Go and see. Jefferson believed that a free man obtains knowledge from many sources besides books and that personal investigation 个人调查活动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 获得
source resource资源
n. place from which sth. comes; place where a river starts （来）源；源头
personal
a. done in person; belonging to a person 亲自的；个人的
investigation make investigation into
n. detailed or careful examination 调查
investigate
vt.
appoint
vt. put (sb.) in a position 任命
appointment
n. 任命 指定（时间或地点）
committee
n. a group of people chosen for special duties 委员会
capitol capital首都
n. （美国）州议会大厦
canoe
n. light boat moved by a paddle 独木舟
on-the-spot
a. at the place of the action 现场的
humble
a. low in position 地位低下的 谦卑的
origin v. originate引起
n. parentage; birth; beginning 血统；出身；起源
gardener
n. person who works in a garden either for pay or as a hobby 园丁
waiter
n. person who serves food to the tables in a restaurant （男）侍者
nobleman
n. 贵族
dissatisfy
vt. hang over dangerously; utter a threat against 使不满
threaten
vt. hang over dangerously; utter a threat against 威胁
threat
n.