很多人做事都帶有盲目性，常常是想到什么就做什么，從來沒有任何的目標和計劃。這樣做的結果往往是白白浪費了時間和精力。目標很重要，那么目標又該怎樣確定呢？
　　Goals
　　There are three kinds of goals: short-term, medium-term and long-term goals.
　　Short-term goals are those that usually deal with current activities, which we can apply on a daily basis. Such goals can be achieved in a week or less, or two weeks, or possibly months. It should be remembered that just as a building is no stronger than its foundation, our long-term goals cannot amount to very much without the achievement of solid short-term goals. Upon completing our short-term goals, we should date the occasion and then add new short-term goals that will build on those that have been completed.①
　　The medium-term goals build on the foundation of the short-term goals. They might deal with just one term of school or the entire school year, or they could even extend for several years. Any time you move a step at a time, you should never allow yourself to become discouraged or overwhelmed. As you complete each step, you will enforce the belief in your ability to grow and succeed. And as your list of completion dates grow, your motivation and desire will increase.
　　Long-term goals may be related to our dreams of the future.② They might cover five years or more. Life is not a static thing. We should never allow a long-term goal to limit us or our course of action.
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　　行文點評
　　本文是典型的總分結構，作者先在第一段中用一句話指明目標有三種：short-term, medium-term 和 long-term goals。然后在下面三段中分別闡述短期目標，中期目標以及長期目標。然后分別展開論述每段的首句都作為主題句。
　　三段內容上層層遞進，描述每一個目標的段落中第一句話和最后一句話都起到承上啟下的過渡作用，并達到首位呼應，相得益彰的效果。
　　好文妙譯
　　目標
　　目標有三種：短期目標、中期目標和長期目標。
　　短期目標通常著眼于目前的活動，人們可以以天為單位，逐日實施。這樣的目標可以在一周或不到一周、或兩周乃至數月內實現。要知道，沒有堅固的基礎就沒有堅固的建筑物；同樣，不去扎扎實實地實現短期目標，我們就不可能在實現長期目標上有大的作為。在完成短期目標之后，我們應當標明日期，并在已實現的目標基礎上規劃新的短期目標。
　　中期目標以短期目標為基礎。中期目標可能涉及一個學期或整整一學年，甚至可能延續數年之久。無論何時每一次你只能向前邁一步，絕不能使自己泄氣或者把自己壓得喘不過氣來。這樣每完成每一步，你就會增強對自己發展和成功能力的信心。隨著列出的目標實現日期表的加長，你的動力和要求也會增加。
　　長期目標可能與我們對未來的憧憬有關。長期目標可能跨越五年或者更長時間。人生不是靜止不變的。我們決不應當讓長期目標束縛我們的手腳，限制了我們的行為。
　　詞匯斟酌
　　?medium?term a. 中期的
　　?current a. 當前的，現實的，流行的
　　?amount to 總計，總量
　　?extend vt. 延伸，擴展，達到
　　?overwhelm vt. 征服，壓倒，淹沒
　　?enforce vt. 實施，生效，執行
　　?motivation n. 動機，激勵
　　佳句臨摹
　　①【注釋】build on 以…為基礎，建立于…，指望…
　　【臨摹】Let us build on past and prepare for future. 讓我們繼往開來。
　　②【注釋】be related to 與…有關，涉及…
　　【臨摹】Wealth is seldom related to happiness. 財富與幸福并無過多關聯。
　　思如泉涌
　　The secret of success is constancy of purpose. 成功的秘訣在于持之以恒。
　　Complacency is the enemy of study. 學習的敵人是自己的滿足。