To Handle The Situation On Our Own

In our everyday lives, it is good for us to become self-sufficient and to be able to handle a situation without calling out others to do somethinf for us. When I acquired a boat, I could see the importance of being able to repair something, use a navigation chart, and know how to spot navigational aids while under way. Today my truck's alternator stopped working and I discovered a part that transferred power from the engine via a fan belt was broken. On calling on the phone, I found that part was not readily available. I thought, "What would I do if I were on the boat?" Being a man of action I went to the parts store and asked for a bearing that would fill the pulley that broke. The part was slightly larger, so I had to grind it down to fit. Then I pressed it into the broken part with a vise. To make the retaining bolt work, I used a socket from my surplus tools to make needle bearings have something to turn on and hold the pulley in place. It worked!
If I had been out at sea, this repair would have been enough to get me safely to my home port and out of danger. A friend of mine says"Old School Sailors" go out and deal with what happens. Useful stuff, owning a boat!

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Vocabulary:
1.pulley－strop
2.grind－to crush
3.socket－(Electrics)plug-in

Useful Words:
1.sufficient－enough, plenty, satisfactory
2.transfer－deliver, pass
3.surplus－extra, remaining
4.navigation－sail a boat at sea

*at sea:
1.He spent 3 month at sea.
2.(= confused) I'm rather at sea. Could you explain that again?

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After I read this article I have some thoughts:

In Taiwan, There is a saying, "You can depend on parents when you are at home and depend on friends when you are outside." It's means if a man had this idea, he will never succeed. Because he always rely on others. When he face the difficulties he can't hendle by himself.
When I was a child, I counted on my parents to do many things, I feel I can't be my own master. Now, I am 18, study in university from Kaohsiung to Taipei, I have to depend on myself instead of my friends. I become more and more independent and I have much more ability to deal with the problem what I face. I am so glad to see that I grow to maturity.