晨读伴侣Passage24：富豪们为何关心贫富不均问题？

本文选自吴应时主编的《大学英语六级阅读真题精读——晨读伴侣》。本书对历年国家大学英语六级考试（CET-6）的仔细阅读部分进行了详尽而精准的分析、翻译和注释，对四六级考生有着事半功倍的效果，对提升整体英语能力也很有帮助。

学习导读：

又是与经济相关的话题，不过这次是跟富人相结合。要知道，富豪们的想法，对于普罗大众来说从来都是略显神秘的。新闻报纸如果有这方面的话题，则不愁没有销量。不过本文另辟蹊径，讲的其实是富豪们也关心的贫富不均的现象，为什么富豪会关心这方面的内容呢，本文将告诉你答案。

What’s hot [for 2007] [among the very rich]? A $7. 3 million diamond ring. A trip to Tanzania to hunt wild animals. Oh, and income inequality. 1

2007年富豪们最热门的话题是什么？价值730万美元的钻戒。坦桑尼亚狩猎之旅。对了，还有收入不均。

注：1. 该段提了一个问题，后面三个都是并列的备选答案，缺乏完整的主谓结构，所以也就不对其进行句子成分分析了。

[Sure], some leftish 1 billionaires 2 (like George Soros) have been railing [against income inequality] [for years]. But [increasingly], centrist and right-wing billionaires are starting to worry about income inequality and the fate (of the middle class).

当然，像乔治·索罗斯这样的一些左翼富翁们多年来一直抱怨收入不均的现象。但现在中立派和右翼富翁们也日渐担心收入不均的现象及中产阶级的命运。

注：1. leftish a. 左倾的，左派的。例：

The leftish New Democratic Party (NDP) worried it would hurt the poor.

新民主党左派担心会伤害穷人们。

[选自：ECONOMIST: British Columbia’s carbon tax woos sceptics]

2. billionaires n. 百万富翁，大富豪；adj. 100万以上人口的。例：

Though the list mentions China as second to the United States in the number of billionaires, it did not specify how many the latter produced.

虽然名单提到中国是继美国之后亿万富豪第二多的国家，但是名单没有说明美国有多少亿万富豪。

[In December], Mortimer Zuckerman wrote a column 1 [in U. S. News & World Report], (which he owns.) “Our nation’s core bargain with the middle class is disintegrating 2,” lamented 3 the 117th-richest man [in America]. “Most of our economic gains have gone to people (at the very top of the income ladder). Average income [for a household] (of people of working age), ^by contrast^, has fallen [five years] [in a row]. ” He noted that “Tens of millions (of Americans) live in fear (that a major health problem can reduce them [to bankruptcy].)”  

12月，莫蒂默·朱克曼在他的《美国新闻与世界报道》上发表专栏文章。“我们国家与中产阶级之间的核心契约正在瓦解。”这位全球富豪排名第117位的美国富翁心痛地写道，“收入榜顶端的人获取了我们经济的大部分收益。与此形成鲜明对比的是，工薪阶层户均收入在过去五年连续下降。”他指出，“数千万美国人都生活在恐惧中，担心一场重大的疾病就会让他们倾家荡产。”

注：1. column n. 圆柱，柱状物；列，报刊中的专栏。例：

He saw the column of black smoke in the distance.

他看到远处一缕黑色的烟柱。

I wanted to have my own column in the magazine.

我想在这本杂志上开设自己的专栏。

She also writes the Doctor and Patient column for the New York Times.

她还为纽约时报写医患专栏。

[选自：BBC: Magazine]

2. disintegrate vt. 使分裂，使分解；vi. 碎裂，瓦解。例：

During the three and a half months of his trial, he seemed to disintegrate.

经过为期半个月的审判，他似乎要崩溃了。

[选自：BBC: Shipman in the dock]

This empire began to disintegrate after a big war.

