Most Americans have great vigor and enthusiasm.They prefer to discipline themselves rather than be disciplined by others.They pride themselves on their independence, their right to make up their own minds.They are prepared to take the initiative, even when there is a risk in doing so. They have courage and do not give in easily.They will take any sort of job anywhere rather than be unemployed.They do not care to be looked after by the government.The average American changes his or her job nine or ten times during his or her working life.
Americans have a warmth and friendliness which is less superficial than many foreigners think.They are considered sentimental. When on ceremonial occasions they see a flag,or attend parades celebrating America’ glorious past, tears may come to their eyes.Reunions with family and friends tend to be emotional, too.They like to dress correctly, even if “correctly” means flamboyantly.They love to boast, though often with tongue in cheek.They can laugh at themselves and their country, and they can be very self-critical,while remaining always intensely patriotic. They have a wide knowledge of everyday things,and a keen interest in their particular city and state. Foreigners sometimes complain, however, that they have little interest inor knowledge of the outside world.
The Americans have a passion for grandeur. Their skyscrapers, bridges and dams often have a splendor whichmatches in beauty and scale the country’s natural wonders.Is the sole aim of most Americans to make moneyand possess luxuries which could be called excessive?The majority of Americans would certainly deny this,though most feel proud to amass wealth and possessions through hard work.In the USA, about 90% of the population is well enough off to expect a brighter future. The USA still has one of the highest standards of living in the world, although,at the present time, 10% are below what the Government considers to be the “poverty line.”While these underprivileged people receive help from the Government,they have no high hopes for their future.It is from this “underclass,”and those who take advantage of it, that most of the violence springs,which is one of the least pleasant aspects of American society.Americans are beginning to realize that this terrible problem of poverty is their problem and not just the Government’s.It has been saidthat the individual American is generous, but that the American nation is hard.
The USA is reputed to be a classless society.There is certainly not much social snobbery or job snobbery.The manual worker is usually quite at ease in any company.This is partly explained by the fact that people of all income groups go together to the same schools.Americans are far more race-conscious than they are class-conscious.
大多數(shù)的美國人精力充沛，熱情高漲。他們寧愿自律，而不愿受制于人。他們?yōu)槟塥?dú)立行事、為有權(quán)做出自己的決定 而感到自豪。他們做事會(huì)采取主動(dòng)，即使這樣做要冒風(fēng)險(xiǎn)，也在所不惜。他們有勇氣，不會(huì)輕易屈服。他們?cè)敢獾饺魏蔚胤礁扇魏喂ぷ?，也不愿意失業(yè)。他們不想得到政府的照顧。普通美國人一生中換九到十次工作。
笑國人熱情友好，其友好程度要比許多外國人所想的更真實(shí)一些。人們認(rèn)為美國人易動(dòng)感情。在典禮上看到國旗，或者參加慶祝美國光榮歷史的*時(shí)，美國人可能會(huì)熱淚盈眶。與家人團(tuán)圓或與朋友相聚時(shí)，他們也會(huì)十分激動(dòng)。他們喜歡穿著得體，即使"得體”無異子奢華炫耀。他們喜歡自吹自擂，盡管多數(shù)情況下只不過是說說而已。他們有時(shí)會(huì)嘲笑自己、嘲笑自 己的國家，有時(shí)候甚至極為自責(zé)，然而他們始終有著強(qiáng)烈的愛國之心。他們對(duì)曰常事情所知甚廣，對(duì)自己所在的城市和州深為關(guān)切。然而，有時(shí)候外國人卻抱怨說，美國人對(duì)外部世界漠不關(guān)心，一無所知。
美國人酷愛豪華的氣派。他們的庳天大樓、橋梁和水壩往往氣勢(shì)壯觀，與美國的自然奇觀之壯美和恢宏相得益彰。賺錢和擁有稱得上過多的奢侈品，是不是大多數(shù)美國人惟一的目標(biāo)？多數(shù)美國人肯定會(huì)予以否認(rèn)，雖然他們對(duì)通過辛勘勞動(dòng)積撗錢財(cái)引以為豪。在美國,90%左右的人們生話寓足，可以期盼更美好的未來。美國的生活水平世界上依然名列前茅，盡管現(xiàn)在還有10%左右的人處在政府認(rèn)為的貧困線”以下。這些生活水平低下的人們雖然得到政府的救助，但是他們對(duì)未來不抱多大希望。正是這個(gè)“社會(huì)下層階級(jí)”以及利用這個(gè)階層的人引發(fā)了社會(huì)上的大多數(shù)*，使之成為美國社會(huì)中最令人不快的一面。美國人開始意識(shí)到，這個(gè)非常嚴(yán)重的問題是他們自身的問 題,而不僅僅是政府的問題。有這樣的說法：美國入作為個(gè)人是慊慨的，但美國作為一個(gè)民族則是吝嗇的。
人們普遍認(rèn)為，美國是個(gè)沒有階級(jí)的社會(huì)。的確，美國人對(duì)社會(huì)地位或不同工作沒有什么勢(shì)利眼。體力勞動(dòng)者在任何場(chǎng)合通常都相當(dāng)自在。收入檔次不同的人上同一所學(xué)校，這個(gè)事實(shí)多少說明了這一點(diǎn)。與其說美國人有階級(jí)意識(shí)，倒不如說他們有種族意識(shí)。
Americans have a warmth and friendliness which is less superficial than many foreigners think.They are considered sentimental. When on ceremonial occasions they see a flag,or attend parades celebrating America’ glorious past, tears may come to their eyes.Reunions with family and friends tend to be emotional, too.They like to dress correctly, even if “correctly” means flamboyantly.They love to boast, though often with tongue in cheek.They can laugh at themselves and their country, and they can be very self-critical,while remaining always intensely patriotic. They have a wide knowledge of everyday things,and a keen interest in their particular city and state. Foreigners sometimes complain, however, that they have little interest inor knowledge of the outside world.
