《英语流行话题阅读:语境识词3500》Unit 32 什么是美国梦？

　　Unit 32
What Is American Dream?
What is the American Dream? Is it the same for all Americans?  Is it a myth? Is it simply a search for a better life? How has the  American Dream changed over time? Some see their dreams wither¹ and die  while others see their dreams fulfilled. Why? Everyone has dreams abut  a personally fulfilled life... and what is your dream?
The term American Dream was first used by James Adams in his  book The Epic² of America which was written in 1931. He states: The  American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better  and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each  according to ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the  European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us  ourselves have grown tired and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of  cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each  man and each woman shall be able to get to the fullest stature³ of  which they are capable, and  be recognized by others for what they  are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position."
In the united States' Declaration of Independence, our  founding fathers state: "... all Men are created equal, that they are  endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among  these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness." Might this view  be considered the foundation of the American Dream?
Were homesteaders who left the big cities of the east to find  happiness and their piece of land in the unknown wilderness⁴ of the  west pursuing these Rights? Were the immigrants who came to the United  States looking for their bit of life, liberty, happiness and their  Dream? And what did the desire of the veteran of World War II -- to  settle down, to have a home, a car and a family -- tell us about this  Dream? Is the American Dream attainable⁵ by all Americans? Would Martin  Luther King feel his Dream was attained⁶? Did Malcolm X realize his  Dream?
Some say, that the American Dream has become the pursuit of  material prosperity -- that people work more hours to get bigger cars,  fancier homes, the fruits of prosperity for their families -- but have  less time to enjoy their prosperity. Others say that the American  Dream is beyond the reach of the working poor who must work two jobs  for their family's survival. Yet others look toward a new American  Dream with less focus on financial gain and more emphasis on living a  simple, fulfilling life.

1 wither   

vt.使凋谢，使衰退，(用眼神气势等)使畏缩；vi.枯萎，衰退，消亡

参考例句：

• She grows as a flower does-she will wither without sun.她象鲜花一样成长--没有太阳就会凋谢。
• In autumn the leaves wither and fall off the trees.秋天，树叶枯萎并从树上落下来。

2 epic   

n.史诗，叙事诗；adj.史诗般的，壮丽的

参考例句：

• I gave up my epic and wrote this little tale instead.我放弃了写叙事诗，而写了这个小故事。
• They held a banquet of epic proportions.他们举行了盛大的宴会。

3 stature   

n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材

参考例句：

• He is five feet five inches in stature.他身高5英尺5英寸。
• The dress models are tall of stature.时装模特儿的身材都较高。

4 wilderness   

n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

5 attainable   

a.可达到的，可获得的

参考例句：

• They set the limits of performance attainable. 它们确定着可达到的运行限度。
• If objectives are to be meaningful to people, they must be clear, attainable, actionable, and verifiable. 如果目标对人们是具有意义的，则目标必须是清晰的，能达到的，可以行动的，以及可供检验的。

6 attained   

（通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况）

参考例句：

• She has attained the degree of Master of Arts. 她已获得文学硕士学位。
• Lu Hsun attained a high position in the republic of letters. 鲁迅在文坛上获得崇高的地位。