[Reading level: B2 – Upper Intermediate]
Michael Jordan, black, born in 1963, in the slums of Brooklyn, New York. He has four brothers, while his father’s wages were only a little insufficient to support the family. Ever since he was a child, he led his life in a poor and discriminating environment.
When he was thirteen, his father gave him a piece of secondhand clothes, “How do you think the value of this outfit?” Jordan replied, “Maybe 1 dollar.” His father again said, “Can it sell for 2 dollars? If you manage to sell it, it means helping your father and your mother. “Jordan nodded his head,” I’ll try it, but not necessarily succeed.”
He carefully washed the clothes clean. Since there is no iron to smoothing clothes, then he flattens the clothes with a brush on a flat board, then dried them in the sun. The next day, he carried the clothes to a busy underground station, offered up to more than six hours. Finally, Jordan managed to sell the clothes. Now he held the $2 bills and ran home.
After that, every day he looked for used clothing, then tidied up and sold in the crowd.
More than ten days later, his father again handed over a piece of used clothes to him, “Why don’t you think how to sell these clothes for up to 20 dollars?” Jordan said, “How is that possible? This outfit is worth only $ 2. “His father again inspired,” Why did not you try it first? There must be a way.”
Finally, Jordan got one idea, he asked for his cousin who learns to paint to describe the funny Donald Duck and the naughty Mickey Mouse on the clothes. Then he tried to sell it at a rich boy’s school. Soon a housekeeper who picked up his little master bought the clothes for his little master. The little ten-year-old man loved the clothes, so he gave us a five-dollar tip. Of course 25 dollars is a huge sum for Jordan, equivalent to one month’s salary from his father.
Arriving at home, his father returned a second piece of clothing to him, “Are you able to sell it back for 200 dollars?” His father’s eyes were sparkling.
This time Jordan received the clothes without any hesitation. Two months later the coincidence of popular movie actress “Charlie Angels”, Farah Fawcett came to New York to do a promo. After the press conference, Jordan broke through security to reach Farah Fawcett’s side and asked for her signature on his used clothes. When Fawcett saw an innocent child asking for his autograph, she happily signed her signature on the clothes.
Jordan was shouting with excitement, “This is a T-shirt that has been signed by Miss Farah Fawcett, the selling price of 200 dollars!” He auctioned the clothing, until an entrepreneur bought it for $1,200.
Upon returning home, his father with tears said, “It is inconceivable that you succeeded in doing so. My child! You are so great!”
That night, Jordan slept with his head on his father’s legs. His father asked, “My son, from the experience of selling three pieces of clothing you have done, what do you understand?”
Jordan replied with emotion, “As long as we want to think with the brain, there must be a way.”
His father nodded his head, then shook his head, “What you say is not wrong! But that’s not what dad means. Dad just wanted to let you know that a dollar-worth clothing can also be scaled up, let alone us as a living human being? Maybe we are darker and poorer, but what’s the difference? It depends on how we utilize the potential that exists within each of us. ”
Immediately in Jordan’s mind there was a rising sun. Even secondhand clothing can be upgraded, then do I have any reason to belittle myself?
Since then, in any case, Michael Jordan feels that his future is beautiful and hopeful. He honed his potential until he became one of the greatest basketball players in the world and became one of the richest athletes.
Source: https://steemit.com/story/@emirzafirdaus/michael-jordan-s-inspiring-story-2017103t223529647z
WORD BANK:
slum /slʌm/ (n): khu ổ chuột
insufficient /ˌɪn.səˈfɪʃ.ənt/ [C1] (adj): thiếu, không đủ
lead a life [B2] (v): sống một cuộc đời (như thế nào)
discriminate /dɪˈskrɪm.ɪ.neɪt/ [C1] (v): phân biệt đối xử
outfit /ˈaʊt.fɪt/ (n): quần áo
nod one’s head /nɒd/ [B2] (v): gật đầu
hand over sth (v): đưa, nộp cái gì
up to (pre): lên đến
housekeeper /ˈhaʊsˌkiː.pər/ (n): quản gia
pick up sb (v): đón ai đó
tip /tɪp/ [B1] (n): tiền boa
equivalent to sth /ɪˈkwɪv.əl.ənt/ [C1] (adj): tương đương với cái gì
sparkling /ˈspɑː.klɪŋ/ [B2] (adj): lấp lánh
hesitation /ˌhez·ɪˈteɪ·ʃən/ (n): sự do dự
coincidence /kəʊˈɪn.sɪ.dəns/ [B2] (n): sự tình cờ
break through (v): xuyên qua, vượt qua
innocent /ˈɪn.ə.sənt/ [B2] (adj): ngây thơ
auction /ˈɔːk.ʃən/ [C1] (v): bán đấu giá
entrepreneur /ˌɒn.trə.prəˈnɜːr/ (n): doanh nhân
inconceivable /ˌɪn.kənˈsiː.və.bəl/ [C2] (adj): không thể tin
scale up sth (v): làm cái gì tăng lên về kích thước, quy mô, giá trị
let alone sth [C1] (expression): huống chi cái gì
utilize /ˈjuː.təl.aɪz/ (v): sử dụng
belittle /bɪˈlɪt.əl/ (v): xem thường, xem nhẹ
hone /həʊn/ (v): mài giũa
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