2017年12月四级第2套仔细阅读 Passage 2 原文翻译及答案解析

For the past several decades, it seems there's been a general consensus on how to get ahead in America: Get a college education, find a reliable job, and buy your own home. But do Americans still believe in that path, and if they do, is it attainable?

过去几十年来，关于如何在美国取得成功，似乎已形成共识：接受大学教育，找到一份可靠的工作，并购买自己的住房。但美国人是否仍然相信这条道路？如果相信，它是否可实现？

The most recent National Journal poll asked respondents about the American dream, what it takes to achieve their goals, and whether or not they felt a significant amount of control over their ability to be successful. Overwhelmingly, the results show that today, the idea of the American dream—and what it takes to achieve it— looks quite different than it did in the late 20th century.

最近的《国家杂志》民意调查询问了受访者关于美国梦、实现目标所需的条件，以及他们是否觉得自己对成功能力有显著的掌控力。结果压倒性地显示，如今美国梦的概念以及实现它所需的东西，与20世纪末相比大不相同。

By and large, people felt that their actions and hard work—not outside forces— were the deciding factor in how their lives turned out. But respondents had decidedly mixed feelings about what actions make for a better life in current economy. In the last seven years, Americans have grown more pessimistic about the power of education to lead to success. Even though they see going to college as a fairly achievable goal, a majority—52 percent—think that young people do not need a four- year college education in order to be successful.

总体而言，人们认为他们的行动和努力——而非外部力量——是决定他们生活结果的关键因素。但受访者对于在当前经济中哪些行动能带来更好生活，持有明显的复杂感受。在过去的七年里，美国人对教育引领成功的力量变得更加悲观。尽管他们将上大学视为一个相当可实现的目标，但大多数（52%）认为年轻人并不需要四年制大学教育才能成功。

Miguel Maeda, 42, who has a master's degree and works in public health, was the first in his family to go to college, which has allowed him to achieve a sense of financial stability his parents and grandparents never did.

42岁的米格尔·马埃达拥有硕士学位，从事公共卫生工作，是家族中第一个上大学的人，这使他获得了他的父母和祖父母从未有过的财务稳定感。

While some, like Maeda, emphasized the value of the degree rather than the education itself, others still see college as a way to gain new perspectives and life experiences.

虽然一些人像马埃达一样强调学位的价值而非教育本身，但其他人仍将大学视为获得新视角和生活经历的方式。

Sixty-year-old Will Fendley, who had a successful career in the military and never earned a college degree, thinks "personal drive" is far more important than just going to college. To Fendley, a sense of drive and purpose, as well as an effective high-school education, and basic life skills, like balancing a checkbook, are the necessary ingredients for a successful life in America.

60岁的威尔·芬德利在军队中有成功的职业生涯，从未获得大学学位，他认为“个人动力”远比仅仅上大学更重要。对芬德利来说，动力和目标感，以及有效的高中教育和基本生活技能，如平衡支票簿，是美国成功生活的必要元素。