经过这场大战，这个帝国瓦解了。

【参】integrate vt. (into, with)

integrate circuit 集成电路

integrate theory with practice  理论联系实际

3. lament n. 挽歌；恸哭；悲痛之情

vi. 哀悼；悲叹；悔恨

vt. 哀悼；痛惜。文中作及物动词。例：

Protesters lament that the cuts are being carried out on the backs of those who can afford it least.

反对者痛惜地表示，这次缩减落到了最无力承担的人们身上。

[选自：CNN: Greek austerity protests turn ugly as strike begins]

Wilbur Ross Jr. has echoed 1 Zuckerman’s anger [over the bitter struggles] (faced by middle-class Americans). “It’s an outrage 2 that any American’s life expectancy 3should be shortened [simply] [because the company (they worked for) went bankrupt and ended health-care coverage,]” said the former chairman (of the International Steel Group).

朱克曼对美国中产阶级面临的痛苦挣扎愤怒不已，小威布尔罗斯也表达了同样的看法。这位国际钢铁集团的前任总裁说：“如果仅仅因为自己所在的公司破产，美国人预期寿命因无法继续支付医疗保健费用而缩短，简直令人发指。”

注：1. echo vt. 反射；重复 vi. 产生回声，随声附和 n. 回声， 回音；效仿

【词源】Echo是古希腊神话中居于山林水泽的仙女，因为得罪天后赫拉而丧失独立说话的能力，只能重复尾音，因此这一次进入英语后被赋予“回声”，“反响”等义。

His feet echoed on the hardwood floor.

他的脚步声在硬木地板上回响着。

The accident has echoes of past disasters.

该事故让人想到过去的那些灾难。

The bat judges distances by a kind of echo-location.

蝙蝠用一种回声测定法来判断距离。

Mr. Sanyal's comments echo a report by the Asian Development Bank released in April.

亚尔先生的言论与亚洲开发银行四月份发布的一份报告相呼应。

[选自：WSJ: Inflation is a Threat to Asia's Rise]

2. outrage n. 暴行，骇人听闻的事；愤概。例：

But statements of outrage and intent cannot always be followed up with collective action.

但是，愤怒和意图的表达不能总是遵循集体行动。

[选自：BBC: How do you apply pressure on Burma?]

The newspaper reported the outrage in the rural town.

报纸报道了发生在那个乡村小镇上的一场暴行。

When the foreign minister heard the news he reacted with sense of outrage.

外交部长获悉此事后义愤填膺。

vt. 激怒。例：

The terrorist’s attacking outraged the government and the people.

恐怖分子的袭击激怒了政府和群众。

3. expectancy n. 期望，期待。例：

It identifies many reasons to celebrate, including increased life expectancy and falling fertility rates.

有许多明确的理由来进行庆祝，其中包括预期寿命的延长和生育率的下降。

[选自：BBC: Population seven billion: UN sets out challenges]  

Life expectancy for humans has increased dramatically.

人类的预期寿命已有显著提高

expectancy component 期望成分

expectancy effects 期望效应

health expectancy 预期健康

【复】expectancies

What’s happening? The very rich are [just as trendy 1 as you and I], and can be so [when it comes to politics and policy.] [Given the recent change of control in Congress], the popularity (of measures) {like increasing the minimum 2 wage}, and efforts [by California’s governor] [to offer universal health care], these guys don’t need their own personal weathermen [to know which way (the wind blows 3].)  

这到底是怎么回事？富翁们也跟你我一样紧跟时尚潮流，在政治和政策问题上也不例外。考虑到最近国会的调控变动，诸如提高最低工资水平这类举措的受欢迎程度，加州州长致力于普及全民医疗保健的项目。无需私人气象员提醒，这些家伙也知道现在社会风向如何。

注：1. trendy adj. 时髦的，流行的。例：

Last year, Microsoft made similar offers to developers that make apps trendy on other platforms.

