Someone asked, “What is the difference between you and a mediocrity?”
Genius said, “There is no genius in the world, but industry plus some foresight.”
“Is there a little difference between the two?” the man asked again.
The genius, pointing at a caterpillar, asked, “What's this?”
“A caterpillar.”
Pointing at a bird egg, the genius asked, “What's this?”
“A bird's egg!” the man answered.
At last, the genius pointed at a child and asked, “Who is he?”
“A newborn baby,” the man replied.
The genius shook his head and said, “Those are respectively a butterfly, an eagle and a genius, but you said they were a caterpillar, a bird's egg and a baby. The different answers may be the difference between a mediocrity and me.”
先逐字读一遍短文，不认识的不着急查词典，读完一遍，不熟悉的生词大约心中有数了，再回头仔细读一遍，有生词的部分，细读，根据上下文猜测一下意思。如果手头有纸笔不妨写下来。最好通读三遍，文章的大约意思估计也就明白八九不离十了。再逐字查阅生词，最后再对照译文，通读一两遍。还有疑难不解的地方做好笔记请教他人。
genius
英 ['dʒiːnɪəs]美 ['dʒinjəs]
n. 天才，天赋；精神
来自词根gen, 生育，词源同generate.原义为守护精灵，传说中每个人出生时都会有守护精灵相伴而生，并一生陪伴成长，引申义天资。参考电影《黄金罗盘》。
Is he a nutter, or is he a genius?
他是疯子，还是天才？
mediocrity
英 [miːdɪ'ɒkrɪtɪ]美
n. 平庸之才；平常
来自mediocre,普通的，平庸的。
mediocre
/ˌmidɪ’okɚ/ adj. 中等的,普通的
【解词】med-=mid-=中间的；ocre-=ocris-=山峰，锯齿状高山；因此这个词的根本含义是“半山腰的”，引申为“中的的，普通的”。
His acting career started brilliantly, then sank into mediocrity.
他的演艺生涯开场时轰轰烈烈，然后就变得庸庸碌碌。
Surrounded by mediocrities, he can seem a towering intellectual.
在周围一群泛泛之辈的衬托之下，他就像一个鹤立鸡群的智者。
industry
英 ['ɪndəstrɪ]美 ['ɪndəstri]
n. 产业；工业；勤勉
来自拉丁语industria,行动，勤奋，热情，来自indu-,在内，在里，第二部分词源不确定，可能来自-stru,建造，建设，词源同structure,instruct,或来自-ust,燃烧，词源同combust.引申词义燃烧的热情，勤奋，后用来指制造，制造业，工业，行业。
No one doubted his ability, his industry or his integrity.
没人怀疑他的能力、勤奋和正直。
foresight
英 ['fɔːsaɪt]美 ['fɔrsaɪt]
n. 先见，远见；预见；深谋远虑
fore-,在前。sight,看，视野。
词源
foresight (n.)also fore-sight, early 14c., "insight obtained beforehand;" also "prudence," from fore- sight (n.). Perhaps modeled on Latin providentia. Compare German Vorsicht "attention, caution, cautiousness."
He was later criticised for his lack of foresight.
他后来被指责缺少先见之明。
caterpillar
英 ['kætəpɪlə]美 ['kætɚpɪlɚ]
n. [无脊椎] 毛虫；履带车
adj. 有履带装置的
cat, 猫。-pil, 毛，词源同peel, depilatory(脱毛)。因其毛如猫毛而得名。
The caterpillar was transformed into a butterfly.
毛毛虫变成了蝴蝶.
newborn
英 [njuː'bɔːn; 'njuːbɔːn]美 ['nubɔrn]
adj. 新生的；再生的
n. 婴儿
newborn (adj.)
also new-born, c. 1300, from new born. As a noun from 1879.
Swaddle your newborn baby so that she feels secure.
把你刚出生的孩子用襁褓包裹住，这样她会有安全感。
respectively
英 [rɪ'spektɪvlɪ]美 [rɪ'spɛktɪvli]
adv. 分别地；各自地，独自地
respectively (adv.)
mid-15c., "relatively;" 1620s, "relatively to each singly," from respective -ly (2).
Metal, oil and soap contains foreign matter, respectively.
金属 、 油和肥皂中分别含有杂质.
有人问：“您和庸人有什么不同？”
天才说：“世上没有天才，不过是勤奋加上一点远见而已。”
“天才和庸人二者一点区别都没有吗？”这个人又问。 天才指着一只毛毛虫问：“这是什么？”
“毛毛虫。”
天才指着一个鸟蛋，问道：“这是什么？”
“鸟蛋！”这个人回答。
最后，天才指着一个孩子，问道：“他是谁？”
“一个新生儿。”这个人回答。
天才摇摇头说：“刚才这些分别是一只蝴蝶、一只雄鹰和一个天才，但你却说它们只是毛毛虫、鸟蛋和婴孩。答案的不同也许就是庸人和我的不同之处吧。”
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