Competition in My Own World
？佚名 / Anonymous
Once my mother told me a story. In Africa， when an antelope wakes up every morning， the first thing it thinks about is， “I must be able to run faster than the fastest lion， or I will be killed.” At the same time， a lion wakes from his dream. The first thing the lion thinks about is， “I must be able to catch the slowest antelope， or I will starve to death.” So， almost at the same time， the antelope and the lion get up and start running toward the rising sun.
This is life： full of chances and challenges. Whether you are an antelope or a lion， you must go ahead when the sun rises. For students， it is just the same. If we do not study hard， sooner or later， we will fall behind the other students. At first， I did not know what the word “exam” meant. Later， I knew an exam was a kind of competition. In competitions， there are always winners and losers. As I grew up， I got to know competition well. In one’s life， there must be competitions， so people can improve.
Each time I saw children playing games， and heard their laughter， I wished I were that age again. However， I remembered my parents’words： “You must work very hard in order to have a good future.” So I picked up my pen and began to study hard again.
I was still not sure what competition really meant. One day， I was taking part in an English-speaking competition. When I went to the stage， I saw other students looking at me kindly. I suddenly knew what competition was. It is not as cruel as my teacher and parents told me. In fact， competition is the opposite： it is kind and necessary.
I learned a lot from realizing this fact. Now I understand more about the world. Competition is important for us all.
妈妈曾经给我讲过这样一个故事。在非洲，一只羚羊每天早上醒来想到的第一件事是：“我必须跑得比最快的狮子还要快，否则就会被吃掉。”与此同时，一只狮子从梦中醒来，想到的第一件事是：“我必须抓住跑得最慢的羚羊，否则就会饿死。”所以，羚羊和狮子几乎同时起床，并开始向着太阳升起的地方奔跑。
这就是生活：充满着机遇和挑战。不论你是羚羊还是狮子，太阳升起的时候，你必须往前跑。对于学生，亦是如此。如果我们不努力学习，迟早会落后于其他人。我开始并不懂得“考试”的真正含义，后来我明白了，考试也是一种竞争。在竞争中，总会有胜利者和失败者。长大后，我对竞争有了更深层的认识。人生中，必须有竞争，人类才会进步。
每次，看到孩子们做游戏，听着他们朗朗的笑声，真希望自己重新回到那个年纪。但是，我记起父母的忠告，“你必须努力学习，才会有光明的未来。”于是，我又重新拾起笔，开始刻苦学习。
我并未真正懂得竞争的内涵。直到参加英语口语竞赛那天，我才真正弄清什么是竞争。我踏上讲台，看见其他学生很友善地看着我。突然间，我明白了竞争并不像老师和父母说的那样残酷。相反，它是善意的，也是必要的。
明白了这个道理后，我学会了很多，也更了解这个世界。竞争对每个人都很重要。
1. At the same_______， a lion wakes from his dream. The_______thing the lion thinks about is， “I must be able to_______the slowest antelope， or I will starve to death.”_______， almost at the same time， the antelope and the lion get up and_____running toward the rising sun.
2. I was still not_______what competition really meant. One day， I_______ taking part in an English-speaking competition. When I_______to the stage， I saw other students looking at me kindly. I_______knew what competition was.
1. 如果我们不努力学习，迟早会落后于其他人。
2. 人生当中，必须有竞争，人类才会进步。
3. 你必须努力学习，才会有光明的未来。
1 . At the same time， a lion wakes from his dream.
at the same time：同时；然而；不过
2 . You must go ahead when the sun rises.
go ahead：开始；前进；领先
