It is not difficult to imagine a world short of ambition（野心，抱负） . It would probably be a kinder world: without demands, without abrasions（擦伤，磨损） , without disappointments. People would have time for reflection. Such work as they did would not be for themselves but for the collectivity（集体，集体主义） . Competition would never enter in. Conflict would be eliminated, tension become a thing of the past. The stress of creation would be at an end. Art would no longer be troubling, but purely celebratory（快乐的） in its functions. Longevity would be increased, for fewer people would die of heart attack or stroke caused by tumultuous（吵闹的，骚乱的） endeavor. Anxiety would be extinct. Time would stretch on and on, with ambition long departed from the human heart.

Ah, how unrelieved（未减轻的，无变化的） boring life would be!

There is a strong view that holds that success is a myth, and ambition therefore a sham（假装，骗子） . Does this mean that success does not really exist? That achievement is at bottom empty? That the efforts of men and women are of no significance alongside the force of movements and events now not all success, obviously, is worth esteeming（尊重，尊敬） , nor all ambition worth cultivating. Which are and which are not is something one soon enough learns on one’s own. But even the most cynical secretly admit that success exists; that achievement counts for a great deal; and that the true myth is that the actions of men and women are useless. To believe otherwise is to take on a point of view that is likely to be deranging（扰乱，使错乱） . It is, in its implications, to remove all motives for competence, interest in attainment（成就，学识） , and regard for posterity（子孙，后代） .

We do not choose to be born. We do not choose our parents. We do not choose our historical epoch（新纪元，新时代） , the country of our birth, or the immediate circumstances of our upbringing（教养，养育） . We do not, most of us, choose to die; nor do we choose the time or conditions of our death. But within all this realm（领域，范围） of choicelessness, we do choose how we shall live: courageously or in cowardice（怯懦，胆小） , honorably or dishonorably, with purpose or in drift. We decide what is important and what is trivial in life. We decide that what makes us significant is either what we do or what we refuse to do. But no matter how indifferent the universe may be to our choices and decisions, these choices and decisions are ours to make. We decide. We choose. And as we decide and choose, so are our lives formed. In the end, forming our own destiny is what ambition is about.

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1 abrasions     

n.磨损( abrasion的名词复数 )；擦伤处；摩擦；磨蚀（作用）

参考例句：

He suffered cuts and abrasions to the face. 他的脸上有许多划伤和擦伤。

The bacteria get into humans through abrasions in the skin. 细菌可以通过擦伤处进入人体。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 purely     

adv.纯粹地，完全地

参考例句：

I helped him purely and simply out of friendship.我帮他纯粹是出于友情。

This disproves the theory that children are purely imitative.这证明认为儿童只会单纯地模仿的理论是站不住脚的。

3 longevity     

n.长命；长寿

参考例句：

Good habits promote longevity.良好的习惯能增长寿命。

Human longevity runs in families.人类的长寿具有家族遗传性。

4 sham     

n./adj.假冒(的)，虚伪(的)

参考例句：

They cunningly played the game of sham peace.他们狡滑地玩弄假和平的把戏。

His love was a mere sham.他的爱情是虚假的。

5 esteeming     

v.尊敬( esteem的现在分词 )；敬重；认为；以为

参考例句：

6 cynical     

adj.(对人性或动机)怀疑的，不信世道向善的

参考例句：

The enormous difficulty makes him cynical about the feasibility of the idea.由于困难很大，他对这个主意是否可行持怀疑态度。

He was cynical that any good could come of democracy.他不相信民主会带来什么好处。

7 deranging     

v.疯狂的，神经错乱的( deranged的过去分词 )；混乱的

参考例句：

8 motives     

n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 )

参考例句：

to impeach sb's motives 怀疑某人的动机

His motives are unclear. 他的用意不明。

9 competence     

n.能力，胜任，称职

参考例句：

This mess is a poor reflection on his competence.这种混乱情况说明他难当此任。

These are matters within the competence of the court.这些是法院权限以内的事。

10 attainment     

n.达到，到达；［常pl.］成就，造诣

参考例句：

We congratulated her upon her attainment to so great an age.我们祝贺她高寿。

The attainment of the success is not easy.成功的取得并不容易。

11 posterity     

n.后裔，子孙，