一、原文翻译
1、After years of observing human nature, I have decided that two qualities make the difference between men of great achievement and men of average performance curiosity and discontent.
经过多年对人性的观察，我认为成就斐然的人和表现一般的人有两种不同的品质好奇和不满。
2、I have never known an outstanding man who lacked either.
我从来没有见过一个杰出的人缺少这两样。
3、And I have never known an average man who had both.
我从没见过一个普通人能同时拥有这两种能力。
4、The two belong together.
这两者是一体的。
5、Together, these deep human urges（驱策力） count for much more than ambition.
这些深人类欲望(驱策力)占比的野心。
6、Galileo was not merely ambitious when he dropped objects of varying weights from the Leaning Tower at Pisa and timed their fall to the ground.
伽利略当他把不同重量的物体从比萨斜塔上扔下，并计算好它们落地的时间时，他不仅仅是野心勃勃。
7、Like Galileo, all the great names in history were curious and asked in discontent, “Why?
像伽利略一样，历史上所有的伟人都感到好奇和不满:“为什么?”
8、Why?”
为什么?”
9、Fortunately, curiosity and discontent don’t have to be learned.
幸运的是，好奇心和不满不需要学习。
10、We are born with them and need only recapture them.
我们生来就有这些缺点，只要重新捕捉它们就行了。
11、“The great man,” said Mencius（孟子）, “is he who does not lose his child’s heart.
说:“这位伟人孟子(孟子),“不失去他的孩子的心。”
12、 Yet
然而
1.3、most of us do lose it.
大多数人都会失去理智。
14、We stop asking questions.
我们不再问问题。
15、We stop challenging custom.
我们不再挑战传统。
16、We just follow the crowd.
我们只是随大流。
17、And the crowd desires only the calm and restful average.
而大众只想要平静安详的普通人。
18、It encourages us to occupy our own little corner, to avoid foolish leaps into the dark, to be satisfied.
它鼓励我们占据自己的小角落，避免愚蠢地跳进黑暗，得到满足。
19、Most of us meet new people, and new ideas, with hesitation.
我们大多数人在遇到新朋友、新想法时都会犹豫。
20、But once having met and liked them, we think how terrible it would have been, had we missed the chance.
但一旦我们认识了他们并喜欢上了他们，我们就会想，如果我们错过了这个机会，那将是多么可怕的事情。
21、We will probably have to force ourselves to waken our curiosity and discontent and keep them awake.
wrote怎么读我们可能不得不强迫自己唤醒我们的好奇心和不满，让它们保持清醒。
22、How should you start?
你该如何开始呢?
23、Modestly, so as not to become discouraged.
要谦虚，免得灰心丧气。
24、I think of one friend who couldn’t arrange flowers to satisfy herself.
我想起一位朋友，她不会插花来满足自己。
25、She was curious about how the experts did it.
她很好奇专家们是怎么做到的。
26、How she is one of the experts, writing books on flower arrangement.
她是一位专门写插花书的专家。
27、One way to begin is to answer your own excuses.
一个开始的方法是回答你自己的借口。
28、You haven’t any special ability?
你没有什么特殊能力吗?
29、Most people don’t;
大多数人没有;
30、there are only a few geniuses.
天才只有少数。
31、You haven’t any time?
你没有时间吗?
32、That’s good, because it’s always the people with no time who get things done.
那很好，因为总是那些没时间的人把事情做完。
33、Harriet Stowe, mother of six, wrote parts of Uncle Tom’s Cabin while cooking.
哈里特·斯托是六个孩子的母亲，她在做饭的时候写了《汤姆叔叔的小屋》的部分内容。
You’re too old?
你太老了吗?
34、Remember that Thomas Costain was 57 when he published his first novel, and that Grandma Moses showed her first pictures when she was 78.
还记得托马斯•科斯坦(Thomas Costain)在57岁时出版了第一部小说吗?还记得摩西奶奶在78岁时展示了她的第一张照片吗?
35、However you start, remember there is no better time to start than right now, for you’ll never be more alive than you are at this moment.
无论你如何开始，记住最好的开始时间就是现在，因为你永远不会比此时此刻更有活力。
二、阅读检测
51.In writing Paragraph 1, the author aims to    .
A.propose a definition    B. make a comparison
C. reach a conclusion    D. present an argument
52.What does the example of Galileo tell us?
A.Trial and error leads to the finding of truth.
B.Scientists tend to be curious and ambitious.
C.Creativity results from challenging authority.
D.Greatness comes from a lasting desire to explore.
53.What can you do to recapture curiosity and discontent?
A.Observe the unknown around you.
B.Develop a questioning mind.
C.Lead a life of adventure.
D.Follow the fashion.
54.What can we learn from Paragraphs 6 and 7?
A.Gaining success helps you become an expert.
B.The genius tends to get things done creatively.
C.Lack of talent and time is no reason for taking no action.
D.You should remain modest when approaching perfection.
55.What could be the best title or the passage?
A.Curious Minds Never Feel Contented
B.Reflections on Human Nature
C.The Keys to Achievement
D.Never Too Late to Learn
三、答案解析
51.【答案】D
【解析】根据第一段内容 After years of observing human nature, I have decided that two qualities make the difference between men of great achievement and men of average performance curiosity and discontent. I have never known an outstanding man who lacked either. And I have never known an average man who had both. The two belong together.可知，作者经过多年对人性的观察，认为成就非凡的人和平庸的人的区别在于好奇心和不满足，而且两者是相辅相成的。由此推知，作者写第一段的目的是提出一个论点。故选D。