Part Five
If ambition is to be well regarded, the rewards of ambition — wealth, distinction, control over one's destiny — must be deemed worthy of the sacrifices made on ambition's behalf. If the tradition of ambition is to have vitality, it must be widely shared; and it especially must be highly regarded by people who are themselves admired, the educated not least among them. In an odd way, however, it is the educated who have claimed to have given up on ambition as an ideal. What is odd is that they have perhaps most benefited from ambition — if not always their own then that of their parents and grandparents. There is a heavy note of hypocrisy in this, a case of closing the barn door after the horses have escaped — with the educated themselves riding on them.
Certainly people do not seem less interested in success and its signs now than formerly. Summer homes, European travel, BMWs — the locations, place names and name brands may change, but such items do not seem less in demand today than a decade or two years ago. What has happened is that people cannot confess fully to their dreams, as easily and openly as once they could, lest they be thought pushing, acquisitive and vulgar. Instead, we are treated to fine hypocritical spectacles, which now more than ever seem in ample supply: the critic of American materialism with a Southampton summer home; the publisher of radical books who takes his meals in three star restaurants; the journalist advocating participatory democracy in all phases of life, whose own children are enrolled in private schools. For such people and many more perhaps not so exceptional, the proper formulation is, "Succeed at all costs but avoid appearing ambitious."
The attacks on ambition are many and come from various angles; its public defenders are few and unimpressive, where they are not extremely unattractive. As a result, the support for ambition as a healthy impulse, a quality to be admired and fixed in the mind of the young, is probably lower than it has ever been in the United States. This does not mean that ambition is at an end, that people no longer feel its stirrings and promptings, but only that, no longer openly honored, it is less openly professed. Consequences follow from this, of course, some of which are that ambition is driven underground, or made sly. Such, then, is the way things stand: on the left angry critics, on the right stupid supporters, and in the middle, as usual, the majority of earnest people trying to get on in life.
17. It is generally believed that ambition may be well regarded if ________.
[A] its returns well compensate for the sacrifices
[B] it is rewarded with money, fame and power
[C] its goals are spiritual rather than material
[D] it is shared by the rich and the famous
18. The last sentence of the first paragraph most probably implies that it is ________.
[A] customary of the educated to discard ambition in words
[B] too late to check ambition once it has been let out
[C] dishonest to deny ambition after the fulfillment of the goal
[D] impractical for the educated to enjoy benefits from ambition
19 Some people do not openly admit they have ambition because ________.
[A] they think of it as immoral
[B] their pursuits are not fame or wealth
[C] ambition is not closely related to material benefits
[D] they do not want to appear greedy and contemptible
20. From the last paragraph the conclusion can be drawn that ambition should be maintained ________.
[A] secretly and vigorously [B] openly and enthusiastically
[C] easily and momentarily[D] verbally and spiritually
Unit 8
Unit 7 （2000） Part 5
重點詞匯：
