李开复写给女儿的一封信（节选）

它将陪你度过6分25秒

李开复写给女儿的一封信

／ 节选 ／

College will be the most important years in your life. It is in college that you will trulydiscover what learning is about. You often question “what good is this course”. I encourage you to be inquisitive, but I also want to tell you :“education is what you have left after all that is taught is forgotten”.

大学将是你人生最重要的时光，在大学里你会发现学习的真谛。你以前经常会问到 “这个课程有什么用”，这是个好问题，但是我希望你理解：“教育的真谛就是当你忘记一切所学到的东西之后所剩下的东西。” 

What I mean by that is the materials taught isn’t as important as you gaining the ability to learn a new subject, and the ability to analyze a new problem. That is really what learning in college is about – this will be the period where you go from teacher-taught to master-inspired, after which you must become self-learner. So do take each subject seriously, and even if what you learn isn’t critical for your life, the skills of learning will be something you cherish forever.

我的意思是，最重要的不是你学到的具体的知识，而是你学习新事物和解决新问题的能力。这才是大学学习的真正意义——这将是你从被动学习转向自主学习的阶段，之后你会变成一个很好的自学者。所以，即便你所学的不是生活里所急需的，也要认真看待大学里的每一门功课，就算学习的技能你会忘记，学习的能力是你将受用终身的。

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Do not fall into the trap of dogma. There is no single simple answer to any question. 

不要被教条所束缚，任何问题都没有一个唯一的简单的答案。

Remember during your high school debate class, I always asked you to take on the side that you don’t believe in? I did that for a reason -- things rarely“black and white”， and there are always many ways to look at a problem. You will become a better problem solver if you recognized that. This is called “critical thinking”， and it is the most important thinking skill you need for your life. This also means you need to become tolerant and supportive of others. 

还记得当我帮助你高中的辩论课程时，我总是让你站在你不认可的那一方来辩论吗？我这么做的理由就是希望你能够理解：看待一个问题不应该非黑即白，而是有很多方法和角度。当你意识到这点的时候，你就会成为一个很好的解决问题者。这就是“批判的思维”——你的一生都会需要的最重要的思考方式，这也意味着你还需要包容和支持不同于你的其他观点。

I will always remember when I went to my Ph.D. advisor and proposed a new thesis topic. He said “I don’t agree with you, but I’ll support you.” After the years, I have learned this isn’t just flexibility, it is encouragement of critical thinking, and an empowering style of leadership, and it has become a part of me. I hope it will become a part of you too.

我永远记得我去找我的博士导师提出了一个新论题，他告诉我：“我不同意你，但我支持你。”多年后，我认识到这不仅仅是包容，而是一种批判式思考，更是令人折服的领导风格，现在这也变成了我的一部分。我希望这也能成为你的一部分。

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Whether it is summer-planning, or coursework planning, or picking a major, or managing your time, you should take control of your life. Life is too short to live the life others do or others want you. Being in control feels great. Try it, and you’ll love it !

不管是暑假计划，功课规划，抑或是选专业，管理时间，你都应该负责你的人生。生命太短暂了，你不能过别人想要你过的生活。掌控自己的生命是很棒的感觉，试试吧，你会爱上它的！

You should take control of your life. Life is too short to live the life others do or others want you. 

你都应该负责你的人生。生命太短暂了，你不能过别人想要你过的生活。