chairman mao once made a famous remark about competition, “to battle with god is great fun! to battle with earth is great fun! to battle with people is great fun!” his words, although seeming a bit too aggressive, have illustrated that competition is never regarded as something formidable by a brave.
competition exists throughout the evolution of nature and everyone’s life. creatures compete to survive the merciless environment, eliminating weaker ones; nations in the world compete for resources and power, and whichever fallen behind is beaten. as for individuals, ever since the very first day of our lives, we are forced into a competition with thousands of others around us, including taking examinations, applying jobs and striving for promotion, the results of which definitely determine our fate. competition is as real a fact as the air around us that can neither be evaded nor be ignored.
thus, my dear friends, do not fear competition. accept it and enjoy it. with competition, you grow stronger, and you gain so much precious experience worth remembering of, regardless of what the outcome would be. without competition, you cease to grow; you become a dead moth sealed in its own cocoon.
. phenomenon 现象
but their so-called prosperity is only a temporary phenomenon.
但他们所谓的繁荣只是一个暂时的现象。
international terrorism is not just a recent phenomenon.
国际恐怖主义并不是近年才有的现象。
2. motive 动机,目的
can we assign jealousy as the motive for the crime?
我们能否确定这一犯罪动机是出於嫉妒?
her prime motive was personal ambition.
她的主要动机是为了实现个人的志向.
3. ultimately 最后,最终
his rashness led ultimately to his ruin.
他的急燥卤莽最终导致了他的毁灭。
every value they created ultimately redounded to his boss.
他们创造的价值最后全进了他们老板的腰包。
4. advocate 主张,提倡
i don't really believe in capital punishment, i'm just playing the devil's advocate.
我并非真正主张应该有死刑, 只是故意唱唱反调罢了.
he advocates reducing military spending.
他主张削减军费开支。