星火英语高二阅读.docVIP

Test12 Dr. Conwell was greatly inspired by a true story. The story was about a farmer who lived in Africa and through a visitor became greatly excited about looking for diamonds. Lots of diamonds were already discovered on the African continent and this farmer got so excited about the idea of millions of dollars worth of diamonds that he sold his farm to head out to the diamond line. He wandered all over the continent, as the years went by, constantly searching for diamonds and wealth, which he never found. Eventually he went completely broke and threw himself into a river and drowned. Meanwhile, the new owner of his farm picked up an unusual looking rock about the size of an egg and put it on his coat as a sort of curiosity. A visitor stopped by and looked at the rock in surprise. He told the new owner of the farm that the funny looking rock on his coat was about the biggest diamond that had ever been found. The new owner of the farm said, Oh, the whole farm is covered with them—and sure enough it was. The farm turned out to be the Kimberly Diamond Mine, the richest the world has ever known. The original farmer was literally standing on Acres of Diamonds until he sold his farm. Dr. Conwell learned from the story of the farmer and continued to teach its moral(寓意). Each of us is right in the middle of our own Acre of Diamonds, if only we would realize it and develop the ground we are standing on before charging off in search of greener pastures(牧场). Dr. Conwell told this story many times and attracted enormous audiences. He told the story long enough to have raised the money to start the college for poor students. In fact, he raised nearly six million dollars and the university he founded, Temple University in Philadelphia, has at least ten degree-granting colleges and six other schools. When Dr. Conwell talked about each of us being right on our own Acre of Diamonds, he meant it. This story does not get old. It will be true forever. Why did the farmer sell his farm?