2007 Text 3
①During the past generation, the American middle-class family that once could count on hard work and fair play to keep itself financially secure had been transformed by economic risk and new realties. Now a pink slip, a bad diagnosis, or a disappearing spouse can reduce a family from solidly middle class to newly poor in a few months.
在过去的十几年里，美国那些曾经可以依靠辛勤劳动和公平条件以维持其收入稳定的中产阶层家庭被经济风险和新现实改变了。如今，一份解雇通知书、一个不利的诊断结果或者配偶的去世都可能在几个月之内将一个家庭从稳定的中产阶层家庭降格成为一个新贫困家庭。
middle-class adj.中层社会的, 中产阶级的
count on v.依靠, 指望
spouse n.配偶(指夫或妻)
1、During the past generation, the American middle-class family that once could count on hard work and fair play to keep itself financially secure has been transformed by economic risk and new realities.
【译文】 在过去的一代，美国的中产阶级家庭曾经依靠努力工作和平等公正以保持财政安全，但是却被经济风险和新的现实所改变。
【析句】 句子的主干结构是the American has been transformed by economic risk and new realities，family后接一个定语从句。
【讲词】 generation指一代人，一般为20年。
count on表示"指望，依靠"，例如：You can count on my help.（你可以指望得到我的帮助。）
fair play原是体育用语，意为"公平比赛"，转义指"公正的待遇"或"公平竞赛的条件"。
secure作形容词表示"安全的,可靠的,放心的,无虑的"。
transform意为"转变；转换；变形"，其名词是transformation。
In just one generation, millions of mothers have gone to work, transforming basic family economics. ②Scholars, policymakers, and critics of all stripes have debated the social implications of these changes, but few have looked at the side effect: family risk has risen as well. Today’s families have budgeted to the limits of theirs new two-paycheck status. ③As a result, they have lost the parachuted they once had in times of financial setback – a back-up earner (usually Mom) who could go into the workforce if the primary earner got laid off or fell sick. ④This “added-worker effect” could support the safety net offered by unemployment insurance or disability insurance to help families weather bad times. But today, a disruption to family fortunes can no longer be made up with extra income from an otherwise-stay-at-home partner.
在仅仅一代人的时间里，数百万母亲出去工作，改变了基本的家庭经济状况。学者、决策者以及各类批评人士对这些变化的社会意义争论不休，但是，很少有人关注这些变化的副作用：家庭的风险增加了。如今的家庭根据其新的双收入限度安排开支。因此，它们失去了它
们在经济萧条时期曾经有过的缓解举措——一个后备挣钱者（通常是妈妈），如果家庭的主要挣钱者失业了或者病倒了，她可以出去工作。这种“额外工人效应”可以支撑失业保险或残疾保险提供的安全网，以便帮助家庭渡过难关。但现在，家庭财产的损失再也不可能通过呆在家里的其他伴侣的额外收入弥补了。
debate v. n.争论, 辩论
【巧】debate=de（强调）+ bat（打）+e→辩论
【联】combat（v.n.战斗，格斗）←com一起+bat。
【例】Debate is the best catalyst of thought.争论是思想最好的催化
implication n.牵连, 含意, 暗示
【巧】im + plic（fold）+ation→implication（话没有明着说出来）
【例】What’s the implication of the statement.这份声明的含义是什么？
parachute n.降落伞
setback n.挫折, 退步, 逆流
unemployment insurance 失业保险
disability insurance 残废保险
disruption n.中断, 瓦解, 破坏
【记】disrupt v. 使中断,使瓦解, 使陷于混乱, 破坏
【例】market disruption市场混乱；environmental disruption 公害, 环境失调；The state was in disruption.国家处于分崩离析之中。
2、Scholars, policymakers, and critics of all stripes have debated the social implications of these changes, but few have looked at the side effect: family risk has risen as well.
【译文】 学者、政策制定者和各行各业的批评者对这些变化的社会意义进行了辩论，但是几乎没有人关注次要的影响：家庭风险也增加了。
【析句】 全句是一个转折句，冒号之后的成分是一个完整的句子，作the side effect的同位语。
【讲词】 stripe意为"斑纹,条纹"，all stripes意为all walks（各行各业）。
implication表示"牵连，涉及；含意；暗示"，如：his implication in the crime（他涉及这起罪行）。It is important to consider the wider implications of making such a decision.（很有必要考虑作出这一决定的深远意义。）implication的动词是implicate。
side effect通常表示药物等的副作用，在句中表示"次要的影响"。
3、As a result,they have lost the parachute they once had in times of financial setback-a back-up earner (usually Mom) who could go into the workforce if the primary earner got laid off or fell sick.
【译文】 因此，他们已经失去了经济困难时曾有的保障，即家中主要的挣钱人一旦失业或生病，预备挣钱人（通常是妈妈）可以加入劳动大军。
【析句】 as a result作状语，表示某种结果。a back-up earner (usually Mom)在句中作the parachute的同位语，后面接一个定语从句。
【讲词】 parachute的字面意思是"降落伞"，但在句中表示"保障"。
setback意为"挫折"，financial setback表示财政或经济上的困难。
primary意为"主要的；首要的"，跟major，main等意思相近。如要表示"次要的"，英文是secondary。earner在句中指wage earner，即挣钱人。
workforce指"就业大军；劳动力（工人的总数）"。
lay off意为"失业"。
deductible4、This"added-worker effect" could support the safety net offered by unemployment insurance or disability insurance to help families weather bad times.
【译文】 这种"附加工人效应"可以支持失业保险或残疾保险所提供的保障制度，以帮助家庭渡过困难时期。
【析句】 句子的主干是This"added-worker effect" could support the safety net，过去分词offered引导的结构作定语修饰the safety net。
【讲词】add意为"增加"，added可以表示"附加的"，如：added value（附加值，净增值）。
safety net指社会保障制度。
unemployment insurance指"失业保险"，disability insurance指"残疾保险"。
weather在句中作动词，表示"抵御；承受；平安渡过"，如：weather a crisis（渡过危机）。
bad times意为"坏时光；艰苦的日子"，其反义词是good times。
During the same period, families have been asked to absorb much more risk in their retirement income. ⑤Steelworkers, airline employees, and now those in the auto industry are joining millions of families who must worry about interest rates, stock m
arket fluctuation, and the harsh reality that they may outlive their retirement money. ⑥For much of the past year, President Bush campaigned to move Social Security to a saving-account model, with retirees trading much or all of their guaranteed payments for payments depending on investment returns. For younger families the picture is not any better. ⑦Both the absolute cost of healthcare and the share of it borne by families have risen – and newly fashionable health-saving plans are spreading from legislative halls to Wal-Mart workers, with much higher deductibles and a large new dose of investment risk for families’ future healthcare. ⑧Even demographics are working against the middle class family, as the odds of having a weak elderly parent – and all the attendant need for physical and financial assistance – have jumped eightfold in just one generation.
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