阅读理解 One fine afternoon I was walking along Fifth Avenue, when I remembered that it was necessary to buy a pair of socks．I turned into the first sock shop that caught my eye, and a boy clerk(职员)who could not have been more than 17 years old came forward．“What can I do for you, sir?” “I wish to buy a pair of socks．” His eyes lit up．“Did you know that you had come into the best place in the world to buy socks?” I had not been aware of that．“Come with me,” said the boy happily．He began to haul(用力拖)down from the shelves box after box． “Hold on, boy, I am going to buy only one pair!” “I know that,” said he, “but I want you to see how beautiful these are．Aren’t they wonderful?” There was on his face an expression of joy, as if he were showing to me the mysteries of his religion．“My friend,” said I, “if this is not merely the enthusiasm that comes from novelty(新鲜), if you can keep up this zeal(热忱)day after day, in ten years you will own every sock in the United states．” My amazement at his pride in salesmanship will be understood by all who read this article．In many shops the customer has to wait for someone to serve him．And when finally some clerk does deign(屈尊)to notice you, you are made to feel as if you were interrupting him．He shows no interest either in you or in the goods he is paid to sell．Yet possibly that very clerk who is now so apathetic(冷漠的)began his career with enthusiasm．The novelty disappeared; his only pleasures were found outside of working hours．He became a mechanical(机械般的), not inspired, salesman． I have observed such change in the lives of so many men in so many occupations that I have come to the conclusion that the fastest road to failure is to do things mechanically． |
