About a hundred year ago there lived a great general whose name was Napoleon Bonaparte.He was the leader of the French army； and France was at war with nearly all the countries around. He wanted very much to take his soldiers into Italy； but between France and Italy there are high mountains called the Alps， the tops of which are covered with snow.
“Is it possible to cross the Alps？” asked Napoleon.
The men who had been sent to look at the passes over the mountains shook their heads. Then one of them said， “It may be possible， but—”
“Let me hear no more，” said Napoleon. “Forward① to Italy！”
People laughed at the thought of an army of sixty thousand men crossing the Alps where there was no road. But Napoleon waited to see that everything was in good order， and then he gave the order to march②.
The long line of soldiers and horses and cannons stretched③ for twenty miles. When they came to a steep place where there seemed to be no way to go farther the trumpets sounded “Charge④！” Then every man did his best， and the whole army moved right onward.
Soon they were safe over the Alps. In four days they were marching on the plains of Italy. “The man who has made up his mind to win，” said Napoleon， “will never say ‘Impossible’.”
① forwardadv. 向前
② marchv. （齐步）前进，行军
③ stretchv. 延伸，展开
④ chargev. 向……冲去，袭击
拿破仑是怎样越过阿尔卑斯山的
大约在100年以前，有一个伟大的将军，他叫拿破仑·波拿巴。他是法国军队的统帅，那时法国几乎与所有的邻国都交战。他非常迫切地想把军队开进意大利，然而在法国和意大利之间，耸立着一座叫阿尔卑斯山的高山，山顶上覆盖着积雪。
“能越过阿尔卑斯山吗？”拿破仑问。
被派去查看山道的人都摇摇头。其中一个说：“也许可能，但是——”
“别让我再听到这些，”拿破仑说。“向意大利前进！”
人们觉得让一支6万人的军队翻那这座没有道路的阿尔卑斯山的这种想法非常可笑。然而，拿破仑只等看到一切都准备就绪，然后就下令出发。
大队人马和大炮绵延20英里。当他们来到一处看起来无路可走的陡峭的山地时，吹起了冲锋号。“冲啊！”这时每个人都尽了最大的努力，整个军队继续顺利前进。
不久他们就平安地翻过了阿尔卑斯山。4天以后，他们就在意大利的平原上行军了。“下定决心要取得胜利的人，”拿破仑说，“是永远不会说‘不可能’的。”