People say: “One can’t help one’s thoughts.” But one can. The control of the thinking machine is perfectly¹ possible. And since nothing whatever happens to us outside our own brain; since nothing hurts us or gives us pleasure except within the brain, the supreme² importance of being able to control what goes on in that mysterious brain is patent. This idea is one of the oldest platitudes⁴, but it is a platitude³ whose profound truth and urgency most people live and die without realising. People complain of the lack of power to concentrate, not witting that they may acquire the power, if they choose.

And without the power to concentrate — that is to say, without the power to dictate⁵ to the brain its task and to ensure obedience⁶ — true life is impossible. Mind control is the first element of a full existence.

Hence, it seems to me, the first business of the day should be to put the mind through its paces. You look after your body, inside and out; you run grave danger in hacking⁷ hairs off your skin; you employ a whole army of individuals, from the milkman to the pig-killer, to enable you to bribe⁸ your stomach into decent behaviour. Why not devote a little attention to the far more delicate machinery⁹ of the mind, especially as you will require no extraneous¹⁰ aid? It is for this portion of the art and craft of living that I have reserved the time from the moment of quitting your door to the moment of arriving at your office.

“What? I am to cultivate my mind in the street, on the platform, in the train, and in the crowded street again?”

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1 perfectly
adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地
参考例句：
The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。 Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

2 supreme
adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的
参考例句：
It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。 He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

3 platitude
n.老生常谈，陈词滥调
参考例句：
The talk is no more than a platitude. 这番话无非是老生常谈。 His speech is full of platitude. 他的讲话充满了陈词滥调。

4 platitudes
n.平常的话，老生常谈，陈词滥调( platitude的名词复数 )；滥套子
参考例句：
He was mouthing the usual platitudes about the need for more compassion. 他言不由衷地说了些需要更加同情之类的陈腔滥调。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He delivered a long prose full of platitudes. 他发表了一篇充满陈词滥调的文章。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

5 dictate
v.口授；(使)听写；指令，指示，命令
参考例句：
It took him a long time to dictate this letter.口述这封信花了他很长时间。 What right have you to dictate to others?你有什么资格向别人发号施令？

6 obedience
n.服从，顺从
参考例句：
Society has a right to expect obedience of the law.社会有权要求人人遵守法律。 Soldiers act in obedience to the orders of their superior officers.士兵们遵照上级军官的命令行动。

7 hacking
n.非法访问计算机系统和数据库的活动
参考例句：
The patient with emphysema is hacking all day. 这个肺气肿病人整天不断地干咳。 We undertook the task of hacking our way through the jungle. 我们负责在丛林中开路。

8 bribe
n.贿赂；v.向…行贿，买通
参考例句：
He tried to bribe the policeman not to arrest him.他企图贿赂警察不逮捕他。 He resolutely refused their bribe.他坚决不接受他们的贿赂。

9 machinery
n.(总称)机械，机器；机构
参考例句：
Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？ Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。

10 extraneous
adj.体外的；外来的；外部的
参考例句：
I can choose to ignore these extraneous thoughts.我可以选择无视这些外来的想法。 Reductant from an extraneous source is introduced.外来的还原剂被引进来。

11 precisely
adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地
参考例句：
It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。 The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。

12 larking
v.百灵科鸟（尤指云雀）( lark的现在分词 )；一大早就起床；鸡鸣即起；（因太费力而不想干时说）算了
参考例句：
Stop larking about and get on with your work. 不要只贪玩，去做你的工作。 来自辞典例句 The boys are larking about behind the house. 男孩们在屋子后面嬉耍。 来自辞典例句

13 persevere
v.坚持，坚忍，不屈不挠
参考例句：
They are determined to persevere in the fight.他们决心坚持战斗。 It is strength of character enabled him to persevere.他那坚强的性格使他能够坚持不懈。

14 incapable
adj.无能力的，不能做某事的
参考例句：
He would be incapable of committing such a cruel deed.他不会做出这么残忍的事。 Computers are incapable of creative thought.计算机不会创造性地思维。

15 disquieting
adj.令人不安的，令人不平静的v.使不安，使忧虑，使烦恼( disquiet的现在分词 )
参考例句：
The news from the African front was disquieting in the extreme. 非洲前线的消息极其令人不安。 来自英汉文学 That locality was always vaguely disquieting, even in the broad glare of afternoon. 那一带地方一向隐隐约约使人感到心神不安甚至在下午耀眼的阳光里也一样。 来自辞典例句

16 steadily
adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地
参考例句：
The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。 Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

17 vitality
n.活力，生命力，效力
参考例句：
He came back from his holiday bursting with vitality and good health.他度假归来之后，身强体壮，充满活力。 He is an ambitious young man full of enthusiasm and vitality.他是个充满热情与活力的有远大抱负的青年。

18 tyrant
n.暴君，专制的君主，残暴的人
参考例句：
The country was ruled by a despotic tyrant.该国处在一个专制暴君的统治之下。 The tyrant was deaf to the entreaties of the slaves.暴君听不到奴隶们的哀鸣。

19 trifling
adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的
参考例句：
They quarreled over a trifling matter.他们为这种微不足道的事情争吵。 So far Europe has no doubt, gained a real conveniency,though surely a very trifling one.直到现在为止,欧洲无疑地已经获得了实在的便利，不过那确是一种微不足道的便利。

20 encyclopaedia
n.百科全书
参考例句：
An encyclopaedia contains a lot of knowledge.百科全书包含很多知识。 This is an encyclopaedia of philosophy.这是本哲学百科全书。

21 compartment
n.卧车包房，隔间；分隔的空间
参考例句：
We were glad to have the whole compartment to ourselves.真高兴，整个客车隔间由我们独享。 The batteries are safely enclosed in a watertight compartment.电池被安全地置于一个防水的隔间里。

22 subterranean
adj.地下的，地表下的
参考例句：
London has 9 miles of such subterranean passages.伦敦像这样的地下通道有9英里长。 We wandered through subterranean passages.我们漫游地下通道。

23 asinine
adj.愚蠢的
参考例句：
It is an asinine discussion.那是个愚蠢透顶的讨论。 I must have been insane to listen to your asinine gibberish!我真是昏了头居然听信了你的胡说八道！

24 boor
n.举止粗野的人；乡下佬
参考例句：
I'm a bit of a boor,so I hope you won't mind if I speak bluntly.我是一个粗人，说话直来直去，你可别见怪。 If he fears the intellectual,he despises the boor.他对知识分子有戒心，但是更瞧不起乡下人。

25 mere
adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过
参考例句：
That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。 It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

26 passionately
ad.热烈地，激烈地
参考例句：
She could hate as passionately as she could love. 她能恨得咬牙切齿，也能爱得一往情深。 He was passionately addicted to pop music. 他酷爱流行音乐。

27 second-hand
adj.用过的，旧的，二手的
参考例句：
I got this book by chance at a second-hand bookshop.我赶巧在一家旧书店里买到这本书。 They will put all these second-hand goods up for sale.他们将把这些旧货全部公开出售。

28 miserable
adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的
参考例句：
It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他，这是可耻的。 Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。

29 shameful
adj.可耻的，不道德的
参考例句：
It is very shameful of him to show off.他向人炫耀自己，真不害臊。 We must expose this shameful activity to the newspapers.我们一定要向报社揭露这一无耻行径。