Trustworthiness can be underestimated when it comes to creating both success and wealth. (para. 1)
Useful words and expressions
① trustworthiness n. the quality of being able to be trusted and depended on
e.g. As reputation is a reflection of trustworthiness, customers tend to buy products from a company with a good reputation.
(trustworthy adj.)
② underestimate v. to think or guess that sth is smaller, cheaper, easier, etc. than it really is
e.g. We should never underestimate the power of the press.
under- (prefix) 构词法
●(in nouns and adjectives) below; beneath e.g. undergrowth, undercover
●(in nouns) lower in age or rank e.g. the under-fives, an undergraduate
●(in adjectives and verbs) not enough e.g. underripe, undercooked
③ when it comes to: a commonly used expression that introduces a topic or specific situation, emphasizing a particular aspect or field. It functions similarly to "regarding" or "in terms of" and is often used at the beginning of a sentence to highlight the subject that is about to be discussed.
e.g. When it comes to reliability, John is the most dependable person I know.
When it comes to cooking, my mother is an expert.
When it comes to fashion, she has a remarkable sense of style.
When it comes to meeting deadlines, she is very strict.
Schwab knew that education would be his escape route, but school presented inexplicable complications. (para. 4)
Useful words and expressions
① escape route phrasal n. a path to get away from a place, or a dangerous or bad sitation
(In the text, it is used to refer to the method to get rid of poverty for Schwab.)
e.g. During the fire drill （消防演练）, everyone was instructed to follow the designated escape route to the nearst exit.
② inexplicable adj. that cannot be understood or explained
e.g. For some inexplicable reason, some rooms of the mansion will suddenly turn very cold.
③ complication n. a problem of situation that makes sth more difficult to understand or deal with
e.g. The fact that the plane was late added a further complication to our journey.
If any complications arise, let me know and I'll help.
They were a lot of junk jobs, but I made it a point to really understand the mechanics of the financial-services world. (para. 8)
Useful words and expressions
① junk adj. cheap, worthless, unwanted
junk job: In the text, this expression is used to refer to those jobs that are boring and with little value.
junk mail 垃圾邮件 junk food 垃圾食品
② make it a point to do sth=make a point of doing sth to act purposefully and intentionally, to make sure you do sth because it is important or necessary
e.g. I made it a point to close all the windows before leaving the house.
I made a point of closing all the windows before leaving the house.
③ mechanics n. [pl.] the way sth works or is done
e.g. But the manual merely provides its owner with the game mechanics (游戏的运作方式).
There was a great deal of "inside information", most of which wasn't worth its weight in feathers. (para. 9)
Useful words and expressions
① inside information: information that is available only to people who are part of a particular group or organization
e.g. Police believe the robbers may have had inside information.
② be not worth its weight in feathers: to be extremely light; not very valuable
e.g. The old, broken-down car he bought for cheap is not worth its weight in feathers; it costs more to repair than it's worth.
be worth your/its weight in gold: to be very useful or valuable
e.g. This recipe book is worth its weight in gold--it tells you everything you need to know.
If people don't participate in wealth creation, we lose them as major participants in the body politic. (para. 18)
Useful words and expressions
① wealth creation: accumulation of assets（资产）(especially those that generate income) over a long period of time. A major example of wealth creation is a retirement plan (养老计划).
e.g. Our ultimate mission is about job creation, which leads to wealth creation and then more job creation," he said.
② body politic: a metaphor that regards a nation as a corporeal entity（有形实体）likened to a human body. It comprises all the people in the nation when they are considered a complete political group.
