An asteroid
When theaspiringyoung man tried toasserthis opinion that anasteroidwas going to destroy Earth the following year, he wasastonishedto be kicked out of hisassociation. He though he hadassessedthe situation clearly, but he had been wrong to think that the assorted gentlemen would believe his coreassumptions. He tried to giveassurancesof their accuracy, but the verbalassaulton his theory made him feel as if he had beenassassinated.
As he walked out of the building he saw that his most valuableasset, his car, had been stolen. With hisaspirationscrushed even further he walked home toassemblewhat was left of his life. He just couldn't stop thinking that those men to whom he had ascribed such wisdom were unable to assume an open mind to consider other ideas. He had aspired so much for their respect, to becomeassimilatedwith them. Theaspectof this experience that would stay with him the most, however, was the humiliation.
But the day was not over yet. As he turned the corner to his home he began to see theashin the air. When he looked up he saw that his house had been burned down. He was numb. Luckily the neighbors come over, put their arms around him andassistedhim to a nearby home to rest. When theassessorcame in to tell him that he didn’t have fire insurance, the young man went white. When he was found dead the next morning, the neighbors pooled together money to pay for his funeral. The association promptly forgot him.
They only remember him 10 months later when the whole world saw with their own eyes that an asteroid was heading straight for earth.

一颗小行星
当这位有抱负的年轻人试着宣布他的观点说一颗小行星将在来年摧毁地球时，他被协会扫出了门，这着实让他大吃一惊。他认为对情况作了很清晰的评估，但是认为各位先生会相信他的核心假设却是个错误。他试图让人们对他的理论准确性充满信心，可是对他的理论的语言攻击让他觉得好像他已经被暗杀了。
走出大楼时，他发现他最宝贵的财产---汽车被盗了。抱负被进一步扼杀之后，他只好回家去收拾残局。他不禁想，那些他认为那么有智慧的人怎么就不能再考虑其他问题时采取开明的态度呢？他曾经如此渴望获得他们的尊重，如此想被他们同化。然而，这段经历最让他铭心刻骨的方面是他说受的屈辱。
但是这倒霉的一天还没有结束。在他拐弯回家时，他开始发现空气中有灰末。他抬起头，发现到他家的房子已经被烧毁。他惊呆了，幸好邻居们走过来，他们伸出手来抓住并扶着他到一个附近的人家休息。当估价员过来告诉他说他没有办理火灾险时，他的脸色唰地一下变白了。第二天早上人们发现他死了，邻居们凑钱为他举行葬礼。协会里那帮家伙很快就把他抛在了脑后。
十个月后，他们才又想起了这个年轻人，因为这时候全世界目睹了一颗小行星径直朝地球撞来。

单词详解:

ascribe v.把...归因于(to)
ash n.灰,灰烬
aspect n.(问题,事物)方面
aspiration n.1志向,抱负;强烈的愿望2渴望达到的目标
aspire v.渴望,追求,有志于
aspiring a.有志气的,有抱负的
assassinate v.暗杀,行刺
assault n./v.袭击
assemble v.集合,聚集;装配
assert v.肯定的说(出)
assess v.1(为征税)估定(财产等)的价值2.对(人、工作等)进行估价
assessor n.估价元;核审员;估税员
asset n.资产;宝贵的(有益的)人(或东西)
assimilate v.吸收,同化
assist v.协助,帮助
association n.协会,联盟,社团
assorted a.各式各样的
assume v.假定,假设;想当然的认为;承担,担任,呈现,采取
assumption n.1假定,臆断;担任,承担2自负,傲慢
assurance n.1保证2把握,信心;自信
asteroid n.小行星
astonish v.使惊讶