1.ambition （雄心，野心）看作am+bit+ion，am是，bit一點，-ion名詞后綴，考研的人都是（am）有一點點（bit）野心（ambition），諧音“俺必勝”！形容詞形式為ambitious ←ambit+ious形容詞后綴。All ambitions are lawful except those which climb upward on the miseries or credulities of mankind.野心是合法的，不過利用人們的痛苦或輕信者除外。
2.destiny （命運）看作de+s+tiny，de-否定前綴，s諧音“是”，tiny微小的，命運（destiny）不（de）是（s）小事情（tiny）。A tyrant's authority for crime, and a fool's excuse for failure.命運：暴君作惡的理由，傻瓜失敗的借口。
3.vitality（生命力）即vit（a）+al+ity，vita詞根“生命”（如vitamin←vita+min，原義為“維持生命的胺類物質(zhì)”，即“維生素”），-al形容詞后綴，-ity名詞后綴。vitality — the pursuit of life 活力——對生命的追求。
4.hypocritical（偽善的）看作hypo+critical，hypo-前綴“在……之下、次于”（如hypothesis→hypo+thesis論點→次于論點地位的→n.假設(shè)），critical批評的，“在批評之下的”→偽善的；名詞形式為hypocrisy（虛偽，偽善）。hypocrisy — ①the lubricant of society ②the most difficult and nerve-racking vice that any man can pursue; it needs an unceasing vigilance and a rare detachment of spirit 偽善——①社會的潤滑劑 ②人們所能學(xué)到的最困難、最刺激的惡習(xí)；它需要不懈的警惕性和精神的高度超脫。
5.escape（v.n.逃跑；避免）; Investing the future has been man's favourite game of escape.虛構(gòu)未來一向是人類最喜愛的逃避把戲。
6.confess（v.供認(rèn)；坦白；懺悔）即con+fess，con-一起，fess詞根“說”，“把知道的全都說了”。同根詞：profess （v.聲稱；教授）←pro向前+fess說，“走到前面對大家說”。I'm not ashamed to confess that I'm ignorant of what I don't know.我不恥于承認(rèn)對自己不懂的事情的無知。
7.pushing （有進(jìn)取心的；急功近利的）←push推+ing形容詞后綴。
8.acquisitive （渴望獲得的；貪得無厭的）即acquisit+ive，acquisit為acquire（v.獲得）之變形，-ive形容詞后綴。In an acquisitive society the form that selfishness predominantly takes is monetary greed.在一個貪婪的社會里，貪財是自私自利的突出表現(xiàn)形式。
9.vulgar ?（粗俗的）；名詞為vulgarity（粗俗；粗俗的行為）←vulgar+ity名詞后綴。Prejudices are what rule the vulgar crowd.支配庸人們的是偏見。vulgarity — the garlic in the salad of taste 粗俗——味覺色拉里的大蒜。
10.spectacle? （場面；奇觀）即spect+acle，spect詞根“看”，-acle表“物”。同根詞：spectator（觀眾，旁觀者）←spect+ator后綴表“人”。Life is not a spectacle or a feast; it is a predicament.生活并非奇觀，亦非盛宴，它是一種困境。
11.Participatory（供分享的）即Parti+cip+atory，Parti（=Part），cip（=cap）抓，-atory形容詞后綴，“抓取其中一部分”→供分享的。參Participation，2001年P(guān)assage 1。
12.democracy （民主；民主制；民主國家）←demo+cracy，demo-人民，cracy統(tǒng)治，“由人民統(tǒng)治的”；也可把demo看作“演示”（如很多演示版軟件就叫Demo），尚處于演示（demo）階段的統(tǒng)治（cracy）手段→民主（democracy）。另可記：autocracy（*統(tǒng)治；專制國家）←auto自己+cracy；autonomy（自治）←auto+nom+y。Democracy means simply the bludgeoning of the people by the people for the people.民主不過是意味著為了人民而由人民來強(qiáng)制人民。
13.enroll ?（v.招收；入學(xué)；入伍）即en+roll，en-使，roll名冊，“使登記入冊”。I like your institute but I do not want to enroll.我喜歡你們學(xué)院，但我不想報名去那里。
14.impulse （v.n.推動；沖動）看作im+pulse，im-加強(qiáng)前綴，pulse脈搏。There is one thing better than crushing impulse, it is using impulse.有一件事比壓制沖動更可取，即利用沖動。
15.stir ?（v.攪動；激動；鼓動）與star（明星）只一元音字母之差，聯(lián)想：star有stir的作用。Make no little plans: they have no magic to stir men's blood.不要作小計劃，它們沒有激動熱血的魔力。
16.earnest （熱心的，誠摯的）看作earn+est，earn賺錢，est即級，“很多很多人非常非常熱衷于賺錢”。An earnest desire to succeed is almost always prognostic of success.對成功的熱切愿望幾乎總是成功的預(yù)兆。
17.contemptible （卑劣的）即contempt+ible，contempt蔑視，-ible可……的。
18.at an end 完結(jié)；
19.get on in life 出人頭地。
難句解析：
① If ambition is to be well regarded, the rewards of ambition — wealth, distinction, control over one's destiny — must be deemed worthy of the sacrifices made on ambition's behalf.
此句包含一個if引導(dǎo)的條件狀語從句If ambition is to be well regarded，主句的主語是the rewards of ambition，謂語是must be deemed，而wealth, distinction, control over one's destiny既是插入語，又是the rewards的同位語。made on ambition's behalf是the sacrifices的補(bǔ)語。
本句中需弄清一些詞匯的含義，如：distinction聲望顯赫或出人頭地；worthy of對得起或不辜負(fù)；on behalf of為了。
②If the tradition of ambition is to have vitality, it must be widely shared; and it especially must be highly regarded by people who are themselves admired, the educated not least among them.
