经典英语美文 （52）美国人的性格
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.
大多数的美国人精力充沛，热情高涨。他们宁愿自律，而不愿受制于人。他们为能独立行事、为有权做出自己的决定 而感到自豪。他们做事会采取主动，即使这样做要冒风险，也在所不惜。他们有勇气，不会轻易屈服。他们愿意到任何地方干任何工作，也不愿意失业。他们不想得到政府的照顾。普通美国人一生中换九到十次工作。
笑国人热情友好，其友好程度要比许多外国人所想的更真实一些。人们认为美国人易动感情。在典礼上看到国旗，或者参加庆祝美国光荣历史的游行时，美国人可能会热泪盈眶。与家人团圆或与朋友相聚时，他们也会十分激动。他们喜欢穿着得体，即使"得体”无异子奢华炫耀。他们喜欢自吹自擂，尽管多数情况下只不过是说说而已。他们有时会嘲笑自己、嘲笑自 己的国家，有时候甚至极为自责，然而他们始终有着强烈的爱国之心。他们对曰常事情所知甚广，对自己所在的城市和州深为关切。然而，有时候外国人却抱怨说，美国人对外部世界漠不关心，一无所知。
美国人酷爱豪华的气派。他们的庳天大楼、桥梁和水坝往往气势壮观，与美国的自然奇观之壮美和恢宏相得益彰。赚钱和拥有称得上过多的奢侈品，是不是大多数美国人惟一的目标？多数美国人肯定会予以否认，虽然他们对通过辛勘劳动积撗钱财引以为豪。在美国,90%左右的人们生话寓足，可以期盼更美好的未来。美国的生活水平世界上依然名列前茅，尽管现在还有10%左右的人处在政府认为的贫困线”以下。这些生活水平低下的人们虽然得到政府的救助，但是他们对未来不抱多大希望。正是这个“社会下层阶级”以及利用这个阶层的人引发了社会上的大多数暴乱，使之成为美国社会中最令人不快的一面。美国人开始意识到，这个非常严重的问题是他们自身的问 题,而不仅仅是政府的问题。有这样的说法：美国入作为个人是慊慨的，但美国作为一个民族则是吝啬的。
人们普遍认为，美国是个没有阶级的社会。的确，美国人对社会地位或不同工作没有什么势利眼。体力劳动者在任何场合通常都相当自在。收入档次不同的人上同一所学校，这个事实多少说明了这一点。与其说美国人有阶级意识，倒不如说他们有种族意识。
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