2021年英语四级美文赏析：Encouragement Can Work Miracles思维导图

Someonesaidthatencouragementissimplyremindingapersonofthe“shoulders”he’sstandingon,theheritagehe’sbeengiven.That’swhathappenedwhenayoungman,thesonofastarbaseballplayer,wasdraftedbyoneoftheminor-leagueteams.Hardashetried,hisfirstseasonwasdisappointing,andbymidseasonheexpectedtobereleasedanyday.

Thecoacheswerebewilderedbyhisfailurebecausehepossessedallthecharacteristicsofasuperbathlete,buthecouldn’tseemtoincorporatethoseadvantagesintoacoordinatedeffort.Heseemedtohavebecomedisconnectedfromhispotential.Hisfutureseemeddarkestonedaywhenhehadalreadystuckouthisfirsttimeatbat.Thenhesteppeduptothebatter’sboxagainandquicklyranuptwostrikes.

Thecatchercalledatime-outandrantothepitcher’smoundforaconference.Whiletheywerebusy,theumpire,standingbehindtheplate,spokecasuallytotheboy.Thenplayresumed,thenextpitchwasthrown—andtheyoungmanknockeditoutofthepark.Thatwastheturningpoint.Fromthenon,heplayedthegamewithanewconfidenceandpowerthatquicklydrewtheattentionoftheparentteam,andhewascalleduptothemajors.

Onthedayhewasleavingforthecity,oneofhiscoachesaskedhimwhathadcausedsuchaturnaround.Theyoungmanrepliedthatitwastheencouragingremarktheumpirehadmadethatdaywhenhisbaseballcareerhadseemeddoomed.“HetoldmeIremindedhimofallthetimeshehadstoodbehindmydadinthebatter’sbox,”theboyexplained.“HesaidIwasholdingthebatjustthewayDadhadheldit.Andhetoldme,‘Icanseehisgenesinyou;youhaveyourfather’sarms.Afterthat,wheneverIswungthebat,IjustimaginedIwasusingDad’sarmsinsteadofmyown.”