2. 外语
  3. Ask most people how they define the American Dream and chances are they’ll say, "Success." The dream of individual opportunity h

Ask most people how they define the American Dream and chances are they’ll say, "Success." The dream of individual opportunity h

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问题     Ask most people how they define the American Dream and chances are they’ll say, "Success." The dream of individual opportunity has been at home in American since Europeans discovered a "new world" in the Western Hemisphere. Early immigrants like Hector St. Jean de Crevecoeur praised highly the freedom and opportunity to be found in this new land. His glowing descriptions of a classless society where anyone could attain success through honesty and hard work fired the imaginations of many European readers: in Letters from an American Farmer (1782) he wrote, "We are all excited at the spirit of an industry which is unfettered (无拘无束的) and unrestrained, because each person works for himself... We have no princes, for whom we toil (干苦力活), starve, and bleed: we are the most perfect society now existing in the world." The promise of a land where "the rewards of a man’s industry follow with equal steps the progress of his labor" drew poor immigrants from Europe and fueled national expansion into the western territories.
    Our national mythology (神话) is full of illustrations of the American success story. There’s Benjamin Franklin, the very model of the self-educated, self-made man, who rose from modest origins to become a well-known scientist, philosopher, and statesman. In the nineteenth century, Horatio Alger, a writer of fiction for young boys, became American’s best-selling author with rags-to-riches tales. The notion of success haunts us: we spend millions every year reading about the rich and famous, learning how to "make a fortune in real estate with no money down," and "dressing for success." The myth of success has even invaded our personal relationships: today it’s as important to be "successful" in marriage or parenthood as it is to come out on top in business.
    But dreams easily turn into nightmares. Every American who hopes to "make it" also knows the fear of failure, because the myth of success inevitably implies comparison between the haves and the have-nots, the stars and the anonymous crowd. Under pressure of the myth, we become indulged in status symbols: we try to live in the "right" neighborhoods, wear the "right" clothes, eat the "right" foods. These symbols of distinction assure us and others that we believe strongly in the fundamental equality of all, yet strive as hard as we can to separate ourselves from our fellow citizens.
What is the paradox of American culture according to the author?
选项 A、The American road to success is full of nightmares.
B、Status symbols are not a real indicator of a person’s wealth.
C、The American Dream is nothing but an empty dream.
D、What Americans strive after often contradicts their beliefs.
答案D
解析 最后一段讲到美国梦容易变成噩梦，在这个神话的压力下，人们沉浸于身份的区分。最后一句说“我们在坚定地信奉人人基本平等的同时，也在尽可能地努力把自己和其他人区分开来”，由此可得出结论：美国人的行为和信奉有所差别。所以答案应是D。
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