這是一個并列關(guān)系的并列句。前一個分句又包含由if引導(dǎo)的條件狀語，主句中的主語it指代the tradition of ambition。后一分句中who are themselves admired修飾people，the educated not least among them是people的補(bǔ)語。
注意people who are themselves admired指“自己也受人仰慕的人士”；not least意為“相當(dāng)重要”。
③There is a heavy note of hypocrisy in this, a case of closing the barn door after the horses have escaped — with the educated themselves riding on them.
a case of closing the barn door after the horses have escaped是前面主句的補(bǔ)語，with the educated themselves riding on them是補(bǔ)語中的伴隨狀語。
hypocrisy虛偽或偽善，理解了這個詞，后面的比喻就簡單了。要理解這個比喻，把句中的馬理解為ambition的象征。注意這個比喻和“亡羊補(bǔ)牢”沒有任何關(guān)系，它的意思更接近于“掩耳盜鈴”；在這里是指受過良好教育的人在自己的野心實現(xiàn)以后，從追求野心的過程中受了益，但他們得了便宜還賣乖，反過來譴責(zé)野心，并說自己并沒有追求野心。
④ Certainly people do not seem less interested in success and its signs now than formerly. Summer homes, European travel, BMWs — the locations, place names and name brands may change, but such items do not seem less in demand today than a decade or two years ago.
此處出現(xiàn)了兩個比較級，less interested in success and its signs now than formerly和less in demand today than a decade or two years ago。
千萬注意兩句中的雙重否定：“do not seem less interested in success and its signs now than formerly”means“seem at least as interested in success and its signs now as formerly, if not more”，后面的do not seem less in demand today than a decade or two years ago也是如此。
⑤ What has happened is that people cannot confess fully to their dreams, as easily and openly as once they could, lest they be thought pushing, acquisitive and vulgar.
what一詞指代的是that引導(dǎo)的從句，從句中as easily and openly as once they could又是下一層的狀語，此外lest引導(dǎo)帶虛擬語氣的假設(shè)狀語從句。
注意lest一詞的含義（“唯恐”）和用法（引導(dǎo)虛擬語氣）。而且在閱讀過程中應(yīng)該能夠推測出pushing，acquisitive，vulgar三詞都是貶義。
⑥ Instead, we are treated to fine hypocritical spectacles, which now more than ever seem in ample supply: the critic of American materialism with a Southampton summer home; the publisher of radical books who takes his meals in three-star restaurants; the journalist advocating Participatory democracy in all phases of life, whose own children are enrolled in private schools.
本句的主句是we are treated to fine hypocritical spectacles。后面有一個非限定性的定語從句修飾spectacles。在冒號的后面是三個并列的名詞性短語，其核心詞分別是critic，publisher和journalist。
要理解本句，首先要正確理解be treated to的意思是“被款待，被招待”；因此后面的spectacles就不是“眼鏡”，而是“壯觀景象”，此處有一定的反諷意味。后面即使不理解其具體含義，大致也應(yīng)該抓住的是虛偽，說一套做一套的具體事例，從這個角度理解就比較清楚了。
⑦ The attacks on ambition are many and come from various angles; its public defenders are few and unimpressive, where they are not extremely unattractive.
此句是用分號隔開的兩個并列句，后面的一個分句中有一個where引導(dǎo)的定語從句，從整體上來修飾its public defenders，只不過先行詞用了where。
要理解分號前后是從正反兩個方面來說明人們對于ambition的態(tài)度，同時注意最后的定語從句中的那個雙重否定，表達(dá)了作者的一種態(tài)度，說明作者對于野心的維護(hù)者是抱肯定的態(tài)度的，從而也能推出作者對于野心也是持積極態(tài)度的，而作者所不齒的是對于野心問題虛偽的、說一套做一套的做法。
試題解析：
17. 【正確答案】 [A]
