研究生英语阅读教程基础级2版课文10及其翻译.docx
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研究生英语阅读教程基础级2版课文10及其翻译.docx
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研究生英语阅读教程基础级2版课文10及其翻译
AmericanValuesattheCrossroads
[1]Facedwiththerapidchangeandthefearanduncertaintythatgowithit,individuals(citizens)aswellas(and)nationsometimesseektoreturntothewaysofthepastasasolution.Intheearly1980stheideaofreturningtothewaysofthepasthadastrongappealto(attraction)manyAmericanswhoincreasinglyviewedtheirpastasbeingbetterthantheirfuture.Ithasbeenobservedthatuntilthe1970sAmericansgenerallybelievedthatthepresentwasabettertimefortheircountrythanthepastandthatthefuturewouldbetterthanthepresent;by1978,however,publicopinionpollsshowedthatmanyAmericanshadcometobelievethatjusttheoppositewastrue:
thepasthadbeenbetterforthecountrythanthepresent,andthepresentwasbetterthanthefuturewouldbe.
[2]Thepopular(present)appeal(desire)ofreturningtotheways(styles)ofthepastasasolution(solve->solution)totheproblemsofthe1980swasdemonstrated(shown)whenRonaldReaganwaselectedPresidentoftheUnitedStatesin1980.TimemagazinechosePresidentReaganasits"manoftheyear'andsaidof(commented)him:
"intellectually,emotionally,Reaganlivesinthepast."
[3]OneofPresidentReagan'sbasicbeliefsisthattheUnitedStatesshouldreturnasmuchaspossibletoitspre-1930ways.Inthosetimesbusinessinstitutions(organization)werestrongandgovernmentinstitutionswereweak.ReaganbelievedthatAmericanvaluesofindividualfreedomandcompetitionarestrengthenedbybusinessandweakenedbygovernment.Therefore,hisprograms(goal/objectives)asPresidenthavebeendesignedtogreatlystrengthenbusinessandreducethesizeandpowerofthenationalgovernment.Bymovinginthiswaytowardthepracticesofthepast,PresidentReaganbelievedthatthestandardoflivingofAmericanswouldbegintoimproveoncemore(again)inthe1980sasithaddonethroughoutmostofthenation'shistory.
[4]Anumberofleadersinpolitics,education,andtheprofessionstakeadifferentapproach(method)thandoesPresidentReagan.Theybelievethatthenationmustadopt(use/makeuseof)newvaluestogoalongwith(togetherwith)theoldvaluesandthatitmustbepreparedtomakesomechangesintheoldvalueswhen(itis)necessary.
[5]Whatnewvaluesshouldbeadopted?
Thisisaverydifficultquestiontoanswer.However,itbecameclearinthe1970sthattherewasnolongeranabundanceofcheapenergyandthatshortagesofotheressential(basic/mostimportant)resourcessuchaswaterwerebecomingmoreserious.Thesefactssuggested(show)tomanyAmericansthatagreatervalue(should)beplacedontheconservationofnationalresources,thatis(namely/i.e.),thatAmericansshouldsavemoreoftheseresourcesbylearningtouselessandwasteless.
[6]ConservationhasneverbeenastrongAmericanvalue.BecauseofthevastresourcesandspaceofNorthAmerica,Americanscametobelievethatabundancewasendless(unlimited).Insuchanenvironment,thereseemedtobelittleneedforconservationofresources.AfterWorldWarIIAmericansbelievedthattheirmoderntechnologycouldwork(create)wondersandprovideanever-endingincreaseintheirstandardofliving.Itisnotsurprising,therefore,thatintheUnitedStatesbeforethe1980s,conservationhadlittleimportance(whenitis)comparedwithsuchothervaluesasfreedom,equalityofopportunity,hardwork,andtheaccumulationofmaterialwealth.
[7]Thereissomeevidencethattheexperienceofgreatershortagesofenergyduringthe1970scausedAmericanstoplacemoreemphasisonconservation.Forexample,apoll(survey)takenattheendofthedecadeshowedthat66%ofAmericansagreedwiththestatement:
"I'mnotunhappyaboutthepossibilityofshortagesbecauseIknowitwillencourage(urge)metouseeverythingefficientlyandnotwastefully."
[8]Somepeople,however,believethatpollresultsliketheserevealonlypartofthetruth.AlthoughAmericansmayagreewithstatementssupportingthevalueofconservation,mostofthemarenotyetapplyingthesebeliefsintheirday-to-day(daily)actions(life).
[9]Beliefinconservation,therefore,isstillweak(whenitis)comparedwithotherAmericanbeliefs.Itcanbecomestrongeronlyas(when)Americansseetheneedforitmoreandmoreclearly.Conservationmaywellbe(become)anewvaluewhichneedstobeaddedtotheoldbasicvaluesinordertohelptheUnitedStatesdealwithitsfutureproblems.
