A young man travelled by train. As the train was rumbling across a wilderness, the passengers looked out of the windows idly and aimlessly.
When it approached a bend, the train slowed down and then an unadorned house came into view. It was so conspicuous against the desolate landscape that everybody on the train turned to admire it with eyes wide open. Some passengers even began discussion about it.
The young man was also impressed by the scene. On his return he got off the train at the nearest station and found his way to the house. Its owner told him that troubled by the noise of the train he wanted to sell the house but nobody would buy it.
Soon after the young man spent thirty thousand dollars for the house, regarding it as a favorable site for advertisement. It was facing the railway bend where the train had to slow down and the weary passengers would cast their eyes at the house to refresh themselves.
He managed to get access to big companies and tried his best to convince them of the advantage of the place for advertisement. Finally, the Coca Cola Company took a lease on it to put up promotion signs. The young man was paid 180 thousand for a three-year rent.
一个年轻人乘火车旅行。火车隆隆驶过一片荒野，乘客们漫无目的地呆望着窗外。
火车驶进一处弯道，车速慢下来，一栋朴实无华的房子映入大家的眼帘，与周围荒无人烟的景象格格不入。人们转而睁大双眼不住赞叹，甚至还有人讨论了起来。
这样的景象也给年轻人留下了深刻的印象。回程途中，他在最近的车站下了车，找到了这栋房子。主人说自己饱受火车噪声之苦，想要卖房子，但还没找到买家。
不久年轻人花三万美金买下了这栋房子，他认为这里是投放广告的绝佳地点。这栋房子面向铁轨转弯处，火车开过来时必定减速，乘客旅途困顿，想必会把目光投向这里，也好提提神。
他接洽了几家大公司，尽力说服他们在此投放广告好处良多。最终，可口可乐公司答应承租竖立促销广告牌。这位年轻人靠一份三年的租约就赚了十八万。
-rumble [ˈrʌmbl] v. 隆隆作响
-unadorned [ˌʌnəˈdɔːnd] adj. 朴素的
-lease [liːs] n. 租约；租赁
“It proves that any discovered potential may lead to success.”(潜能一经发掘，成功便在咫尺之遥。)