15．Ambition is a necessary quality in life．It is the force which drives us on to use whatever talent we have got．If we haven't got some degree of ambition，these talents will not be used for our own and others'benefit．We must continually want to be better than we are．Without ambition we are just jellyfish that flop through life．We only react to events； we don't try to control them．
Ambition，however，can have several defects．
First of all it can be unrealistic．We may not be able to see the limits of our own abilities，we do ambitious things that are completely beyond us．Our career masters can see our good qualities and our limitations objectivity．They may tell us that we haven't the ability to deal with people and would make good businessman．We refuse to take their evaluation．We keep on trying．Mary years and many disappointments later we are forced to accept their judgement．But what a waste of time our ill-founded ambition has caused us!
Secondly，our ambition can be too concentrated．We devote our attention to one narrow aim，such as getting distinctions in our science subjects．Everything that may draw us away from this aim is cut out of our lives．In the end we get our distinctions．But what damage we have caused ourselves in the process!We are isolated beings who only care about a particular examination．And we probably won't make good scientists．We lack the breadth （寬度） of view necessary for success in higher studies．
Thirdly，our ambition can be limited to lifeless objectives．We want to gain money，or power，or membership of some circles．Persons who feel inferior try to make up by seeking the respect of others through possessions of these artificial signs of worth．
Fourthly，our ambition may be self-centered．Instead of directing some of our ambition towards community improvement，we may exploit （剝削） members of the community in the interests of self-advancements．In later life we may be ambitious for the success of our children but we regard this success as only a further mark of our own success．
Ambition is necessary in the lives of individuals---necessary for their own improvement and for the improvement of the community in which they live．But，like all blind forces，it must be directed if it is not to cause disaster．It must be tightly controlled by the head and the heart．Otherwise ambition may demand too high a price in terms of human qualities．
| Title | （66）ambition |
| Merit | With an ambition in our heart，we're always trying our best to use our talent to improve ourselves，thus （67）benefiting ourselves and others． |
（68）Imperfection | Unrealistic ambition may （69）stop/prevent/keep us from seeing the limits of our own abilities． |
| We devote our attention to one narrow aim，and we lack the breadth of view which is（70）necessaryfor greater success． |
| Our ambition can be limited to lifeless aims，which lead us to the way to build up our reputation through （71）possessions of artificial signs of worth． |
Our ambition may make us among those （72）
selfish/self-centered people who gain their interests by sacrificing（犧牲）（73）others'． |
（74）
Conclusion | Ambition is a good servant but a bad master．Therefore，we must try to direct it in a proper way to （75）notcausing disaster． |
