profits of praise 课文翻译大学英语二.pdfVIP

Unit10 Profits of Praise Are we too quick to blame and slow to praise? It seems we are. Itwas the end o my exhausting first day as waitress ina busy New York restaurant. My cap had gone awry, my apron was stained, my feet ached. The loadedtrays Icarried felt heavier andheavier. Weary and discouraged, I didnt seem able to do anything right. As I made out a complicated check for a family with several children who had changed their ice-cream order a dozen times, I was ready to quit. Then the father smiled at me as he handed me my tip. Well done, he said. Youve looked after us really well. Suddenly my tiredness vanished. Ismiled back, and later,when the manager asked me how Id likedmy first day, I said, Fine! Those few words o praise had changed everything. Praise is like sunlightto the human spirit; we cannot flower and grow without it. And yet, while most of us are only too ready to apply to others the cold wind of criticism, we are somehow reluctant to give our fellows the warm sunshine o praise. Why - when one word can bring such pleasure? A friend o mine who travels widely always tries to learn a little of the language of any place she visits. Shes not much o a linguist, but she does know how to say one word - beautiful - in several languages.She can use itto a mother holding her baby, or to lonelysalesman fishing out pictures of his family. The ability has earned her friends all over the world. Its strange how chary we are about praising. Perhaps its because few of us know how to accept compliments gracefully. Instead, we are embarrassed and shrug o the words we are really so glad to hear. Because of this defensive reaction, direct compliments are surprisingly di icult to give. That iswhy some o the most valued pats on the back are those which come to us indirectly, in a letter or passed on by a friend. When one thinks o the speed with which spiteful remarks are conveyed, it