意為：其收益足以抵得上做出的犧牲。文章第一句指出，如果正確看待野心（雄心），由野心所帶來的收益——如財富、名聲以及對自己命運的控制力等——必須被看做是抵得上為（實現(xiàn)）野心所做出的犧牲的。言外之意，只有樹立雄心壯志，并為實現(xiàn)雄心壯志做出努力和犧牲，收到的回報就會大于做出的犧牲，使你感到?jīng)]有白白做出犧牲。作者在本文中談到了如何正確看待樹立“野心”，不要對“野心”避而不談。
B意為：野心使人取得金錢、名譽(yù)和權(quán)力（或力量）。在第一句中，財富、名譽(yù)以及對自己命運的控制力只是作為取得回報的三個例子，并非僅包括這三方面而已。因此，選擇項[A]更加確切地表達(dá)了第一句的意思。C意為：其目標(biāo)是精神上的而不是物質(zhì)方面的。D意為：野心是富人和名人共有的。第一段第二句的意思是：如果野心的傳統(tǒng)要保持其生命力（指這一傳統(tǒng)要持續(xù)下去），人們必須普遍擁有野心——特別是那些受過教育的人更是如此。然而，奇怪的是，恰恰是這些人回避這一話題，雖然他們從中受益匪淺。
18. 【正確答案】 [C]
意為：在目標(biāo)實現(xiàn)后又不誠實地否認(rèn)（擁有）野心（的重要性）。第一段最后一句的前半句指責(zé)這些人是虛偽的（hypocrisy），后半句是一個比喻。含意為：他們是野心的受益者，但又虛偽地否認(rèn)擁有野心的重要性。
A意為：受過教育者習(xí)慣于口頭上擯棄野心。含意為：口頭上否認(rèn)自己有野心，但行動上實踐之。原句中的“虛偽”并非指這些人口是心非，而是指他們是野心的受益者（也許他們自己都沒有認(rèn)識到這一點），但又虛偽地否認(rèn)擁有野心的重要性。B意為：野心一旦被釋放出來就無法控制。D意為：對受過教育者來說，享受野心所帶來的益處是不現(xiàn)實的。
19. 【正確答案】 [D]
意為：他們不想看起來貪婪、卑鄙。根據(jù)第二段第三句，事實是：人們不坦陳自己的夢想（即指野心）——不像從前一樣容易公開承認(rèn)夢想，以防被人看做是愛出風(fēng)頭的、貪婪的（acquisitive）和庸俗的人。
A意為：他們將此看做是不道德的。B意為：他們追求的不是名譽(yù)或財富。C意為：野心與物質(zhì)利益沒有密切關(guān)系。
20. 【正確答案】 [B]
意為：公開并熱情地。根據(jù)最后一段第四、五句，由于人們不公開表達(dá)自己的野心，就產(chǎn)生一些不良后果，有些野心就成為暗中擁有的東西，使人變得狡黠。由此推論，作者認(rèn)為，人們不應(yīng)該隱瞞自己的“野心”，以免產(chǎn)生人對人的猜疑和陰謀。
A意為；秘密并嚴(yán)格地。C意為：容易并暫時地。D意為：在語言上和精神上。
全文翻譯：
個人的雄心如果能被正確看待的話，那么它的回報——財富、聲譽(yù)、對命運的掌握——則應(yīng)該被認(rèn)為值得為之付出犧牲。如果雄心的傳統(tǒng)具有生命力，那么它就應(yīng)該受到廣泛的推崇，尤其應(yīng)該受到那些自身得到他人羨慕的人們的高度重視，當(dāng)然那些接受過良好教育的人也應(yīng)包括在內(nèi)。然而，恰恰是那些受過良好教育的人卻不可思議地聲稱他們已經(jīng)放棄了雄心壯志這一理想。奇怪的是他們已經(jīng)從雄心壯志中獲益頗多了——如果不是他們自己的雄心，那么就是他們父母的和祖父母的。這其中有著濃厚的虛偽色彩，恰如馬跑后再關(guān)上馬廄的門那樣，而受過良好教育的人自己正騎在那些馬背上。
當(dāng)然，現(xiàn)在人們對成功及其標(biāo)志的興趣似乎并未比從前減弱，避暑別墅，歐洲旅行、寶馬車——它們的位置、地名和商標(biāo)可能會改變，但現(xiàn)在對這些東西的需求似乎并未比一二十年前減少?，F(xiàn)在的情況是人們不能像以前那樣輕易地、公開地坦陳自己的夢想，惟恐別人認(rèn)為自己愛出風(fēng)頭、貪婪、庸俗不堪。相反我們目睹了比以前任何時候都多的虛偽景觀：美國物欲主義批評家在南安普頓擁有一幢避暑別墅；激進(jìn)的出版商到三賓館就餐；倡導(dǎo)終生參與民主制的新聞記者卻把自己的子女送進(jìn)私立學(xué)校。對于這樣的人，還有那些也許不太出色的人而言，“不惜一切代價獲得成功，但避免讓他人看出雄心勃勃”是對他們的詮釋。
對雄心的攻擊非常之多，出自各種不同的角度；公開為之辯解的則少之又少，雖不能說他們是完全沒有吸引力的，但卻未能給人們留下深刻印象。因此，在美國，作為一種健康的沖動，一種應(yīng)該令人稱羨并扎根于青年人心靈的品質(zhì)的雄心，它所得到的支持也許比以往任何時期都低。但這并不意味著雄心已經(jīng)窮途末路，人們不再感覺到它對人們的激勵了，只是人們不再公開地以它為榮，更不愿公開地坦白了。當(dāng)然這樣就帶來了很多不良后果，其中的一些后果就是雄心被趕入地下，或暗藏于胸。于是情況就成了這樣：左邊是憤怒的批評家，右邊是愚蠢的支持者，而居中的通常是大多數(shù)認(rèn)真而努力追求成功的人。
If ambition is to be well regarded, the rewards of ambition — wealth, distinction, control over one's destiny — must be deemed worthy of the sacrifices made on ambition's behalf. If the tradition of ambition is to have vitality, it must be widely shared; and it especially must be highly regarded by people who are themselves admired, the educated not least among them. In an odd way, however, it is the educated who have claimed to have given up on ambition as an ideal. What is odd is that they have perhaps most benefited from ambition — if not always their own then that of their parents and grandparents. There is a heavy note of hypocrisy in this, a case of closing the barn door after the horses have escaped — with the educated themselves riding on them.
