A friend’s grandfather came to America from Eastern Europe.

一个朋友的祖父从东欧到美国来。

After settling down at Ellis Island.

在埃利斯岛安顿下来后。

he went into a cafeteria in lower Manhattan to get something to eat.

他去下曼哈顿的一家自助餐厅吃饭。

He sat down at an empty table and waited for someone to take his order.

他在一张空桌子边坐下，等待侍者拿来菜单。

Of course nobody did.

没有人来招呼他。

Finally, a woman with a tray¹ full of food sat down opposite him.

最后，一位女士拿着满满一托盘食物走过来坐在他对面。

and informed him how a cafeteria worked.

并告诉他自助餐厅怎样进餐的。

"Start out at that end," she said. "Just go along the line and pick out what you want. At the other end they’ll tell you how much you have to pay."

她说：“着手去做吧，去要你想要的东西，在餐厅的另外一端会有人告诉你该付多少钱。”

"I soon learned² that's how everything works³ in America," the grandfather told a friend.

他对一个朋友说：“接着我很快了解到这就是美国人的工作方式”。

"Life's a cafeteria here.

生活就像自助餐。

You can get anything you want.

你可以去要你想要的任何东西。

as long as you are willing to pay the price.

只要你能付得起他们的价格。

You can even get success.

你也可以想要成功。

But you'll never get it if you wait for someone to bring it to you.

但是如果你什么都不做等着别人能把它送到你身边的话是永远都不可能得到的。

You have to get up and get it yourself."

你必须勤劳，必须自己去追求它。