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 t
hey 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deductible
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"。
4、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 retirem ent income.⑤Steelworkers, airline employees, and now those in the auto industry are joining millions of families who must worry about interest rates, stock market 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.00
在同一时期，要求家庭在其退休收入中承担更多风险。钢铁厂的工人、航空公司的职员以及汽车产业工人加入了数百万不得不担心利率、股市波动以及可能比其退休收入存在时间更长的严酷现实家庭。在去年的大部分时间里，布什总统一直致力于将社会保险体制转变成一种储蓄存款账户模式，要求退休人员将其大多数或所有保障报酬用来交换依靠投资回报所得的报酬。对于更年轻的家庭来说，前景不容乐观。卫生保健和家庭承担份额的绝对成本都上涨了——而且，最近实施的健康储蓄计划正在从立法机关扩展到沃尔玛员工，包含大量更高的减免，并且给家庭未来的卫生保健带来许多新投资风险。甚至人口统计状况也对中产阶层家庭不利，因为有一个体弱、年迈的父母——以及由此而产生的所有物资和经济援助——就在仅仅一代人的时间里增长了8倍。
5、Steelworkers, airline employees, and now those in the auto industry are joining millions of families who must worry about interest rates, stock market fluctuation, and the harsh reality that they may outlive their retirem en t m on ey.
【译文】钢铁工人、航空公司的雇员，以及在汽车工业中就业的人，他们现在和数百万的家庭一样，必须操心利率和股票市场的升降，担心他们的退休金不够用的严峻现实。
【析句】句子的主干结构是are joining millions of families，families后面跟一个定语从句。而在定语从句中，主语是who，谓语是worry about，宾语是interest rates, stock market fluctuation, and the hash reality。that they may outlive their retirement money是一个定语从句，修饰the harsh reality。
【讲词】worry about表示"操心；担心"。
interest rates指"利率"，stock market指"股票市场"，fluctuation指股票市场的波动，retirement money指"退休金"。
outlive意为"比......长命；比......耐久；经受住"，如：This regulation has outlived its usefulness.（这一规则没用却仍然存在。）
6、For much of the past year, President Bush campaigned to move Social Security to
a savings-account model, with retirees trading much or all of their guaranteed payments for payments depending on investment returns.
【译文】在过去的大部分时间中，布什总统推行社会保障制度的改革，力图把它变成储蓄帐户的模式，让
退休人员拿出大部分或所有的确定付款，以换取依赖于投资回报的付款。
【析句】句子的主干结构是President Bush campaigned to move Social Security to a savings-account model，介词with所接的成分作状语，说明储蓄帐户模式。
【讲词】campaign作名词表示"竞选；战役；政治或商业的活动"，作动词表示"打仗；竞选；开展某种活动"，如：campaigned for human rights（开展人权运动）。
social security指"社会保障（制度）"。
guarantee意为"保证"，如：The government guaranteed to free the captives.（政府保证释放俘虏。）guarantee freedom of speech（保证言论自由）。
7、Both the absolute cost of healthcare and the share of it borne by families have risen-and newly fashionable health savings 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.
【译文】绝对医疗保险费用和家庭所承担的（部分）费用均已经上涨，而新型的医疗储蓄计划正从立法机构推广开来，（甚至）涵盖沃尔玛超市的工人，这一计划出现了更多的扣除条款，并给家庭未来的医疗保险又增加了一笔很大的投资风险。
【析句】全句包括两个并列分句，介词with所引导的成分说明newly fashionable health-savings plan 的内容，一是更高的扣除条款（就像保险公司的做法一样，广告上说大病保险，但实际上所谓的大病并不是所有的"大病"，保险合同中的扣除条款太多），一是增加了一笔很大的投资风险（缴纳的医疗保险费用被拿去投资）。
【讲词】absolute意为"绝对的"，反义词是relative。
healthcare（医疗保险），health-savings（医疗储蓄，类似中国的医保卡），legislative halls（立法机构，在美国指国会）。
deductible"可减免的，可扣除的"，文中指"保险合同的扣除条款"。
dose作名词表示"剂量；(一)服"，作动词表示"服药"。a dose of表示"一定量的"。
⑨From the middle-class family perspective, much of this, understandably, looks far less like an opportunity to exercise more financial responsibility, and a good deal more like a frightening acceleration of the wholesale shift of financial risk onto their already overburdened shoulders. The financial fallout has begun, and the political fallout may not be far behind.