The Americans have a passion for grandeur. Their skyscrapers, bridges and dams often have a splendor whichmatches in beauty and scale the country’s natural wonders.Is the sole aim of most Americans to make moneyand possess luxuries which could be called excessive?The majority of Americans would certainly deny this,though most feel proud to amass wealth and possessions through hard work.In the USA, about 90% of the population is well enough off to expect a brighter future. The USA still has one of the highest standards of living in the world, although,at the present time, 10% are below what the Government considers to be the “poverty line.”While these underprivileged people receive help from the Government,they have no high hopes for their future.It is from this “underclass,”and those who take advantage of it, that most of the violence springs,which is one of the least pleasant aspects of American society.Americans are beginning to realize that this terrible problem of poverty is their problem and not just the Government’s.It has been saidthat the individual American is generous, but that the American nation is hard.
The USA is reputed to be a classless society.There is certainly not much social snobbery or job snobbery.The manual worker is usually quite at ease in any company.This is partly explained by the fact that people of all income groups go together to the same schools.Americans are far more race-conscious than they are class-conscious.
大多數(shù)的美國人精力充沛，熱情高漲。他們寧愿自律，而不愿受制于人。他們?yōu)槟塥?dú)立行事、為有權(quán)做出自己的決定 而感到自豪。他們做事會(huì)采取主動(dòng)，即使這樣做要冒風(fēng)險(xiǎn)，也在所不惜。他們有勇氣，不會(huì)輕易屈服。他們?cè)敢獾饺魏蔚胤礁扇魏喂ぷ?，也不愿意失業(yè)。他們不想得到政府的照顧。普通美國人一生中換九到十次工作。
笑國人熱情友好，其友好程度要比許多外國人所想的更真實(shí)一些。人們認(rèn)為美國人易動(dòng)感情。在典禮上看到國旗，或者參加慶祝美國光榮歷史的*時(shí)，美國人可能會(huì)熱淚盈眶。與家人團(tuán)圓或與朋友相聚時(shí)，他們也會(huì)十分激動(dòng)。他們喜歡穿著得體，即使"得體”無異子奢華炫耀。他們喜歡自吹自擂，盡管多數(shù)情況下只不過是說說而已。他們有時(shí)會(huì)嘲笑自己、嘲笑自 己的國家，有時(shí)候甚至極為自責(zé)，然而他們始終有著強(qiáng)烈的愛國之心。他們對(duì)曰常事情所知甚廣，對(duì)自己所在的城市和州深為關(guān)切。然而，有時(shí)候外國人卻抱怨說，美國人對(duì)外部世界漠不關(guān)心，一無所知。
美國人酷愛豪華的氣派。他們的庳天大樓、橋梁和水壩往往氣勢(shì)壯觀，與美國的自然奇觀之壯美和恢宏相得益彰。賺錢和擁有稱得上過多的奢侈品，是不是大多數(shù)美國人惟一的目標(biāo)？多數(shù)美國人肯定會(huì)予以否認(rèn)，雖然他們對(duì)通過辛勘勞動(dòng)積撗錢財(cái)引以為豪。在美國,90%左右的人們生話寓足，可以期盼更美好的未來。美國的生活水平世界上依然名列前茅，盡管現(xiàn)在還有10%左右的人處在政府認(rèn)為的貧困線”以下。這些生活水平低下的人們雖然得到政府的救助，但是他們對(duì)未來不抱多大希望。正是這個(gè)“社會(huì)下層階級(jí)”以及利用這個(gè)階層的人引發(fā)了社會(huì)上的大多數(shù)*，使之成為美國社會(huì)中最令人不快的一面。美國人開始意識(shí)到，這個(gè)非常嚴(yán)重的問題是他們自身的問 題,而不僅僅是政府的問題。有這樣的說法：美國入作為個(gè)人是慊慨的，但美國作為一個(gè)民族則是吝嗇的。
人們普遍認(rèn)為，美國是個(gè)沒有階級(jí)的社會(huì)。的確，美國人對(duì)社會(huì)地位或不同工作沒有什么勢(shì)利眼。體力勞動(dòng)者在任何場(chǎng)合通常都相當(dāng)自在。收入檔次不同的人上同一所學(xué)校，這個(gè)事實(shí)多少說明了這一點(diǎn)。與其說美國人有階級(jí)意識(shí)，倒不如說他們有種族意識(shí)。