[10]AsecondbeliefwhichhasneverbeenstrongamongtheAmericanpeopleisthebeliefthatthevalueofcooperationonanationalscaletoachievesomeimportantnational(goal)objectives.TheAmericanideaofthenationalgood(n./benefit/interest)hasneverbeenbasedonnationalcooperationbutratheronthefreedomoftheindividual.Americans,therefore,tendtothinkofthenationalgoodintermsofmaintaining(keeping)thoseconditionsthatprovidethegreatestfreedomfortheindividual.Theybelievethatanationoffreeindividualswillbenaturallystrongandprosperous.Plannedeffortsatnationalcooperation,therefore,arenotneeded.Moreimportant,plannedeffortsatnationalcooperationwouldmeanincreasingthepowersofthenationalgovernment,whichwouldendangerthefreedomoftheindividual.
[11]TheAmericanvalueofcompetitionalsohindersthedevelopmentofaspiritofnationalcooperation.Eventhoughcompetitiveactivityissupposedto(=should)beconducted(directed/done)accordingtofairrules(fairplay),itdoesnotencourageaspiritofcooperation.Rather(instead/Onthecontrary),itsometimesencouragesaspiritofmutualsuspicion(suspect)ofthemotives(purpose/desire)oftheothers.Acertaindegreeoftrustinthemotivesofothersisnecessaryforthesuccessofeffortsinnationalcooperation.
[12]IntimeofwarAmericanshavetemporarilyputasidetheirdislikeofplannednationalcooperation.Theyhavebeenwillingtocooperateandmakepersonalsacrificesunderthedirection(=leadership)ofthenationalgovernmenttobringthewartosatisfactoryconclusion(=end).Inpeacetime,however,plannednationalcooperationisstronglyresistedasathreattoindividualfreedom.
[13]Thealmost(nearly)uniqueAmericanhistoricalexperiencegivesusadeeperunderstandingofthisattitude.Almosteverynationintheworldhashad,orstillhas,theexperienceofbeingruledbykings,emperors,dictators,orahereditaryclassofaristocrats.Suchrulersarenotelectedbythefreevotesofthepeopleandtheyhavethepowertosaywhatthenationalgoodisandtoforcetheirpeopletocooperateiftheycannotpersuadethemtodoso.Outof(among)theseexperiencestherehavedevelopedtraditionsandhabitsofcooperation,sometimesforgoodpurposesandsometimesforevil(bad/wrong)purposes.
[14]Americanshaveneverhadtheexperienceofbeingforcedtocooperateonanationalscalebynonelectedrulers.Foratime,theywerethecolonistsofGreatBritainandwerelegally(bind)boundtoobeyrulersinEnglandwhomtheydidnotelect,buttheBritishgovernmentallowedthecolonistsagreatdealoffreedomandself-governmentbythestandardsoftheday.Still(Furthermore)theAmericancolonistswerenotlong(soon)indemanding(requiring)morefreedomandself-government,andfinallydeclaringtheirindependencein1776.Fromthetimeoftheirindependence,Americanshavefreelyelectedtheirrulers.Theexperienceofbeingcompelledtocooperatebyunelectednationalleadersiscompletelyforeign(strange)totheirexperience.Theyarefearful(=fear)thatanyscheme(plan)ofnationalcooperationinpeacetimewillweakenordestroytheirfreedoms.
[15]Americanshavealwaysviewed(considered/regarded)cooperationasimportantinsmallgroupssuchasthefamily,theneighborhood,orthechurch.Butonthelargenationalscalewheregovernmentbecomesinvolved,itisseen(considered/regarded)ascoerciveanddestructiveratherthanvoluntaryandconstructive.Americantendtoassociatethegreatnessoftheirnationfarmorewithsuchvaluesasindividualfreedom,equalityofopportunity,hardwork,andcompetitionthanwithnationalcooperation.
[16]Yetthedemands(=needs)ofthe1980smaycompel(force)Americanstoplace(emphasize)agreatervalueonnationalcooperation.Itmaywellbethatsomeoftheproblemsfacingthem,suchasscarcityofresourcesandthedangersofairandwaterpollution,cannotbesolvedwithoutagreaterdegreeofnationalcooperation.
[17]IfAmericanschoose(=decide)togivemoreemphasistonationalcooperation,theywillprobablybeverycautiousaboutit.Inordertoprotecttheirfreedoms,theywillmoveslowlyinastep-by-step,problem-by-problemfashion(way),ratherthanacceptasweepingnewplaninvolvingdramaticchange.Becauseoftheirtraditionofself-government,theywillprobablyinsiston(persistindoingsth.)agooddealofpublicdiscussionbeforeanysteptowardnationalcooperationistaken.
[18]Someobserversbelievethatthisslow,cautiousapproachmaybetooweakandtootimidtomeetthechallengesofthefuture.Americans,however,believethatsuddenrevolutionarychangesmadeinthenameof(inthehonor)thenationalgoodusuallyresultin(leadto)dictatorshipsinwhichfreedomislostandproblemsremainunsolved.
[19]Inthe1980sAmericansmayhavearrivedatacriticalpointintheirnation'shistory,wheremajordangersmustbefacedandmajorchoicesmustbemade.Ontheonehand,theywillwishtoavoidtheriskofmakingtoomanychangesinthebasicvalueswhichhaveinspired(encouraged)theminthepast.Ontheotherhand,theymustavoidwhatmaybethegreaterriskofrefusingtochangetheirvaluesatalleventhoughconditionsarechanging
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