There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly.So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in the summer, and the youngest son in the fall.
When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen. The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.The second son said no-it was covered with green buds and full of promise.The third said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, and it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.The last son disagreed with all of them.He said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.
The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but one season in the tree's life. He told them that they cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the nature of them can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.
If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall. Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.
-call [kɔːl]v.呼叫；打电话；访问；呼叫 n.打电话；访问
典型例句
The shouting boy did not hear his mother call him.
大声叫嚷的孩子听不到妈妈的呼唤。
最常用法
call sb.a taxi 为某人叫一辆出租汽车
call sb. Tom 把某人叫做汤姆
call sb. to do sth.让某人做某事
call on sb.号召某人；拜访某人
call at 拜访
联想记忆
phone n.电话 v.打电话
ring n.电话 v.打电话
name v.命名
-fall [fɔːl]v.落下；来临 n.秋天；落下；瀑布
典型例句
Jobs used to disappear when the snow fell.
当雪天来临时，就业机会就会消失。
最常用法
night falls 夜幕降临
fall over 摔倒
fall behind in one's study 在学习上落后
fall into 陷入
fall in love with 爱上，喜爱
fall asleep 睡着
联想记忆
autumn n.秋季；秋天
drop vt.落下；跌倒
rise vi.上升；升起
-promise [ˈprɒmɪs]n.诺言；约定；（有）希望 v.允诺；答应；有希望
典型例句
I don’t trust his promise to come for a visit.
我不相信他会如约前来访问。
最常用法
promise the moon 答应办不可能办的事
promise to do sth.承诺做某事
promise sb. to do sth.保证某人做某事
make a promise 答应；允诺
break one's promise 打破诺言；食言
keep one's promise 遵守诺言
联想记忆
promising adj.有希望的；有前途的
permit n.许可证；执照 v.允许；许可
-nature [ˈneɪtʃə（r）]n.自然界；性质；自然；本性
典型例句
The goal of life is living in agreement with nature.
人生的终极目标是和自然和谐相处。
最常用法
human nature 人性
second nature 第二天性
by nature 天生地
in nature 在世界上
a law of nature 自然法则
联想记忆
natural adj.自然的；天然的；私生的
universe n.宇宙；万物；世界
有个人有四个儿子。他希望儿子们能学会不急于对事物下结论，于是依次派四个儿子出去，让他们去远方看一棵梨树。大儿子冬天前往，二儿子春天启程，三儿子夏天出发，而小儿子则是在秋天动身的。
等儿子们都去过回来之后，这位父亲把他们叫到一起，让他们描述各自的所见。大儿子说梨树很难看，被压得很弯，枝干扭曲。二儿子却说并非如此——梨树绿芽初发，生机勃勃。三儿子说那颗梨树花苞满树、芬芳扑鼻、赏心悦目，是他见过的最美丽的事物。小儿子的意见跟他们都不一样，他说那棵树果实累累，成熟在望，充满了生机和收获。
这位父亲说他们答得都对，因为他们都只看到了梨树生命中的一个季节。他告诉他们：不应仅凭一个季节来判断一棵树，一段时间来看一个人；最后，到所有的季节都已终结时，才能衡量他们的本质。
如果你在寒冬时放弃，你将失去春之希望，夏之灿烂，秋之收获。所以，不要让一时的痛苦毁弃你所有其他的快乐。