从中产阶层家庭的角度来看，大多数情况是可以理解的，这根本不像一种发挥更多支付能力的机会，而
是像一种将经济风险大规模转向那些已经负担过重的家庭的令人恐惧的加速行为。经济副作用已经开始，政治副作用可能也将开始。
8、Even 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.
【译文】甚至人口分布的数据也与中产阶级家庭作对，因为家中有一位体弱高龄的父亲或母亲的可能性在仅仅一代人的时间里增加了8倍，照顾家中的老人就需要体力和财力的付出。
absorb vt.吸收, 吸引
【记】be absorbed in= concentrate on=集中
【例】This job absorbs all of my time. 这件工作占用了我的全部时间。
retirement income退休收入
stock market n.股票市场
fluctuation n.波动, 起伏
【记】fluctuate vi.波动, 动摇vt.使动摇, 使波动, 使起伏
【例】fluctuation in the exchange rates兑换率的波动；fluctuation of temperature 温度的变动
Harsh adj.粗糙的；刺耳的；严厉的
【例】harsh terms苛刻的条件；a harsh climate 令人难受的气候；harsh to the taste 味涩
outlive v.比...长命, 比...耐久，渡过…而存在，经受住
【例】The ship outlived the storm.这只船从暴风雨中脱险了。
legislative adj.立法的, 立法机关的n.立法机关
deductible adj.可扣除的
【记】deduct vt. 扣除, 演绎
demographic adj.人口统计学的
odds n.可能的机会, 成败的可能性, 优势, 不均, 不平等, 几率, 差别
【析句】全句是一个复合句，主句是Even demographics are working against the middle class family，as所引导的从句表示原因。两个破折号之间的成分和a weak elderly parent一样作having 的宾语。
【讲词】demographics"人口统计状况，人口分布数据"。
work against表示"与......作对"。
odds意为"成败的机率或可能；几率；差别"，句中的意思是possibility。又如：The odds are that she will get the nomination on the first ballot.（她在第一轮选票中获得提名的可能性大。）at odds意为"争执；意见冲突"，by all odds表示"毫无疑问地"。
9、From the middle-class family perspective, much of this, understandably, looks far less like an opportunity to exercise more financial responsibility, and a good deal more like a frightening acceleration of the wholesale shift of financial risk onto their already overburdened shoulders.
【译文】从中产阶级家庭的角度来看，不难理解，这在很大程度上看上去不大像是承担更多的经济责任，而更像是加速把大部分的经济风险转移到已经负担过重的肩膀上，这种情况确实让人感到恐惧。perspective n.透视画法, 透视图, 远景, 前途, 观点, 看法, 观点, 观察
【例】see thing in perspective正确地观察事物；a perspective of lakes and hills湖山远景
acceleration n.加速度
【巧】ac（加强前缀）+celer（速度）+ation（名词后缀）
【反】deceleration减速：de向下+celer+ation。
【例】abrupt acceleration 突然加速
wholesale n.批发, 趸售adj.批发的, [喻] 大规模的
【例】wholesale prices 批发价格；a wholesale slaughter 大屠杀wholesale westernization“全盘西化”
overburden vt.装载过多, 负担过多, 使过劳n.过重的负担
【例】The trees are overburdened with fruit. 树上果实累累, 压得树枝都弯了。
fallout n.辐射微尘, 原子尘, 附带结果
【析句】此句的主语是much of this，谓语是like，介词like有两个宾语：an opportunity和a frightening acceleration。不定式结构 修饰opportunity，of介词结构（of the wholesale shift of financial risk）修饰acceleration，onto介词结构（onto their already overburdened shoulders）作shif
t的逻辑状语。
【讲词】perspective意思较多，如"透视画法；远景；前途；观点；视角"。
exercise作动词，表示"承担"。所谓承担经济责任，即要往外掏钱。
acceleration意为"加速"，其动词是accelerate。
wholesale可作名词、动词、形容词和副词，意为"批发；大量地，成批地；大量的，成批的"。