Secondly， it actively encourages， or even exalts， risktaking. Hence， failure holds no terror and there is no stigma attached to a failed effort. On the contrary， they will try even harder next time round. Such neversaydie approach is the sine qua non for the ultimate triumph in entrepreneurship and technological breakthrough.
其次，硅谷大力提倡、甚至鼓吹颂扬冒险精神，因此失败并不可怕，出师不捷者也无人耻笑，反而会重整旗鼓、再接再厉。这种永不言败的风气，是创业成功和技术突破所不可或缺的。
A third decisive factor is the vital role of venture capitalists who willingly support promising startups with urgently needed initial capital to get them started. Some would even give failed entrepreneurs a second chance if convinced that a fresh concept might lead to eventual success.
第三，创业投资家也起了重大作用，他们乐于支持前途看好的新创企业，投入其急需的创业资本以助其起步。甚至对失败的企业，只要认定其概念新颖，最终有可能成功，有的投资家也会给予第二次机会。
Of equal importance， many bright young people and middle level professionals are keen to work for a new venture at substantially reduced remuneration， as it offers more scope for entrepreneurship and job satisfaction than the established companies. There is also a pride of achievement if their efforts contribute to its fruition.
同样重要的是，许多有为青年和中层专才并不热衷任职于老字号公司，反而不辞薪酬低下，宁愿为新创的企业效力，因为后者有更广阔的开拓前景，而工作所得的满足感也更大。他们为自身的努力推动了企业成功而自豪。
Intellectual challenges aside， it is a common practice for startups to offer generous share options to employees in order to attract the right talent into their folds. This is a powerful incentive to motivate the staff to do their utmost and to share in the company，s prosperity if it reaches its goal. Many regard this as the foundation of a successful enterprise.
除了给人专业上的挑战之外，新创企业为了延揽人才，还往往慷慨地给予员工们股票选购权。这一措施有力地激励员工们为公司尽心竭力，以期与公司共享成功。许多人认为这是企业成功的基础。
Those that have become high flyers， such as Netscape， Intel， Cisco and Yahoo， have turned many of their employees， including support staff like secretaries， into dot.com millionaires overnight， often at the relatively young age of 20s or 30s.
因此之故，网景、英特尔、思科、雅虎等出类拔萃的公司里，包括秘书等后勤职工在内的许多雇员成了网络公司的股东，往往还在二十几、三十几岁时便一夜致富而身家百万。
The Valley，s professionals are among the most hardworking people anywhere. A 15hour day and 7day week is not uncommon， especially during the startup stage. They would give up social life， and curtail their family life too， in order to pursue the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. It is this single minded pursuit of excellence， supported by strong ethos of team work and esprit de corps， that sustain them until their mission is accomplished.
硅谷中专业人士工作之勤奋努力，举世罕见：每周七日、每日15小时工作司空见惯，尤其是在创业初期。他们不惜放弃社交生活，减少与家人共处的时间，为的是追求理想彩虹尽头的那一桶金。正是这样一心一意追求卓越，加上强大的齐心合力的团队精神，支撑着他们的奋斗，直至达到目标。
Paper qualifications， though useful， is not a be all and end all. More weight is given to a candidate，s proven abilities and aptitude for the job. This is amply demonstrated by industry icons like Apple，s Jobs and Wozniak and Microsoft，s Gates， all college dropouts who might not have emerged in a qualificationconscious community.
在硅谷，文凭虽然有用，却不是至高无上、一纸定终身，更重要的是求职者的才干须经得起考验，性情资质须与有关职位相合。最佳的事例，莫过于电脑业的偶像人物如苹果电脑的创始人乔布斯与沃兹尼亚克，以及来自西雅图的微软创始人盖茨，他们都是大学里的退学生，在讲究学历的社会里可能永无出头之日。
While racial prejudice no doubt still exists in the United States， albeit in a less degrading form as before， it is hardly discernible in the Valley. What counts most is one，s vision and track record， and not one，s nationality， skin colour or creed. This， together with its multiracial society， informal lifestyle and agreeable climate， lure foreigners to its shores.
种族歧视无疑仍存在于美国，尽管已不及当年的露骨，但在硅谷却近乎绝迹。评价一个人，重要的是看他有何见解，成就经历如何，而不是看他的国籍、肤色、宗教信仰。这一点，加上这里的多元种族社会、不拘礼仪的生活方式，宜人的气候，使得外国人才近悦远来。
Its phenomenal success has led to a worldwide fever to proliferate dot.com companies， both as a prestigious symbol and a quicker way to wealth. Singapore is part of this rising tide. In Consequence， many bright young people have given up their secure jobs to join in the race. But the reality is that， because of its highrisk nature， for every success story there are hundreds who will， perforce， fall by the wayside. Will they get a second chance， given their own operating environment？
硅谷的非凡成功，使全球商界兴起创办网络公司的热潮，既借以抬高身价，又趁机快速发财。新加坡也投入这一潮流，致使众多青年才俊放弃稳定的工作而加入网络竞赛。事实上，就其本质而言，网络创业原有高度风险，每有一家公司成功，或许便有数百家惨遭淘汰，落败道旁。经营的环境既有不同，这里的落败者能否有第二次机会呢？
However， with the collapse of the US Nasdag share index earlier this year resulting in the plunge in prices of technology shares listed on it and elsewhere， the hitherto valuable share options held by numerous paper dot.com millionaires have become virtually worthless in these changed circumstances. Those who could not take the heat， as it were， left their employment feeling disillusioned.
今年初，纽约自动报价股市指数大跌，致使挂牌于其中以及在各地上市的科技股价格猛泻，众多账面上的百万富翁先前手持的网络公司股票选购权实际上已分文不值。经不起打击的人心灰意冷，离职而去。
Be that as it may， the majority in the Valley view this traumatic experience only as a temporary setback for the industry. They are sanguine that its longer term prospects remain bright as the ultimate potential of the information age has not yet run its full course.They are confident that it will flourish well into this century provided it maintains its cuttingedge in science and technology.
尽管如此，硅谷人大多将把这一痛苦的经历看作电脑业暂时的挫折，他们仍然乐观，认为长期看来前景仍是光明的，信息时代的发展潜能来日方长。他们坚信，电脑网络业只要保持先进科技的势头，在新世纪内还是会长期繁荣下去的。
Cartoon Stars： Tom and Jerry
卡通明星：汤姆和杰瑞
Tom and Jerry have chased each other to the top of a poll about which cartoon stars adults most enjoyed.
在一项关于成年人最喜爱的卡通明星的调查中，汤姆和杰瑞在排行榜首你追我赶。
The HannaBarbera duo - the stars of 161 cartoons from 1940 and winners of seven Oscars - beat the likes of ScoobyDoo， Top Cat and The Flinstones.
翰纳-芭芭拉二人工作室从1940年起开始制作161集动画片《猫和老鼠》，这部影片共获得7项奥斯卡奖。在这次调查中，汤姆和杰瑞击败了《史酷比》、《猫老大》和《摩登原始人》（又译为《石头城乐园》）等卡通片里的诸多明星。
The survey of 1，000 adults aged between 25 and 54 was conducted on behalf of children，s TV channel Boomerang.
少儿频道“飞镖”对1000名年龄在25岁到54岁之间的成年人进行了调查。
“Animals with human characteristics are an unbeatable combination，” channel manager Dan Balaam said.
该频道负责人丹·巴兰说：“具有人类特性的动物是无敌组合。”
He said that animal characters had proved most popular in the survey.
他还说，调查结果显示，最受欢迎的是那些动物角色。