1809: He was born

        他出生

1816: His family was forced out of their home. He had to work to support them.

        他的家庭被迫离开家乡,他必须工作来养活一家人          
1818: His mother died.

         他母亲逝世 
1831: Failed in business.

         经商失败
1832: Ran for state legislature - lost.

         竞选州议员,失败      
1832: Also lost his job - wanted to go to law school but couldn't get in.

         丢了工作,想进如法学院被拒
1833: Borrowed some money from a friend to begin a business and by the end of the year he was bankrupt.He spent the next 17 years of his life paying off this debt.

       从一个朋友那介借了些钱做生意,年底破产.他此后的17年才还清了债
1834: Ran for state legislature again - won. 

        又一次竞选州议员,当选了
1835: Was engaged to be married, sweetheart died and his heart was broken.

        订婚后准备结婚,爱人死了,心碎了无痕
1836: Had a total nervous breakdown and was in bed for six months.

        严重神经衰弱,卧床6个月    

1838: Sought to become speaker of the state legislature -   defeated. 

        争取成为州议员发言人,失败
1840: Sought to become elector - defeated. 

        争取成为候选人,失败
1843: Ran for Congress - lost.

        参加国会竞选,失败

1846: Ran for Congress again - this time he won - went to Washington and did a good job.

         再次参加国会竞选,这次成功了,去了华盛顿,工作出色
1848: Ran for re-election to Congress - lost.

        争取国会议员连任   ,失败 
1849 Sought the job of land officer in his home state - rejected. 

       争取成为他家乡所在州的土地局长,被拒绝
1854: Ran for Senate of the United States - lost.

        竞选参议员,失败
1856: Sought the Vice-Presidential nomination at his party's national convention - got less than 100 votes.

       在共和党全国大会上争取副总统提名,得到不少100张选票

1858: Ran for U.S. Senate again - again he lost.

       再次竞选参议员,再次失败
1860: Elected president of the United States.

        当选美国总统 

 

 

He was Abraham Lincoln,probably the greatest example of persistence. Lincoln was faced with defeat throughout his life,lost eight elections, twice failed in business and suffered a nervous breakdown. He could have quit many times - but he didn't and because he didn't quit, he became one of the greatest presidents in the history of America.