Certainly people do not seem less interested in success and its signs now than formerly. Summer homes, European travel, BMWs — the locations, place names and name brands may change, but such items do not seem less in demand today than a decade or two years ago. What has happened is that people cannot confess fully to their dreams, as easily and openly as once they could, lest they be thought pushing, acquisitive and vulgar. Instead, we are treated to fine hypocritical spectacles, which now more than ever seem in ample supply: the critic of American materialism with a Southampton summer home; the publisher of radical books who takes his meals in three star restaurants; the journalist advocating participatory democracy in all phases of life, whose own children are enrolled in private schools. For such people and many more perhaps not so exceptional, the proper formulation is, "Succeed at all costs but avoid appearing ambitious."
The attacks on ambition are many and come from various angles; its public defenders are few and unimpressive, where they are not extremely unattractive. As a result, the support for ambition as a healthy impulse, a quality to be admired and fixed in the mind of the young, is probably lower than it has ever been in the United States. This does not mean that ambition is at an end, that people no longer feel its stirrings and promptings, but only that, no longer openly honored, it is less openly professed. Consequences follow from this, of course, some of which are that ambition is driven underground, or made sly. Such, then, is the way things stand: on the left angry critics, on the right stupid supporters, and in the middle, as usual, the majority of earnest people trying to get on in life.
17. It is generally believed that ambition may be well regarded if ________.
[A] its returns well compensate for the sacrifices
[B] it is rewarded with money, fame and power
[C] its goals are spiritual rather than material
[D] it is shared by the rich and the famous
18. The last sentence of the first paragraph most probably implies that it is ________.
[A] customary of the educated to discard ambition in words
[B] too late to check ambition once it has been let out
[C] dishonest to deny ambition after the fulfillment of the goal
[D] impractical for the educated to enjoy benefits from ambition
19 Some people do not openly admit they have ambition because ________.
[A] they think of it as immoral
[B] their pursuits are not fame or wealth
[C] ambition is not closely related to material benefits
[D] they do not want to appear greedy and contemptible
20. From the last paragraph the conclusion can be drawn that ambition should be maintained ________.
[A] secretly and vigorously [B] openly and enthusiastically
[C] easily and momentarily[D] verbally and spiritually
Unit 8
Unit 7 （2000） Part 5
重點詞匯：
1.ambition （雄心，野心）看作am+bit+ion，am是，bit一點，-ion名詞后綴，考研的人都是（am）有一點點（bit）野心（ambition），諧音“俺必勝”！形容詞形式為ambitious ←ambit+ious形容詞后綴。All ambitions are lawful except those which climb upward on the miseries or credulities of mankind.野心是合法的，不過利用人們的痛苦或輕信者除外。
2.destiny （命運）看作de+s+tiny，de-否定前綴，s諧音“是”，tiny微小的，命運（destiny）不（de）是（s）小事情（tiny）。A tyrant's authority for crime, and a fool's excuse for failure.命運：暴君作惡的理由，傻瓜失敗的借口。
