How High Can You Jump?
Fleas trainers have observed a strange habit of fleas while training them.
Fleas are trained by putting them in a cardboard box with a top on it. The fleas will jump up and hit the top of the cardboard box over and over and over again. As you watch them jump and hit the lid, something very interesting becomes obvious. The fleas continue to jump, but they are no longer jumping high enough to hit the top.
When you take off the lid, the fleas continue to jump, but they will not jump out of the box. They will not jump out because they cannot jump out. Why? The reason is simple. They have conditioned themselves to jump just so high. Once they have conditioned themselves to jump just so high, that is all they can do!
Many times, people do the same thing. They restrict themselves and never reach their potential. Just like the fleas, they fail to jump higher, thinking they are doing all they can do. (169 words)
Useful Words and Expressions:
flea n.跳蚤
cardboard n.纸板
jump up突然起立
jump over a page or wo跳过一两页
jump at[to] a conclusion匆匆作出结论,轻率断定
jump from one topic to another从一个话题跳到另一个话题
jump from job t job盲目地调换工作,见异思迁
jump at the chance急切地抓住机会
He wanted them to jump to it.他希望他们赶快办这件事。
His idea jump with mine.他的意见与我一致。
lid n.盖子
conditioned adj.有条件的,习惯于……的
a conditioned student试读生
become conditioned to the hot weather已适应炎热气候
restrict vt.限制,约束,限定
be estricted within narrow limits限于狭窄的范围内
be restricted in one’s movements行动受约束
be restricted by time[law] 受时间[法律]限制
Discussion at the meeting is restricted to the agenda. 这次会上的讨论只限于议程上的项目。
potential n.潜能,潜力