They say Make the best of a bad situation . But I believe the bad situation makes the best of you. Even the irritations of life can be useful. President Abraham Lincoln showed us how this is so.

　　One of his cabinet appointees, Edwin Stanton, frequently found flaws with the president and criticized him ---- sometimes in public. Lincoln seemed to show excessive patience with him. The president was asked why he kept such a man in a high level position.

　　Lincoln characteristically responded with a story. He told about a time he was visiting with an old farmer. He noticed a big horsefly biting the flank of the farmer s horse. Lincoln said he reached over to brush the fly away. As he did so, the farmer stopped him and cautioned, Don t do that, friend. That horsefly is the only thing keeping this old horse moving.

　　Even life s many irritations and problems have their place. They may cause us to change directions. Or prod us to greater achievement. Or keep us moving along when it s easier to go nowhere.

　　Are you simply making the best of a bad situation, or will it make the best of you?

他们说，做最坏的情况。但我相信逆境会让你做到最好。即使生命的刺激也可能是有用的。亚伯拉罕林肯总统就向我们展示了这一点。

One of his cabinet appointees, Edwin Stanton, frequently found flaws with the president and criticized him ---- sometimes in public. Lincoln seemed to show excessive patience with him. The president was asked why he kept such a man in a high level position.

他被任命为内阁，埃德温斯坦顿，经常发现总统的缺点并指责他--有时甚至在公共场合。林肯对他似乎一直都很忍让。总统被问到为什么要把这样一个人放在一个高水平的位置。

Lincoln characteristically responded with a story. He told about a time he was visiting with an old farmer. He noticed a big horsefly biting the flank of the farmer s horse. Lincoln said he reached over to brush the fly away. As he did so, the farmer stopped him and cautioned, Don t do that, friend. That horsefly is the only thing keeping this old horse moving.

林肯的用很特别的故事回答他。他说有一次他去拜访一个老农夫。他注意到一个大马蝇在咬农夫旁边的马。林肯说他伸手把它赶走。当他这样做的时候，农民拦住他，说，不这样做，朋友。那只马蝇是唯一能让这匹老马活动。

Even life s many irritations and problems have their place. They may cause us to change directions. Or prod us to greater achievement. Or keep us moving along when it s easier to go nowhere.

即使生活的许多烦恼和问题都有自己的用处。他们或许会让我们改变方向。或促使我们取得更大的成就。或者让我们一直往前，当去哪里都不容易的时候。

Are you simply making the best of a bad situation, or will it make the best of you?

你是在为最坏的情况做打算，还是会做最好的你？

编辑:Liuxuepaper.Com

作文地带知识拓展:

• 英语（English）属于印欧语系日耳曼语族西日耳曼语支，最早被中世纪的英国使用，并因其广阔的殖民地而成为世界使用面积最广的语言。英国人的祖先盎格鲁部落是后来迁移到大不列颠岛地区的日耳曼部落之一，称为英格兰。这两个名字都来自波罗地海半岛的Anglia。该语言与弗里斯兰语和下撒克森语密切相关，其词汇受到其他日耳曼语族语言的影响，尤其是北欧语（北日耳曼语），并在很大程度上由拉丁文和法文撰写。

  英语的英文释义：

  English 名词 uk  /ˈɪŋ.ɡlɪʃ/ us  /ˈɪŋ.ɡlɪʃ/

  the language that is spoken in the UK, the US, and in many other countries

  英语

  American/British English

  美式／英式英语

  Do you speak English?

  你会说英语吗？

  English   形容词 adjective   uk  /ˈɪŋ.ɡlɪʃ/ us  /ˈɪŋ.ɡlɪʃ/

  in or relating to the English language

  英语的

  an English teacher

  英语老师

  relating to or from England

  英格兰的;英国的

  English films/food/people

  英国电影／食品／人

  English law

  英格兰法律