At the age of 9, Jordan Romero had a dream. It popped into his head in the same way most kids dream of one day becoming doctors or firemen or presidents. The only difference was in Jordan's case he decided he wanted to climb the 7 Summits. And he wanted to start immediately, completing this dream before his 16th birthday.
It requires summiting the highest mountain on each of the seven continents. The 7 summits constitute1) the highest pinnacle2) of adventure and expertise in the mountain climbing world. Those being:
1. Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa (5893m)
2. Mt. Elbrus in Russia, Europe (5642m)
3. Kosciuszko in Australia, Oceania (2228m)
4. Mount McKinley in Alaska, North America (6198m)
5. Aconcagua in Argentina, South America (6962m)
6. Everest in Nepal, Asia (8848m)
7. Vinson Massif in Antarctica (4892m)
乔丹·罗梅罗九岁时,有一个梦想。如同大多数孩子梦想有一天当上医生、消防员或总统一样,这个梦想冷不防跃入了他的脑海。但唯一不同的是,乔丹的梦想是攀上世界七大最高峰的顶峰,他想立刻就开始行动,并在16岁生日前完成这一梦想。
实现这个梦想需要登顶七大洲每个洲的最高峰。这七座山峰在登山界中风险最大,对专业技术要求最高。这些高峰有:
1. 坦桑尼亚的乞力马扎罗山,非洲(5893米)
2. 俄罗斯的厄尔布鲁士峰,欧洲(5642米)
3. 澳大利亚的科修斯科山,大洋洲(2228米)
4. 阿拉斯加的麦金利山,北美洲(6198米)
5. 阿根廷的阿空加瓜山,南美洲(6962米)
6. 尼泊尔的珠穆朗玛峰,亚洲(8848米)
7. 文森山,南极洲(4892米)
In the past 100 years, there have been fewer than 200 climbers who have successfully scaled3) all seven peaks. It is an extremely difficult and dangerous challenge, one which requires peak mental, physical and psychological strength; not to mention enormous training and resources. With the support of his adventure enthusiast and Emergency Paramedic4) dad, Paul Romero, and his stepmom Karen, Jordan and his family began training hard: carrying heavy packs to school and the mall for weeks at time, dragging tires to build cardio5), sleeping in a special oxygen thinning chamber to simulate the sensation of "the dead zone" that occurs at the peaks of the highest mountains. The discipline and skills required to climb a mountain require a tremendous amount of hard work and endless training.For most 9 year olds, just finishing an hour of homework is near impossible.But Jordan had a dream and he insisted on it.
Before his tenth birthday, Jordan and his family summited Mt Kilimanjaro—his first peak.At eleven he knocked down6) four more summits, two of them (Aconcagua and Mt. Denali) being some of the most technical and dangerous in the world.When controversy arose over the highest peak in Oceania being Kosciuszko in Australia or Carstensz Pyramid in Indonesia, Jordan climbed both.
过去的一百年里,只有不到两百人成功登上了这七座山的顶峰。登顶这七座山是一项极其困难和危险的挑战,挑战者需要具备极佳的精力、体力以及心理素质,更别说大量的训练与物资准备了。怀着对冒险的热情,在紧急护理师老爸保罗·罗梅罗和继母卡伦的支持下,乔丹一家开始了艰苦的训练:有时连续数周负重前往学校和购物中心,有时拖曳轮胎锻炼心脏功能,还睡在特制的氧气稀薄的房间里模拟身处世界最高峰峰顶“死亡地带”的感觉。获得登山所需要的素质与技巧需要大量的努力和不断的训练。对于大多数九岁的孩子来说,完成一个小时的作业都几乎不大可能,然而乔丹却拥有自己的梦想,并为此坚持不懈。
在10岁生日前,乔丹和他的家人成功登顶乞力马扎罗山,这是他登上的第一座高峰。11岁时,他又征服了另外四座山,其中的两座山(阿空加瓜山和麦金利山)是世界上最具技术难度和危险性的山。当人们还在争论大洋洲的最高山峰是澳大利亚的科修科斯山还是印度尼西亚的卡兹登兹金字塔(查亚峰)时,乔丹已登上了这两座山的顶峰。
On May 22nd, 2010, at the age of 13, Jordan became the youngest person to summit the world's highest mountain—Everest. With 7 peaks already achieved, Jordan only has one last obstacle between him and his ultimate goal.And he already has plans to tackle7) Antartica this summer, which would put him 3 years ahead of his original dream to climb the 7 summits by 16.
Jordan says he climbs to show kids his age that anything is possible, and to encourage youth to get outside and get active. In his own words: "I want to do some motivational speaking and encourage kids to set goals in life and be healthy."
The thresholds8) we create of what we are capable of, are little more than lines in sand, that can easily be blown away through determination of will. The only barriers preventing us each from climbing our own personal mountains are entirely self-created and self-restricting. If a 9-year-old boy can dream of Everest, only to stand 4 years later on the top of the world screaming full-lunged "I DID IT!", why can't you make your dream big and pursue it.
2010年5月22日,年仅13岁的乔丹成为世界上成功登顶珠峰年纪最小的人。在征服了七座山峰后,乔丹离实现梦想只剩下最后一个障碍。他已经打算在今年夏季去往南极完成最后一次登顶,这样他就能提前三年完成自己在16岁前登顶七大世界最高峰的梦想。
乔丹说他登山的目的是为了向所有同龄人证明一切都是有可能的,并鼓励青少年多参加户外活动。用他自己的话来说,就是,“我想做些能够激励人心的演讲,鼓励孩子们树立生活目标,健康成长。”
我们为自己力所能及之事设立的重重门槛,只不过是画在沙子上的线,只需使用意志的风,便可轻易将其吹散。阻止我们每个人登上梦想之巅的障碍全部属于自我设限。倘若一个九岁大的男孩都敢梦想挑战珠峰,并仅在四年后就能站在世界之巅大声呼喊 “我成功了!”,你为什么不敢设立一个宏大的梦想并全力以赴呢?
Find your own Everest. Whatever interests you or motivates you, learn all you can about it, find experts to help you experience it, and make sure you are prepared before you do anything.
—Jordan Romero
找到你自己的珠穆朗玛峰。无论是什么激发了你的兴趣或积极性,尽可能多地去了解它,找行家帮你体验它,务必在做任何事之前先做好准备。
——乔丹·罗梅罗
1. constitute [5kCnstItju:t] vt. 构成
2. pinnacle [5pInEkl] n. 尖峰,高峰
3. scale [skeIl] vt. 攀登
4. Emergency Paramedic: 急救医护人员
5. cardio [5kB:dIEJ] n. 心脏锻炼
6. knock down: 击倒
7. tackle [5tAkl] vt. 处理,对付
8. threshold [5WreFhEuld] n. 界限,门槛