佚名/Anonymous

I teach economics at UNLV three times per week. Last Monday, at the beginning of class, I cheerfully asked my students how their weekend had been. One young man said that his weekend had not been so good. He had his wisdom teeth removed. The young man then proceeded to ask me why I always seemed to be so cheerful.

His question reminded me of something I'd read somewhere before:"Every morning when you get up, you have a choice about how you want to approach life that day," I said. "I choose to be cheerful."

"Let me give you an example," I continued, addressing all sixty students in the class. "In addition to teaching here at UNLV, I also teach out at the community college in Henderson, 17 miles down the freeway from where I live. One day a few weeks ago I drove those 17 miles to Henderson. I exited the freeway and turned onto College Drive. I only had to drive another quarter mile down the road to the college. But just then my car died. I tried to start it again, but the engine wouldn't turn over. So I put my flashers on, grabbed my books, and marched down the road to the college.

"As soon as I got there I called AAA and arranged for a tow truck to meet me at my car after class. The secretary in the Provost's office asked me what has happened. 'This is my lucky day.' I replied, smile.

"'Your car breaks down and today is your lucky day? 'She was puzzled.' What do you mean?"

"'I live 17 miles from here,' I replied, 'My car could have broken down anywhere along the freeway. It didn't. Instead, it broke down in the perfect place: off the freeway, within walking distance of here. I'm still able to teach my class, and I've been able to arrange for the tow truck to meet me after class. If my car was meant to break down today, it couldn't have been arranged in a more convenient fashion.'

"The secretary's eyes opened wide, and then she smiled. I smiled back and headed for class." So ended my story.

I scanned the sixty faces in my economics class at UNLV. Despite the early hour, no one seemed to be asleep. Somehow, my story had touched them. Or maybe it wasn't the story at all. In fact, it had all started

with a student's observation that I was cheerful.

我在内华达大学拉斯维加斯分校任经济学的老师，每个星期上三次课。上周一，刚一上课，我便兴高采烈地询问学生们周末过得如何。一个男生说，由于被拔掉了智齿，他的周末过得很痛苦，接着他又问我为何总能保持如此愉悦的心情。

他的问题使我想起了一句曾经在哪里看到过的一句话：“每天早上起床时，你可以为如何面对这一天的生活作出选择。”我说：“选择快乐。”

“举例来说，”我对着全班六十个学生继续说道，“我不但在这里授课，还在汉德森的一所社区大学任教，那里距离我家有17英里的路程。几个星期之前，有一天我开车前往那所学校，从高速公路上下来之后，我驶入了校园区。在离学校只有400多米的地方，我的车抛锚了。我试着重新发动引擎，然而不起任何作用。因此我只好打亮指示灯，抓起课本向学校冲去。”

“到了学校，我立刻打电话给汽车协会，请他们在我下课之后开一辆拖车过来。院长办公室的秘书问我发生了什么事情。‘我今天运气真好呀。’我笑着回答。”

“‘你的车坏了，你却还说今天运气真好？’她满脸疑惑，‘你在说什么啊？’”

“‘我的家距离这里有17英里。’我回答说，‘我的车没准会在高速公路的某个地方抛锚。然而幸运的是，它没有。相反，汽车是在驶离高速公路之后才抛锚的，恰巧在步行区之内。我仍然来得及去上课，还能安排拖车在我上完课之后来处理。假如我的汽车注定要在今天抛锚的话，我感觉自己已经相当幸运了。’”

“那个秘书听得目瞪口呆，然后她笑了。我也冲她笑了笑，便上课去了。”这就是我所经历的一件事。

我环视了全班六十张面孔。尽管是大清早，可没有一个学生在打瞌睡。不知是什么原因，我的经历触动了他们。或者触动他们的并非故事本身。事实上，最初有学生看到我兴致勃勃的时候，他们就已经被我的快乐感染了。

engine[?end?in]n.发动机；引擎；机车；火车头

There was a puff of steam from the engine before it stopped.

机车喷出一股蒸气后就停了下来。

grab[gr?b]v.抓取；抢去；掠夺

The thief grabed the purse suddenly and escaped.

贼猛地一把抓住钱包逃跑了。

arrange[??reind?]v.安排；整理；排列

I have arranged with him to meet at the restaurant.

我和他约好在饭馆见面。

observation[??bz?:?vei??n]n.观察

He was taken into hospital for observation.

他被送进医院观察。

每天早上起床时，你可以为如何面对这一天的生活作出选择。

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院长办公室的秘书问我发生了什么事情。

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尽管是大清早，可没有一个学生在打瞌睡。

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I tried to start it again, but the engine wouldn't turn over.

turn over：滚动；（使）颠倒；翻身；（使）发动

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Your car breaks down and today is your lucky day?

break down：（机器等）发生故障；失灵；崩溃

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