节目资讯
刊物:空中英语教室
日期:2012-08-21
难易度:Medium
关键字:publisher, format, hesitant, fuse, fiber optics, windsheild
I hope you all had a great break.
Welcome back.
Why wait to finish school to start a business?
Can we go one step further and ask: Why go to school at all?
Our next successful teen entrepreneur Philip Hartman once said: I can never
learn what I'm learning in college.
They don't teach it there because it can't be learned in that way.
Very interesting.
Let's find out more about this young entrepreneur on line 15.
Amazing Teen Entrepreneurs.
Philip Hartman.
Seventeen-year-old Philip Hartman won the 2008 Young Inventor of the Year Award
in the U.S.
The award was for Fiberlight, a new system of fusing fiber optics.
He's also invented a system for taking the ice off car windshields - which is
important since he lives in northern Colorado.
In addition to working on his business ventures, he enjoys sports and music.
(Music).
We are looking at Amazing Teen Entrepreneurs.
We've seen two examples so far - one a web developer, and the other a magazine
publisher.
Now students from all over the world can do these incredible things.
And Philip Hartman is our next example.
That's right.
He is 17 years old, and he won the 2008 Young Inventor of the Year Award in the
U.S.
Now, first of all, let's describe what an inventor is.
An inventor is someone who creates something new, who has an idea and makes it.
OK. So we want to see he invented something, he made something new.
What did he make?
Well, the award was for Fiberlight, a new system of fusing fiber optics.
OK. Now let's take a look at what this actually is because even for me, I don't
think I know what this device does.
So let's break this down.
If you "fuse" something, that means you join it together.
But what about fiber optics?
OK. Well, to fuse, let's talk just a little bit more about that.
Sure.
Fusing, we join them together but not like a belt or zipper.
It's more like you're actually connecting them in a more permanent situation.
Fusing something together can be kind of difficult.
Yeah, or difficult to put together, or even difficult to take apart.
So here they are almost becoming one piece, even you could say, if you use
something.
So these are joined or fused fiber optics.
Now "fiber optics" is a term.
But let's separate those words.
First of all, a fiber is a thin glass or plastic thread.
Sometimes we talk about fibers in our clothing, those thin, tiny little threads
that we spin together to create material.
But here it's that... it's made of plastic.
Right. And so "fiber optics" here... the word "optics" has to do with light.
And so in fiber optic tubes, light travels through these tubes in order to send
information.
OK. So it's not like a see-through tube that you can actually see through.
It's sending the signal of light.
Right. It is actually... well, it is sending light through that tube.
And so computers will use fiber optics in order to communicate with each other
very quickly.
So fusing these... these tiny threads, these fibers together is a complicated
process.
It's complicated, friends, and it's very necessary.
It's an important process, and it's very useful, so.
The fact that he's doing this is impressive, but it's even more impressive since
he is 17.
Well, he's also invented a system for taking the ice off of car windshields, you
know,
which is important since he lives in northern Colorado.
OK. Well, that sounds like a place that you're familiar with.
Yes, it is. I am from the state of Colorado.
And friends, I am telling you, it is important to know how to get ice off of a
windshield.
OK. Now that's important because a "windshield" is the glass that is on the
front of your car,
and you need to be able to see through it in order to know where you're going.
That's right.
If you think about where a windshield is - at the front of your car - it makes
sense.
It's blocking the wind.
It is shielding you from the wind.
Exactly.
So if ice gets on that windshield, it can be difficult or impossible to see
through.
So he invented a device to remove the ice off of the window in front of your
car.
Now I'm definitely going to look into this device because I hate when it snows
or gets really icy and you can't see through the window.
You're stuck just scraping it off.
Ah, you should live in Los Angeles.
It's a wonderful place.
You don't have to worry about that.
Now in addition to working on his business ventures, he enjoys sports and music.
So he's just a normal 17-year-old boy.
Even though he's incredibly smart, he's built these fiber optic fusing systems,
he's created devices to help people in icy locations drive safely, he's still
pretty normal.
OK. So yeah, he's a normal guy.
He enjoys hanging out with his friends and playing sports, but he's also doing
all these business ventures.
Now we've just recently defined the word ventures.
And he is willing to take these risks, these ventures, stepping out and trying
something new even if you don't know how it will go.
Even though he's doing this, he's still just a normal teenager.
They all seem to be very normal teenagers enjoying regular teen things.
That's right, Kaylah.
And what that tells me is, friends, we all have that ability to use our creative
ideas, so don't be afraid.
Now join us for the skit, and then come back tomorrow as we'll talk about some
more Amazing Teen Entrepreneurs.
(Music).
This convention is really great.
Look at all the young entrepreneurs.
Yeah.
Are you an entrepreneur too... Savannah?
Yes. I'm in publishing... Philip.
Publishing, really.
Yes. I've been in publishing since I was 8.
Eight! That's great.
When I was 9, I wrote reviews for children's books.
Well, I won the 2008 Young Inventor Award of the Year.
Well, what exactly did you invent?
I invented a system of fusing fiber optics.
Oh. That sounds um... scientific.
Thank you. It is.
But... but when I was 14, I started my own magazine for girls.
Oh. What else did you do?
I became the youngest magazine publisher in the world.
Oh, really, well...
Well, I also invented a way to take ice off car windshields.
Oh. That's important.
Yeah, it is important, especially if you live in Colorado.
I don't!
Oh.
Well...
But you know, you know, I'm very busy, you know.
I balance my magazine work with schoolwork and basketball practice.
Is that so?
Yes. And I wouldn't have it any other way.
Becoming an entrepreneur is a learning experience.
Yes, I totally agree.
There's no reason to hesitate.
So what are you waiting for?
Publish something!
No. Invent something!
No. Publish something.
Invent...
Publish! You want to publish.
Publishg is better.
Publish something.
(Chinese).
And time really flies.
Make sure you come back tomorrow.
Bye-bye.
Thank you, Michelle.
Friends, if you talk to any successful teen entrepreneur,
I think you'll get a sense right away that they absolutely love what they do.
They have passion.
Another key ingredient all successful teen entrepreneurs have is perseverance.
I know this lesson only gives the glamorous side of these success stories,
but in reality, all entrepreneurs are familiar with some failure and falling
down.
It's the entrepreneur that perseveres and knows how to get back up that finds
success.
So passion and perseverance, key ingredients for success.
OK, friends, join us tomorrow for day three of Amazing Teen Entrepreneurs.
Take care.