3.vitality（生命力）即vit（a）+al+ity，vita詞根“生命”（如vitamin←vita+min，原義為“維持生命的胺類物質(zhì)”，即“維生素”），-al形容詞后綴，-ity名詞后綴。vitality — the pursuit of life 活力——對生命的追求。
4.hypocritical（偽善的）看作hypo+critical，hypo-前綴“在……之下、次于”（如hypothesis→hypo+thesis論點→次于論點地位的→n.假設(shè)），critical批評的，“在批評之下的”→偽善的；名詞形式為hypocrisy（虛偽，偽善）。hypocrisy — ①the lubricant of society ②the most difficult and nerve-racking vice that any man can pursue; it needs an unceasing vigilance and a rare detachment of spirit 偽善——①社會的潤滑劑 ②人們所能學(xué)到的最困難、最刺激的惡習(xí)；它需要不懈的警惕性和精神的高度超脫。
5.escape（v.n.逃跑；避免）; Investing the future has been man's favourite game of escape.虛構(gòu)未來一向是人類最喜愛的逃避把戲。
6.confess（v.供認(rèn)；坦白；懺悔）即con+fess，con-一起，fess詞根“說”，“把知道的全都說了”。同根詞：profess （v.聲稱；教授）←pro向前+fess說，“走到前面對大家說”。I'm not ashamed to confess that I'm ignorant of what I don't know.我不恥于承認(rèn)對自己不懂的事情的無知。
7.pushing （有進(jìn)取心的；急功近利的）←push推+ing形容詞后綴。
8.acquisitive （渴望獲得的；貪得無厭的）即acquisit+ive，acquisit為acquire（v.獲得）之變形，-ive形容詞后綴。In an acquisitive society the form that selfishness predominantly takes is monetary greed.在一個貪婪的社會里，貪財是自私自利的突出表現(xiàn)形式。
9.vulgar ?（粗俗的）；名詞為vulgarity（粗俗；粗俗的行為）←vulgar+ity名詞后綴。Prejudices are what rule the vulgar crowd.支配庸人們的是偏見。vulgarity — the garlic in the salad of taste 粗俗——味覺色拉里的大蒜。
10.spectacle? （場面；奇觀）即spect+acle，spect詞根“看”，-acle表“物”。同根詞：spectator（觀眾，旁觀者）←spect+ator后綴表“人”。Life is not a spectacle or a feast; it is a predicament.生活并非奇觀，亦非盛宴，它是一種困境。
11.Participatory（供分享的）即Parti+cip+atory，Parti（=Part），cip（=cap）抓，-atory形容詞后綴，“抓取其中一部分”→供分享的。參Participation，2001年P(guān)assage 1。
12.democracy （民主；民主制；民主國家）←demo+cracy，demo-人民，cracy統(tǒng)治，“由人民統(tǒng)治的”；也可把demo看作“演示”（如很多演示版軟件就叫Demo），尚處于演示（demo）階段的統(tǒng)治（cracy）手段→民主（democracy）。另可記：autocracy（*統(tǒng)治；專制國家）←auto自己+cracy；autonomy（自治）←auto+nom+y。Democracy means simply the bludgeoning of the people by the people for the people.民主不過是意味著為了人民而由人民來強(qiáng)制人民。
13.enroll ?（v.招收；入學(xué)；入伍）即en+roll，en-使，roll名冊，“使登記入冊”。I like your institute but I do not want to enroll.我喜歡你們學(xué)院，但我不想報名去那里。
14.impulse （v.n.推動；沖動）看作im+pulse，im-加強(qiáng)前綴，pulse脈搏。There is one thing better than crushing impulse, it is using impulse.有一件事比壓制沖動更可取，即利用沖動。
15.stir ?（v.攪動；激動；鼓動）與star（明星）只一元音字母之差，聯(lián)想：star有stir的作用。Make no little plans: they have no magic to stir men's blood.不要作小計劃，它們沒有激動熱血的魔力。
16.earnest （熱心的，誠摯的）看作earn+est，earn賺錢，est即級，“很多很多人非常非常熱衷于賺錢”。An earnest desire to succeed is almost always prognostic of success.對成功的熱切愿望幾乎總是成功的預(yù)兆。
17.contemptible （卑劣的）即contempt+ible，contempt蔑視，-ible可……的。
18.at an end 完結(jié)；
19.get on in life 出人頭地。
難句解析：
① If ambition is to be well regarded, the rewards of ambition — wealth, distinction, control over one's destiny — must be deemed worthy of the sacrifices made on ambition's behalf.
此句包含一個if引導(dǎo)的條件狀語從句If ambition is to be well regarded，主句的主語是the rewards of ambition，謂語是must be deemed，而wealth, distinction, control over one's destiny既是插入語，又是the rewards的同位語。made on ambition's behalf是the sacrifices的補(bǔ)語。
本句中需弄清一些詞匯的含義，如：distinction聲望顯赫或出人頭地；worthy of對得起或不辜負(fù)；on behalf of為了。
②If the tradition of ambition is to have vitality, it must be widely shared; and it especially must be highly regarded by people who are themselves admired, the educated not least among them.
