted Jerry Baldwin's decision not to hire me? Most people, whenturned down 『拒絕』for a job, just go away.

　　[28]這些年來我時常揣摩：當年聽到巴登說不雇用我的時候我如果默然認命，今天會是什么局面?大多數(shù)人求職遭到拒絕后，只是一走了之。

　　[29]I believe life is a series of near misses. A lot of what we ascribe to『歸于』luck is not luck atall. It's seizing the day and accepting responsibility for your future. It's seeing what otherpeople don't see and pursuing『追求』that vision.

　　[29]我相信人生中充滿機會，但我們往往不懂得把握。我們歸功于運氣的成就，有許多其實與運氣完全無關(guān)，應(yīng)歸功于當機立斷、敢作敢為，見人之所未見，堅持不懈。

　　【瘋狂翻譯練習(xí)】

　　1. 我有幸上了大學(xué)，卻不知道下一步該怎么走。(2)

　　2. 我想主宰自己的命運。(4)

　　3. 我的親友，尤其是母親，都認為我的想法沒有道理。(9)

　　4. 進明星咖啡連鎖公司一年之后，由于另一件事，我的人生又有了大轉(zhuǎn)變。(19)

　　5. I realized I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life.(1)

　　6. The life I was leading was beyond their best dreams for me.(3)

　　7. I had a chance to accomplish my dreams, but I also had the hopes and fears of nearly ahundred people resting on my shoulders.(25)

　　8. More important, he had never attained fulfillment and dignity from work.(26)