Story:
Tom lived in a remote village where he had to commute a long way to the city for work. Every day, he felt miserable sitting in traffic, wasting time and energy. His boss, Mr. Green, was a man who believed in merit and hard work.
One day, Mr. Green asked Tom to elaborate on his ideas for improving the company’s commerce system. Tom worked hard and created a detailed catalogue of new products. His boss was impressed.
Meanwhile, Tom’s friend Sarah, who was studying science, talked about a new discovery in another dimension of space. She explained how planets orbit around stars and how organic life forms might exist on other worlds.
Tom also had another problem—his old car used too much petrol, and he wanted something more efficient. His company had a rule: employees who came up with great ideas would get a bonus, but those who broke the rules would face a penalty.
One day, Tom saw a multitude of people struggling with high transportation costs. This gave him a motive to design a new type of energy-saving vehicle. He created a system where people could pull a lever to switch between fuel and electricity.
His idea gained attention, and he soon found himself working with investors who had a mutual interest in clean energy. He felt obliged to use his knowledge for good, not just profit.
Years later, Tom’s project became a success. His company changed its policies to be more passive toward creativity, allowing employees to innovate freely. Tom no longer felt like a miser, stuck in a dull job—he was finally doing something meaningful.
Words with Pronunciation & Meanings:
- elaborate /ɪˈlæb.ər.ət/ - 详细说明
- lever /ˈliː.vər/ - 杠杆
- oblige /əˈblaɪdʒ/ - 使…有义务
- catalogue /ˈkæt.əl.ɒɡ/ - 目录
- dimension /daɪˈmɛn.ʃən/ - 维度
- commerce /ˈkɒm.ɜːs/ - 商业
- merit /ˈmɛr.ɪt/ - 优点
- misery /ˈmɪz.ər.i/ - 痛苦
- miserable /ˈmɪz.ər.ə.bəl/ - 悲惨的
- motive /ˈmoʊ.tɪv/ - 动机
- remote /rɪˈmoʊt/ - 偏远的
- multitude /ˈmʌl.tɪ.tjuːd/ - 大量
- commute /kəˈmjuːt/ - 通勤
- mutual /ˈmjuː.tʃu.əl/ - 共同的
- petrol /ˈpɛt.rəl/ - 汽油
- orbit /ˈɔː.bɪt/ - 轨道
- organic /ɔːrˈɡæn.ɪk/ - 有机的
- passive /ˈpæs.ɪv/ - 被动的
- penalty /ˈpɛn.əl.ti/ - 处罚