這是一個并列關(guān)系的并列句。前一個分句又包含由if引導(dǎo)的條件狀語，主句中的主語it指代the tradition of ambition。后一分句中who are themselves admired修飾people，the educated not least among them是people的補(bǔ)語。
注意people who are themselves admired指“自己也受人仰慕的人士”；not least意為“相當(dāng)重要”。
③There is a heavy note of hypocrisy in this, a case of closing the barn door after the horses have escaped — with the educated themselves riding on them.
a case of closing the barn door after the horses have escaped是前面主句的補(bǔ)語，with the educated themselves riding on them是補(bǔ)語中的伴隨狀語。
hypocrisy虛偽或偽善，理解了這個詞，后面的比喻就簡單了。要理解這個比喻，把句中的馬理解為ambition的象征。注意這個比喻和“亡羊補(bǔ)牢”沒有任何關(guān)系，它的意思更接近于“掩耳盜鈴”；在這里是指受過良好教育的人在自己的野心實現(xiàn)以后，從追求野心的過程中受了益，但他們得了便宜還賣乖，反過來譴責(zé)野心，并說自己并沒有追求野心。
④ Certainly people do not seem less interested in success and its signs now than formerly. Summer homes, European travel, BMWs — the locations, place names and name brands may change, but such items do not seem less in demand today than a decade or two years ago.
此處出現(xiàn)了兩個比較級，less interested in success and its signs now than formerly和less in demand today than a decade or two years ago。
千萬注意兩句中的雙重否定：“do not seem less interested in success and its signs now than formerly”means“seem at least as interested in success and its signs now as formerly, if not more”，后面的do not seem less in demand today than a decade or two years ago也是如此。
⑤ What has happened is that people cannot confess fully to their dreams, as easily and openly as once they could, lest they be thought pushing, acquisitive and vulgar.
what一詞指代的是that引導(dǎo)的從句，從句中as easily and openly as once they could又是下一層的狀語，此外lest引導(dǎo)帶虛擬語氣的假設(shè)狀語從句。
注意lest一詞的含義（“唯恐”）和用法（引導(dǎo)虛擬語氣）。而且在閱讀過程中應(yīng)該能夠推測出pushing，acquisitive，vulgar三詞都是貶義。
⑥ Instead, we are treated to fine hypocritical spectacles, which now more than ever seem in ample supply: the critic of American materialism with a Southampton summer home; the publisher of radical books who takes his meals in three-star restaurants; the journalist advocating Participatory democracy in all phases of life, whose own children are enrolled in private schools.
本句的主句是we are treated to fine hypocritical spectacles。后面有一個非限定性的定語從句修飾spectacles。在冒號的后面是三個并列的名詞性短語，其核心詞分別是critic，publisher和journalist。
要理解本句，首先要正確理解be treated to的意思是“被款待，被招待”；因此后面的spectacles就不是“眼鏡”，而是“壯觀景象”，此處有一定的反諷意味。后面即使不理解其具體含義，大致也應(yīng)該抓住的是虛偽，說一套做一套的具體事例，從這個角度理解就比較清楚了。
⑦ The attacks on ambition are many and come from various angles; its public defenders are few and unimpressive, where they are not extremely unattractive.
