· Frank ·
Balzac once said artistic creation was“an exhausting struggle”．He believed that only by tenacious work and not being afraid of difficulties could you show your talent．It was just like the soldiers charging the fortress，not relaxing your effort even for a moment．
Once Balzac wrote for hours on end， he was so tired that he could not hold out any longer．He ran to a friend’s home and plunged headlong onto the sofa．He wanted to sleep，but he told his friend he must be woken up within an hour．His friend，seeing him so tired，did not wake him up on time．After he woke up，Balzac got very angry at his friend．Fortunately his friend had an intimate understanding of him and did not quarrel with him．
Balzac did not smoke cigarettes，nor did he drink any alcohol. But he got one habit：while he was writing he always drank very strong coffee that could almost anaesthetize his stomach．He didn’t add milk，nor did he add sugar in his coffee．It would not satisfy him until it was made bitter．People generally did not like to drink such bitter coffee．That had a strange stimulus effect on him，and could help him drive the sleepiness away，according to himself．
一场累人的斗争
弗兰克
巴尔扎克曾经说过，艺术创造是“一场累人的斗争”。他认为，只有顽强地工作，不怕困难，才能把自己的才华表现出来。这就好像向堡垒冲击的战士，一刻也不能松劲。
有一次，巴尔扎克一连写了好几个小时，累得实在支持不住了，跑到一个朋友家里，一头倒在沙发上。他想睡一觉，但他告诉朋友，一定要在一小时之内叫醒他。他的朋友见他非常疲劳，就没有按时叫醒他。他醒来后，对朋友大发脾气。幸好他的朋友很了解他，没有和他争吵。
巴尔扎克既不抽烟，也不喝酒。但他有个习惯：当他写作的时候，总是呷着几乎可以使胃麻痹的浓咖啡。他的咖啡里既不加牛奶，也不加糖，要熬得发苦才满意。像这样苦的咖啡，一般人都不愿意喝。但他却认为，这样对他有奇异的刺激作用，可以驱走睡魔。
实战提升篇
核心单词
exhausting [i^5zC：stiN] adj. 使耗尽的；使人精疲力竭的
artistic [B：5tistik] adj. 艺术的；美术的；唯美(主义)的
relaxing [ri5lAksiN] adj. 令人松懈的，轻松愉悦的
intimate [5intimit] adj. 亲密的，熟悉的
satisfy [5sAtisfai] v. 使满意，使高兴；使满足
stimulus [5stimjulEs] n. 刺激；刺激品；兴奋剂
实用句型
He believed that only by tenacious work and not being afraid of difficulties could you show your talent.
他认为，只有顽强工作，不怕困难，才能把自己的才华表现出来。
①这是用that 引导的宾语从句。
②afraid of 害怕，类似的表达还有afraid to不敢(做)等固定搭配。
翻译行不行
1.他不在这儿住了。(not...any longer)
2.他连续几个月都在写他的小说。（on end）
3.他将据其罪行的轻重受到处罚。（according to）
第一章 The Greatest American Athlete
· Gaby ·
The railroad station was jammed. Students from Lafayette College were crowding onto the train platform eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Carlisle Indian School’s track and field squad. No one would have believed it a few months earlier. A school that nobody had heard of was suddenly beating big，famous colleges in track meets. Surely these Carlisle athletes would come charging off the train，one after another，like a Marine battalion.
The train finally arrived and two young men—one big and broad，the other small and slight—stepped onto the platform.
“Where is the track team？”a Lafayette student asked.
“This is the team，”replied the big fellow.
“Just the two of you？”
“Nope，just me，”said the big fellow.“This little guy is the manager.”
The Lafayette students shook their heads in wonder. Somebody must be playing a joke on them. If this big fellow was the whole Carlisle track team，he would be competing against an entire Lafayette squad.
He did. He ran sprints，he ran hurdles，he ran distance races. He high-jumped，he broad-jumped. He threw the javelin and the shot. Finishing first in eight events，the big fellow beat the whole Lafayette team.
The big fellow was Jim Thorpe，the greatest American athlete of modern times.
美国最伟大的运动员
加 比
火车站挤得水泄不通。拉斐德学院的学生们一齐拥上站台，热切地等待着卡莱尔印第安人学校田径队的到来。倘若在几个月前，准没有人相信，一个谁也没听说过的学校，会在田径场上突然大败许多有名的大学。不用说，这些卡莱尔的运动员抵达后，准会像一营海军陆战队队员那样，一个接一个冲下火车。
火车终于到站了，两个年轻人——一位，个儿高，体态魁梧；另一位，个儿矮，长相瘦弱——踏上了站台。
“田径队在哪儿？”一位拉斐德的学生问道。
“就在这儿，”大个子回答道。
“就你们两个？”
“不，就我一个，”大个子说。“这位小兄弟是领队。”
拉斐德的学生们诧异地摇摇头。一定有人在和他们开玩笑。如果卡莱尔田径队就只有大个子一人，那他就得和整个拉斐德田径队比试高低了。
确实如此。他短跑、跨栏、长跑、跳高、跳远。他又投标枪又掷铅球。大个子赢得八项第一，一个人击败了整个拉斐德田径队。
这位大个子就是美国现代最伟大的运动员吉姆·索普。
实战提升篇
核心单词
jammed [5dVAmd] adj. 卡住的；拥挤的；堵塞的
eagerly [5i：gEli] adv. 渴望地；热切地
reply [ri5plai] v. 回答，答复
entire [in5taiE] adj. 全部的，整个的
实用句型
A school that nobody had heard of was suddenly beating big ，famous colleges in track meets.
一个谁也没听说过的学校，会在田径场上突然大败许多有名的大学。
①这里是that引导的定语从句，修饰限定a school。
②hear of听说，类似的表达还有hear from 接到……的信，受……批评；hear about 听说，接到消息等固定搭配。
翻译行不行
1.她把错误归咎于缺乏经验。（charge off）
2.我们赢得了一个又一个的胜利。（one after another）
3.这个国家在贸易方面正与其他国家竞争。（compete against）
第一章 George Soros—the Financial Crocodile
· James ·