一. 问答
1. What does "entitlement" mean? Can you give an example to explain it?
An "entitlement" means the right to have something or do something. For example, we're entitled to choose our own way of life, such as where to live, what to do, when to get married, etc.
2. What's the point of telling Jimmy's story?
The purpose of telling Jimmy's story is to explain, if we can’t face our problems, no matter how good we feel about ourselves, we're weak. Because a person who actually has a high self-worth is able to look at the negative parts of his character frankly.
3. Do you think you are special? What's wrong with feeling you are special?
Yes, I'm so special that I snapped my fingers when you guys showed your heart in the photo last Sunday night.
The problem is, if everyone were extraordinary, then by definition no one would be extraordinary.
4. If you are not special, how can you achieve greatness?
We become great at something become great because we understand that we're not already great - we are mediocre, we are average - and that we could be so much better. Because of the constant pressure we need to prove ourselves to dissipate the stress and anxiety.
二. 感想
Jimmy的故事告诉我们，最重要的是能够直面自己的问题，不再逃避、忽略和自欺欺人。
我很早以前就意识到，当我和身边的同学、同事同时去做一件事儿时，我要想和他们一样自信，就不得不花费更多的时间和精力去做更全面的准备。我坦然接受这样的“不公”，也愿意用更多的努力来找平这个差距。我一直以为这是理所当然、无可厚非的事情。
而最近，我在读这本书、和朋友聊天、观察身边的人的过程中，我越来越意识到另一个问题：如何拥有Not giving a fuck的心态。我总是由于太在意结果、在乎别人的评价、想做得尽可能好，去迫使自己凡事尽力而为，不遗余力，唯独忘记了放松。
正因为此，自己的注意力并没有完全集中在事情本身，那些私心杂念都变成了做事过程中的包袱和羁绊。还是自己给自己使绊。
我不断地问自己，为什么要如此在意？因为面子吗？可在意它的结果也并没有让自己更有面子，而常常是适得其反。因为结果会对我造成实质性的影响吗？也并不是。做不好又能怎么样呢？那到底是为什么？为什么很难真正放松下来？
我想，可能是缺少游戏心态吧。太把事情当回事（这是一把双刃剑），稍微失控就百般自责。总想着战胜一切，把每一个问题都完美地解决，结果却让自己变得缩手缩脚、不敢试错。
当然，想明白和能做到是两码事。不过，意识到了问题，总是好的，这会让我更加有意识地去控制和调整。不要着急，慢慢改变。
三. 字词
1. rattle off
(1) 原文：On any given day, if you asked him what he was doing, he'd rattle off the name of some firm he was consulting with.
(2) 解释：不假思索的说出
(3) 造句：I can rattle off the telephone numbers of my colleagues.
2. leech
(1) 原文：Jimmy was a professional leech, living off his family's hard-won money by spinning them as well as everybody else in the city on false ideas of future tech glory.
(2) 解释：原意是水蛭、蚂蟥，这里指占他人便宜的人，很形象。
(3) 造句：His friends see him as a leech.
3. live off sb / sth
(1) 原文：Yet the guy kept this up for years, living off girlfriends and more and more distant relatives well into his late twenties.
(2) 解释：靠……生活
(3) 造句：I lived off my savings when I studied in Berlin.
4. delude sb / yourself into doing sth
(1) 原文：People like Jimmy become so fixated on feeling good about themselves that they manage to delude themselves into believing that they are accomplishing great things even when they’re not.
(2) 解释：误以为某人/自己……
(3) 造句：Don't delude yourself into believing that you're diligent in learning English every day even when you're not.
5. at all costs = whatever the cost = whatever happens
(1) 原文：They keep their mental facade standing at all costs, even if it sometimes requires being physically or emotionally abusive to those around them.
(2) 解释：不惜任何代价
(3) 造句：He must avoid a scandal at all costs.
