“Everyone has his/her own Atlantic to fly. Whatever you want very much to do, against the opposition of tradition, neighborhood opinion, and so-called ‘common sense’… that is an Atlantic. I flew the Atlantic because I wanted to. To want in one’s heart to do a thing for its own sake, to enjoy doing it; concentrate all one’s energies upon it… that is not only the surest guarantee of success, it is also being true to oneself.”
– Amelia Earhart, Aviator
「每個人都有他/她自己要飛的大西洋。不管你很想做什麼,逆著傳統、社區看法、及所謂『常識』的反對… 那就是一個大西洋。我飛越大西洋因為我想要。因事情本身的關係在一個人的心裡想做一件事,喜愛做這件事;集中一個人所有的精力在那上面… 那不儘是成功最可靠的保證,這也是忠實於自己。」
– 愛蜜莉亞‧厄爾哈特 (飛行員)
Atlantic (n.) 大西洋。against (conj.) 反對,逆著。例:The board voted against the proposal. (董事會投票反對此提案。) opposition (n.) 反對,對立;oppose 則是動詞。one (n.) 一個人。for its own sake 因事件本身的關係。例:Fine art is any art created for its own sake, as opposed to commercial artwork. (藝術是因美術所創造出的作品,與商業藝術品對立。) concentrate (v.) 集中,專注。guarantee (n.) 保證。例:The vendor offers a money back guarantee. (此商家提供不滿意退費保證。)
在 “whatever you want very much to do” 這個片語裡,very much 的位置由最後面插到前面,是較少見的用法。在 “to want in one’s heart to do a thing” 這個片語裡,in one’s heart 插入 to want to do a thing 中間。
愛蜜莉亞‧厄爾哈特 (1897-1939) 為美國著名女飛行員,創下許多飛行紀錄,包括第一位獨自橫越大西洋的女飛行員。她的飛行經歷著作成為美國的暢銷書,另外她也協助建立女飛行員組織並投入女權運動。
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