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Unit1“VeryhesitantlyIselectedatubeofbluepaint,andwithinfiniteprecautionmadeamarkaboutasbigasabeanonthesnow-whitefield.atthatmomentIheardthesoundofamotorcarinthedriveandthrewdownmybrushinapanic.IwasevenmorealarmedwhenIsawwhosteppedfromthecar,thewifeofSirJohnLavery,thecelebratedpainterwholivednearby.”“Painting!’shedeclared.’whatfun.Butwhatareyouwaitingfor?’Letmehavethebrush-thebigone.’SheplungedintothepaintsandbeforeIknewit,shehadsweptseveralfiercestrokesandslashesofblueontheabsolutelyterrifiedcanvas.Anyonecouldseeitcouldnothitback.Ihesitatednomore.Iseizedthelargestbrushandfelluponmywretchedvictimwithwildfury.Ihaveneverfeltanyfearofacanvassince.”Unit2ThisbeliefinhardworkisthefirstofthreemainfactorscontributingtoAsianstudents’outstandingperformance.ItspringsfromAsians’commonheritageofConfucianism,thephilosophyofthe5th-century-BCChinesesagewhoseteachingshavehadaprofoundinfluenceonChinesesociety.OneofConfucius’sprimaryteachingsisthatthrougheffort,peoplecanperfectthemselves.ConfucianismprovidesanotherimportantingredientintheAsians’successaswell.InConfucianphilosophy,thefamilyplaysacentralrole-anorientationthatleadspeopletoworkforthehonorofthefamily,notjustforthemselves.Onecanneverrepayone’sparents,andthere’sasenseofobligationorevenguiltthatisasstrongaforceamongAsiansasProtestantphilosophyisamongthoseintheWest.Unit3ThefirstculturaltranslatorIevermetwasaninstallationengineer,Georgebyname,whoworkedforanAmericancompanywhereIwasthedirectorofinternationaloperations.ThecompanyhadjuststartedajointventurewithaJapanesefirm,andtheAmericanmanagementneededsomeonetotraintheJapaneseemployeesinitsuniquetechnology.George’ssolidunderstandingoftheequipment,itsinstallationandusemadehimthebest-qualifiedemployeeforthejob,soeveryonewashappywhenGeorgeacceptedatwo-yearcontractfortemporarytransfertoJapan.Fromthestart,GeorgewaswellacceptedbyalltheJapaneseemployees.JapanesemanagersoftendistrustanyonesenttorepresentUSowners,butGeorgewassonaturallynonassertivethatnoonecouldseehimasathreattotheircareers.Sotheyfeltcomfortableaskinghisadviseonawiderangeofmatters,includingtheoddbehavioroftheirpartnersacrosstheocean.EngineersthroughoutthecompanyappreciatedGeorge’sexpertiseandhisfriendlyandcapablehelp,andtheygotintothehabitofturningtohimwhenevertheyhadaproblem-anyproblem.AndthesecretariesintheofficewereeagertohelpthisnicebachelorlearnJapanese.Unit4Failureisneverpleasant.Ithurtsadultsandchildrenalike.Butitcanmakeapositivecontributiontoyourlifeonceyoulearntouseit.Steponeistoask“WhydidIfail?”Resistthenaturalimpulsetoblamesomeoneelse.Askyourselfwhatyoudidwrong,howyoucanimprove.Ifsomeoneelsecanhelp,don’tbeshyaboutinquiring.Success,whichencouragesrepetitionofoldbehavior,isnotnearlyasgoodateacherasfailure.Youcanlearnfromadisastrouspartyhowtogiveagoodone,fromanill-chosenfirsthousewhattolookforinasecond.Evenafailurethatseemstotalcanpromptfreshthinking,achangeofdirection.Unit8Whenyou’reeatingamongotherpeople,youdon’traiseyourvoice;it’sjustoneexampleoftheunwrittenrulesweliveby.Whenyouconsiderit,yourecognizethatthoserulesprobablygovernourlivesonamoreabsolutebasisthantheonesyoucouldfindifyoulookedinthelawbooks.Thecustomsthatgovernusarewhatmakeacivilization.Therewouldbechaoswithoutthem,andyetit’snotatallclearwhy-eveninourdisintegratingsociety-weobeythem.Howmanytimeshaveyoustoppedataredlightlateatnight?Youcanseeinalldirections;there’snooneelsearound-noheadlights,nopolicecruiseidlingbehindyou.You’retiredandinahurry.Butyouwaitforthelighttochange.Isitforsafety’ssake?No;youcanseethattherewouldbenoaccidentifyoudroveon.Isittoavoidgettingarrested?No;youarealone;there’snoonetocatchyou.Still,yousitandwait.