此句是用分號隔開的兩個并列句，后面的一個分句中有一個where引導(dǎo)的定語從句，從整體上來修飾its public defenders，只不過先行詞用了where。
要理解分號前后是從正反兩個方面來說明人們對于ambition的態(tài)度，同時注意最后的定語從句中的那個雙重否定，表達(dá)了作者的一種態(tài)度，說明作者對于野心的維護(hù)者是抱肯定的態(tài)度的，從而也能推出作者對于野心也是持積極態(tài)度的，而作者所不齒的是對于野心問題虛偽的、說一套做一套的做法。
試題解析：
17. 【正確答案】 [A]
意為：其收益足以抵得上做出的犧牲。文章第一句指出，如果正確看待野心（雄心），由野心所帶來的收益——如財富、名聲以及對自己命運的控制力等——必須被看做是抵得上為（實現(xiàn)）野心所做出的犧牲的。言外之意，只有樹立雄心壯志，并為實現(xiàn)雄心壯志做出努力和犧牲，收到的回報就會大于做出的犧牲，使你感到?jīng)]有白白做出犧牲。作者在本文中談到了如何正確看待樹立“野心”，不要對“野心”避而不談。
B意為：野心使人取得金錢、名譽(yù)和權(quán)力（或力量）。在第一句中，財富、名譽(yù)以及對自己命運的控制力只是作為取得回報的三個例子，并非僅包括這三方面而已。因此，選擇項[A]更加確切地表達(dá)了第一句的意思。C意為：其目標(biāo)是精神上的而不是物質(zhì)方面的。D意為：野心是富人和名人共有的。第一段第二句的意思是：如果野心的傳統(tǒng)要保持其生命力（指這一傳統(tǒng)要持續(xù)下去），人們必須普遍擁有野心——特別是那些受過教育的人更是如此。然而，奇怪的是，恰恰是這些人回避這一話題，雖然他們從中受益匪淺。
18. 【正確答案】 [C]
意為：在目標(biāo)實現(xiàn)后又不誠實地否認(rèn)（擁有）野心（的重要性）。第一段最后一句的前半句指責(zé)這些人是虛偽的（hypocrisy），后半句是一個比喻。含意為：他們是野心的受益者，但又虛偽地否認(rèn)擁有野心的重要性。
A意為：受過教育者習(xí)慣于口頭上擯棄野心。含意為：口頭上否認(rèn)自己有野心，但行動上實踐之。原句中的“虛偽”并非指這些人口是心非，而是指他們是野心的受益者（也許他們自己都沒有認(rèn)識到這一點），但又虛偽地否認(rèn)擁有野心的重要性。B意為：野心一旦被釋放出來就無法控制。D意為：對受過教育者來說，享受野心所帶來的益處是不現(xiàn)實的。
19. 【正確答案】 [D]
意為：他們不想看起來貪婪、卑鄙。根據(jù)第二段第三句，事實是：人們不坦陳自己的夢想（即指野心）——不像從前一樣容易公開承認(rèn)夢想，以防被人看做是愛出風(fēng)頭的、貪婪的（acquisitive）和庸俗的人。
A意為：他們將此看做是不道德的。B意為：他們追求的不是名譽(yù)或財富。C意為：野心與物質(zhì)利益沒有密切關(guān)系。
20. 【正確答案】 [B]
意為：公開并熱情地。根據(jù)最后一段第四、五句，由于人們不公開表達(dá)自己的野心，就產(chǎn)生一些不良后果，有些野心就成為暗中擁有的東西，使人變得狡黠。由此推論，作者認(rèn)為，人們不應(yīng)該隱瞞自己的“野心”，以免產(chǎn)生人對人的猜疑和陰謀。
A意為；秘密并嚴(yán)格地。C意為：容易并暫時地。D意為：在語言上和精神上。
全文翻譯：
個人的雄心如果能被正確看待的話，那么它的回報——財富、聲譽(yù)、對命運的掌握——則應(yīng)該被認(rèn)為值得為之付出犧牲。如果雄心的傳統(tǒng)具有生命力，那么它就應(yīng)該受到廣泛的推崇，尤其應(yīng)該受到那些自身得到他人羨慕的人們的高度重視，當(dāng)然那些接受過良好教育的人也應(yīng)包括在內(nèi)。然而，恰恰是那些受過良好教育的人卻不可思議地聲稱他們已經(jīng)放棄了雄心壯志這一理想。奇怪的是他們已經(jīng)從雄心壯志中獲益頗多了——如果不是他們自己的雄心，那么就是他們父母的和祖父母的。這其中有著濃厚的虛偽色彩，恰如馬跑后再關(guān)上馬廄的門那樣，而受過良好教育的人自己正騎在那些馬背上。
當(dāng)然，現(xiàn)在人們對成功及其標(biāo)志的興趣似乎并未比從前減弱，避暑別墅，歐洲旅行、寶馬車——它們的位置、地名和商標(biāo)可能會改變，但現(xiàn)在對這些東西的需求似乎并未比一二十年前減少?，F(xiàn)在的情況是人們不能像以前那樣輕易地、公開地坦陳自己的夢想，惟恐別人認(rèn)為自己愛出風(fēng)頭、貪婪、庸俗不堪。相反我們目睹了比以前任何時候都多的虛偽景觀：美國物欲主義批評家在南安普頓擁有一幢避暑別墅；激進(jìn)的出版商到三賓館就餐；倡導(dǎo)終生參與民主制的新聞記者卻把自己的子女送進(jìn)私立學(xué)校。對于這樣的人，還有那些也許不太出色的人而言，“不惜一切代價獲得成功，但避免讓他人看出雄心勃勃”是對他們的詮釋。
對雄心的攻擊非常之多，出自各種不同的角度；公開為之辯解的則少之又少，雖不能說他們是完全沒有吸引力的，但卻未能給人們留下深刻印象。因此，在美國，作為一種健康的沖動，一種應(yīng)該令人稱羨并扎根于青年人心靈的品質(zhì)的雄心，它所得到的支持也許比以往任何時期都低。但這并不意味著雄心已經(jīng)窮途末路，人們不再感覺到它對人們的激勵了，只是人們不再公開地以它為榮，更不愿公開地坦白了。當(dāng)然這樣就帶來了很多不良后果，其中的一些后果就是雄心被趕入地下，或暗藏于胸。于是情況就成了這樣：左邊是憤怒的批評家，右邊是愚蠢的支持者，而居中的通常是大多數(shù)認(rèn)真而努力追求成功的人。