文字难度：★★☆
A few years ago, my younger sister and I were the first ones down the tunnel to 1)board our flight for 2)Norfolk, 3)Virginia. Just as we were about to board the plane, a 4)mechanic emerged from inside the aircraft and blocked the door with his arms. He turned to the flight attendant and hurriedly stated, “We got problems!”
几年前，我和妹妹搭乘飞机去弗吉尼亚州的诺福克市，当时我们是最早通过隧道准备登机的乘客。正当我们要登上飞机的时候，一位机械师从机舱里走出来，用手臂挡住了舱门。他转过身急促地对乘务员说道：“我们遇到问题了！”
I thought to myself, “Why did I have to be the one to hear that? Why couldn’t I have been at the back of the line? I didn’t need to know that!” Very soon we were back in the 5)terminal, waiting, and then ultimately back on the plane. I waited for the pilot to give an explanation. Pilots take courses to ease passengers’ minds, right? They know what to say to calm nerves.
我暗想：“为什么是我听到这个消息呢？为什么我不是排在登机队伍的最后呢？我不需要知道这件事！”很快地我们返回到候机室等消息，然后最终又回到了飞机上。我等着机长给出一个合理的解释。机长们都学过如何缓和乘客们的情绪，不是吗？他们知道应该说些什么来宽慰神经紧张的乘客们。
Unfortunately, I don’t think this pilot took that course. Soon his voice 6)boomed throughout the plane, “Sorry for the delay, ladies and gentlemen. We had no power on the plane. We have a 7)generator on the ground right now, and we are going to 8)jump-start the engines. Once we get them going, we will get up in the air and head to Norfolk, and see what happens.”
不幸的是，我想我们的这位机长并没有学过这方面的课程。很快，他的声音就在整个机舱里回响：“女士们、先生们，很抱歉飞机晚点了。我们的飞机动力不足，现在在地面上有台发电机，我们准备借助它来发动飞机上的引擎。一旦发动了那些引擎，我们就能够飞到空中并飞向诺福克市，然后随机应变。”
9)Click.
That was it. That was all he said. See what happens? We are going to get up in the air, and see what happens? Couldn’t we have another plan, one that’s been worked out just a little better?
喀哒——
就这样。他就是这么说的。随机应变？我们会首先升空，然后随机应变？难道我们不能有一个更好的计划吗？
At this point, all I could do was to laugh nervously. One woman started yelling, “Oh no! We are going to crash!” There were sighs of desperation and anxiety spreading throughout the cabin like a tidal wave, and we hadn’t even taken off yet. Thirty minutes passed and we were still sitting there. Then the voice of the pilot came over the 10)intercom again, “Ladies and gentlemen, I know you are frustrated—so are we—we know you are hot, we only have one engine going right now, and it is working 11)double time.”
这个时候，我所能做的只是紧张兮兮地笑了起来。一位女士开始大叫：“噢，不！我们要坠机了！”绝望和焦虑的叹息声像潮汐般席卷了整个机舱，而我们甚至还没有起飞。三十分钟过去了，我们仍然停在原地。接着广播里又一次响起了机长的声音：“女士们，先生们，我知道你们很沮丧，我们也一样；我们知道你们现在感到很热，因为我们现在只有一个引擎能够正常运转，而且它正在加速运转。”
Click.
There were moans, as if we had all boarded a 12)vessel of 13)doom. It seemed that, we were all seated in an 14)aluminum 15)casket, 16)buckled next to strangers. After all, the pilot said he was frustrated. He told us our one engine was working double time, and his elaborate plan was to get up in the air, and see what happens! Then we did. We got up in the air, and what happened? Nothing—other than 17)thrust and 18)lift. We arrived in Norfolk, and no sooner had the wheels touched the 19)tarmac than a round of applause burst out, as everyone throughout the airplane simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief.
喀哒——
机舱内一片哀号，似乎我们搭乘的是一艘濒临毁灭的飞船。似乎我们都坐在一口铝制大棺材里，被安全带牢牢扣住，身旁坐着的都是陌生人。毕竟，那位机长说他也很沮丧。他告诉我们，我们的一个引擎正在加速运转，而他的详细计划是先升空，然后随机应变！接着，我们真的这么做了。我们升上半空，然后发生了什么呢？什么也没有发生，除了感受到推力和上升力。我们抵达了诺福克市，飞机的轮子接触到停机坪的地面时，机舱里掌声雷动，飞机上的每个人都同时舒了一口气。
Although, I do sincerely like to have a plan better than “see what happens” worked out when flying—it really isn’t such a bad life strategy. All too often, I would see people chasing their goals halt frozen with 20)inaction just because they don’t have all the necessary pieces or guaranteed results, when in reality—they will never have all the pieces. Success will never be guaranteed. The best thing that you can do is, just get up in the air, and see what happens. Sometimes adjustments would be made in the air, or shall we say, in the middle of the process.
虽然在飞行的时候，我诚挚地希望能有一个比“随机应变”更好的计划——但“随机应变”也不失为一个良好的人生策略。我时常会看到追求目标的人们怠于行动，仅仅因为他们不具备所有的必要条件，或者对结果没有十足的把握；其实在现实生活中，他们永远都不可能具备所有的必要条件。成功从来不是十拿九稳的。你能做的最好的事就是飞上半空，然后随机应变。有时候，你可以在半空中，或者说在事情的进程中，根据情况做出调整。
If your effort is to build a business, then listen closely, “Get up in the air, and see what happens!” Don’t give yourself all the reasons why you can’t. Do not wait until you have everything you need. You never will!
如果你在努力开创一番事业，那么可要听仔细了：“先飞到半空中，然后随机应变！”不要总是为自己找理由解释为什么你做不到。不要等到你拥有了你所需要的一切再行动——你永远都等不到那一天。
If your mission is to start a friendship, say “Hello”; get up in the air, and see what happens! Don’t stress over what you will talk about—21)wing it, and make mid-air adjustments. The results could be very rewarding. Do not allow yourself to stay on the runway, just because you feel the flight may seem doomed. In friendships the only doomed flights are the ones that stay on the runway.
如果你想开始一段友谊，就主动地说“你好”，试着交往，然后随机应变！不要担心你接下来的话题——随机应变，在交往的过程中进行调整，结果会很有收获的。不要仅仅因为你觉得这次“飞行”可能会失败，就让自己一直停留在跑道上。对于友谊来说，唯一会失败的“飞行”就是那些一直停留在跑道上的“班机”。
If your goal is to learn a new skill, “Get up in the air, and see what happens!” It might not be as challenging as you thought. You might be smarter than you thought. It could be fun!
如果你的目标是学习一种新技能，“飞到半空中，然后随机应变！”这种新技能可能没有你想的那么富有挑战。你也可能比自己以为的更聪明。学习的过程可能是很有趣的！
When traveling, I still hope that my pilot has a more detailed plan than, “We will see what happens.” Although in life, it isn’t such a bad strategy, after all.
虽然在旅行的时候，我还是希望我的机长有一个比“我们随机应变”更周详的计划，但在人生中，这种策略其实还不错。
