Go and see. Jefferson believed that a free man obtains knowledge from many sources besides books and that personal investigation 個人調查活動is important. When still a young man, he was appointed to a committee to find out whether the South Branch of the James River was deep enough to be used by large boats. While the other members of the committee sat in the state capitol and studied papers on the subject, Jefferson got into a canoe and made on-the-spot-observations.
You can learn from everyone. By birth and by education Jefferson belonged to the highest social class. Yet, in a day when few noble persons ever spoke to those of humble origins except to give an order, Jefferson went out of his way特意的 to talk with gardeners, servants, and waiters. Jefferson once said to the French nobleman, Lafayette, "You must go into the people's homes as I have done, look into查看 their cooking pots and eat their bread. If you will 愿意only do this, you may find out why people are dissatisfied and understand the revolution that is threatening France."
obtain =achieve=gain
vt. get through effort 獲得
source resource資源
n. place from which sth. comes; place where a river starts （來）源；源頭
personal
a. done in person; belonging to a person 親自的；個人的
investigation make investigation into
n. detailed or careful examination 調查
investigate
vt.
appoint
vt. put (sb.) in a position 任命
appointment
n. 任命 指定（時間或地點）
committee
n. a group of people chosen for special duties 委員會
capitol capital首都
n. （美國）州議會大廈
canoe
n. light boat moved by a paddle 獨木舟
on-the-spot
a. at the place of the action 現場的
humble
a. low in position 地位低下的 謙卑的
origin v. originate引起
n. parentage; birth; beginning 血統；出身；起源
gardener
n. person who works in a garden either for pay or as a hobby 園丁
waiter
n. person who serves food to the tables in a restaurant （男）侍者
nobleman
n. 貴族
dissatisfy
vt. hang over dangerously; utter a threat against 使不滿
threaten
vt. hang over dangerously; utter a threat against 威脅
threat
n.