小学期间的挑战充满那个时代的气息。对于每个孩子来说，给各种线条上色，无疑如临大敌。还有，发言前记得要举手的挑战容易应对吗？为管教这些小家伙，学校制定了无数清规戒律。要让孩子们好好表现，就要给他们获奖的希望。的确，表现好就有得奖的机会。保持课桌干净，可多得五分钟休息时间；完成全部家庭作业，可获得一个崭新的铅笔帽！这些不起眼的惊喜可使那些小家伙循规蹈矩。同时，可使他们爱上挑战！
中学生活并不容易。做学生不容易，当老师也同样不容易。对于年龄较大、更懂事的学生来说，他们不再因多得到几分钟休息时间或一个铅笔帽而感到满足，他们面临的新挑战是少惹事，学习写论文。他们很清楚，他们的努力应换来一些真正实用的东西，所以父母亲也被牵涉进来。作业获得A等，是不是该得到五美元或十美元，在学校表现不好回家不许打电话又该怎么办？类似的例子，我无须多言。
到了高中，一个学生的学业是否优秀，或能否顺利毕业，已是一目了然。这时，让生活中的挑战变得有意思已经不太可能了，尤其是学业。对于懒惰的学生，学业给予他一份加油站的差事，一辆跑了15年的老福特；然而，学业给予勤奋刻苦的学生一张耶鲁大学的通行证（他的入学考分1100多），从而踏上生活的阳光大道。后者在学校时面对挑战坚忍不拔，过关斩将，终于得到生活的馈赠，成就斐然。
所谓命运，不过是自己选择的结果。尽管人们的追求不同、喜好各异，但无疑每个人都想在短暂的生命旅途中享受愉悦、收获幸福。学校是梦想起飞的地方，如果你不想在将来收获的季节空手叹息，那么在一开始就请播下饱满的种子——积极、勤奋、理智。
characteristic [,k鎟ikt'ristik] adj. 特有的；典型的
Urban inhabitants have to live with the characteristic noises of cities.
城市居民不得不忍受都市特有的喧嚣。
regulation [,reju'lein] n. 规章；规则；章程；规章制度；法规
He was fined for breaking traffic regulations.
他因违反交通规则而被罚款。
govern ['vn] v. 管理；治理
One can't completely govern one's thoughts at all times.
人不能始终控制得住自己的思想。
confrontation [,knfrn'tein] n. 对抗；对抗的事物；对峙；冲突
We value plurality, but discourage open confrontation.
我们重视多元，但避免对立。
生活中处处有挑战。如今，年轻人所面临的最大挑战莫过于学校。
小学期间的挑战充满那个时代的气息。
对于懒惰的学生，学业给予他一份加油站的差事，一辆跑了15年的老福特；然而，学业给予勤奋刻苦的学生一张耶鲁大学的通行证。
Life is full of challenges.
be full of：充满；装满
Elementary school brings about a few challenges characteristic of those years spent there.
bring about：带来；产生
坚持才能走向成功
I Will Persist until I Succeed
佚名 / Anonymous
In the Orient young bulls are tested for the fight arena in a certain manner. Each is brought to the ring and allowed to attack a picador who pricks them with a lance. The bravery of each bull is then rated with care according to the number of times he demonstrates his willingness to charge in spite of the sting of the blade. Henceforth will I recognize that each day I am tested by life in like manner. If I persist, if I continue to try, if I continue to charge forward, I will succeed.
I was not delivered unto this world in defeat, nor does failure course in my veins. I am not a sheep waiting to be prodded by my shepherd. I am a lion and I refuse to talk, to walk, to sleep with the sheep. I will hear not those who weep and complain, for their disease is contagious. Let them join the sheep. The slaughterhouse of failure is not my destiny.
The prizes of life are at the end of each journey, not near the beginning; and it is not given to me to know how many steps are necessary in order to reach my goal. Failure I may still encounter at the thousandth step, yet success hides behind the next bend in the road. Never will I know how close it lies unless I turn the corner. Always will I take another step. If that is of no avail I will take another, and yet another. In truth, one step at a time is not too difficult.
Henceforth, I will consider each day's effort as but one blow of my blade against a mighty oak. The first blow may cause not a tremor in the wood, nor the second, nor the third. Each blow, of itself, may be trifling, and seem of no consequence. Yet from childish swipes the oak will eventually tumble. So it will be with my efforts of today. I will be likened to the rain drop which washes away the mountain; the ant who devours a tiger; the star which brightens the earth; the slave who builds a pyramid. I will build my castle one brick at a time for I know that small attempts, repeated, will complete any undertaking.
I will never consider defeat and I will remove from my vocabulary such words and phrases as quit, cannot, unable, impossible, out of the question, improbable, failure, unworkable, hopeless, and retreat; for they are the words of fools. I will avoid despair but if this disease of the mind should infect me then I will work on in despair. I will toil and I will endure. I will ignore the obstacles at my feet and keep mine eyes on the goals above my head, for I know that where dry desert ends, green grass grows.
I will remember the ancient law of averages and I will bend it to my good. I will persist with knowledge that each failure will increase my chance for success at the next attempt. Each nay I hear will bring me closer to the sound of yea. Each frown I meet only prepares me for the smile to come. Each misfortune I encounter will carry in it the seed of tomorrow's good luck. I must have the night to appreciate the day. I must fail often to succeed only once.
I will try, and try, and try again. Each obstacle I will consider as a mere detour to my goal and a challenge to my profession. I will persist and develop my skills as the mariner develops his, by learning to ride out the wrath of each storm.
I will not allow yesterday's success to lull me into today's complacency, for this is the great foundation of failure. I will forget the happenings of the day that is gone, whether they were good or bad, and greet the new sun with confidence that this will be the best day of my life. So long as there is breath in me, that long will I persist. For now I know one of the greatest principles of success：if I persist long enough I will win.
I will persist. I will win.
在东方，挑选小公牛去竞技场格斗有一定的程序。每头小牛都被带进场地，向手持长矛刺向它们的斗牛士发起攻击。小牛的勇敢程度，以它所表现出的可以忍受长矛刺痛的次数来衡量。我从中意识到——生活里，我每天都经历着类似的测试；如果我坚持下去、不断尝试、勇往直前，就能获得成功。
我并不是为了失败才来到这个世界，我的血管里流淌的也不是失败的血液。我不是一只任人宰割的羔羊，而是一头决不与羊群为伍的猛狮。我不愿听到弱者的哭泣和抱怨，因为他们的脆弱会影响到我。让他们加入羔羊的行列吧！失败者的屠宰场不是我的宿命。
生活的犒赏不会出现在旅途的起点附近，而往往在旅程的终点。我不知道要走多远才能到达目的地。走到第一千步，我仍然可能遭遇失败，然而成功就在下一个拐弯处；如果我不转过去，我永远也不会知道它离我有多近。通常，我都会再前行一步；如果还没成功，我还会再向前一步，然后再往前一步。事实上，每一步并非那么困难。
