Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?

A certain daughter complained to her father about her life and how things have been so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and she wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed that just as one problem was solved another arose.

Her father, a chef（厨师） , took her to the kitchen, filled three pots with water and placed the fire on high. Soon the three pots came to a boil. In one he placed carrots, in the other he placed eggs, and the last he placed ground coffee（咖啡粉） beans. He let them sit and boil, without saying a word.

The daughter sucked her teeth and impatiently wondered what he was trying to do. She had problems, and he was making this strange concoction（混合，调和） . In half an hour he walked over to the stove and turned down the fire. He pulled the carrots out and placed them in the bowl. He pulled the eggs out and placed them in the bowl. Then he ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her he asked. "Darling what do you see?"

"Carrots, eggs, and coffee." she replied.

He brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, he asked her to sip（啜饮） the coffee. Her face frowned from the strength of the coffee.

Humbly, she asked. "What does it mean Father?"

He explained. "Each of them faced the same adversity, 212 degrees of boiling water. However each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting（无情的） . But after going through boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg was fragile. A thin outer shell protected a liquid center. But after sitting through the boiling water, it's inside became hardened. The coffee beans are unique however. After they were in the boiling water, it became stronger and richer."

"Which are you," he asked his daughter, "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?"

相关单词：concoction

concoction解释：n.调配(物)；谎言

concoction例句：

She enjoyed the concoction of foreign dishes.她喜欢调制外国菜。

His story was a sheer concoction.他的故事实在是一纯属捏造之事。

相关单词：noted

noted解释：adj.著名的，知名的

noted例句：

The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。

Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

相关单词：sip

sip解释：v.小口地喝，抿，呷；n.一小口的量

sip例句：

She took a sip of the cocktail.她啜饮一口鸡尾酒。

Elizabeth took a sip of the hot coffee.伊丽莎白呷了一口热咖啡。

相关单词：humbly

humbly解释：adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地

humbly例句：

We humbly beg Your Majesty to show mercy. 我们恳请陛下发发慈悲。

"You must be right, Sir,'said John humbly. “你一定是对的，先生，”约翰恭顺地说道。

相关单词：softened

softened解释：（使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰

softened例句：

His smile softened slightly. 他的微笑稍柔和了些。

The ice cream softened and began to melt. 冰淇淋开始变软并开始融化。

相关单词：fragile

fragile解释：adj.易碎的，脆的，易损坏的，虚弱的，脆弱的

fragile例句：

The old lady was increasingly fragile after her operation.那位老太太手术后身体越来越虚弱。

This glass disc looks very fragile.这个玻璃盘子看起来很容易碎。