去年，微软提出了类似的计划书给开发商，使得应用在其他平台上也流行起来。

[选自：CNN: Mark Milian,]

He went to a trendy Seattle night club.

他去过一家时髦的西雅图夜总会。

n. 追求时髦者  

2. minimum n. 最小值；最低限度；最小化；最小量 adj. 最小的；最低的。例：

Of the 1, 010 adults surveyed, 55% said the minimum age should go up to 21.

接受调查的1010位成年人中有55％的人表示最低年龄应该上升到21岁。

[选自：BBC: NEWS | Health | Consultation on smoking age rule]

This will take a minimum of one hour.

这最少要用一个小时。

The basic needs of life are available with minimum effort.

生活的基本需求花很小的力气就能得到。

3. blow n. 吹；打击；殴打  v. 风吹；喘气；挥霍（非正式）。例：

He went to the hospital after a blow to the face.

他脸上挨了一拳后就去了医院。

My brother lent me some money and I went and blew it all.

我哥哥借给我一些钱，我全都挥霍掉了。

And also, what is the core reason of why they want to blow us up?

而且，他们想要炸我们的核心原因是什么？

[blow up爆炸]

[选自：WHITEHOUSE: Press Briefing]

需要注意的是，最后的目的状语中包含一个定语从句修饰way。

It’s possible that plutocrats 1 are expressing solidarity 2 [with the struggling middle class] [as part of an effort to insulate 3 themselves from confiscatory 4tax policies]. But the prospect (that income inequality will lead to higher taxes [on the wealthy]) doesn’t keep plutocrats [at night]. They can live [with that].

这些有钱有势的人在表达与挣扎中的中产阶级共进退的愿望，这可能是他们希望免遭没收税收的一种努力。收入不均可能将导致对富人征重税，但是这并不会让这些有钱有势的人夜不能寐。因为加重征税他们也承受得起。

注：1. plutocrat n. 富豪，财阀政治;在金融上能进行垄断的资本家。例：

Davis is gambling that there are enough voters like Perez left in California for a poor man to win at a plutocrat's game.

戴维斯打赌说，有足够多像佩雷斯那样留在美国加州的选民，希望穷人能在富豪的游戏中获胜。

[选自：CNN: Can't Buy Their Love]

2. solidarity n.团结，一致。例：

The country show solidarity in face of tsunami.

在海啸灾难面前，全国团结一心。

We must work every day to strengthen the intellectual and moral solidarity of humanity.

我们必须每天致力于加强人类理性与道德上的团结。

[选自：UNESCO: International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people]

3. insulate v. 隔离，孤立；使绝缘，使绝热。例：

“I do not believe that it is politically feasible to insulate such huge funds from government direction,” he said.

他说：“我认为从政治角度而言，把如此庞大的资金与政府的指导相隔离是不可行的。”

[选自：CNN: Social Security: Sticking his neck out]

Electric wires should be insulated with a non-conducting substance.

电线应该用非导体使之绝缘。

4. confiscatory adj. 充公的；没收的；征用的。例：

Considering income taxes more broadly, Richards exposes the hubristic absurdity of confiscatory rates.

从更广泛的角度考虑所得税，理查兹揭穿了没收率的傲慢荒谬。

[选自：FORBES: Most Popular]

No, what (they fear) was that the political challenges (of sustaining support for global economic integration 1) will be [more] difficult [in the United States] [because of what has happened to the distribution 2  (of income and economic insecurity).]

他们真正担心的是，由于收入分配不均、经济不稳定，继续支持全球经济一体化的政治挑战将会使美国的处境更加艰难。

注：1. integration n. 整合，集成，一体化。例：

The focus will now be on the integration of the companies already part of the group.

现在重点将放在企业集团的已整合的部分。

[选自：BBC: Deutsche Post parcel sorting centre - © Deutsche Post]

But before you get started, you need to know what the prerequisites are for this integration.

但是在您开始之前，您需要了解这个集成的先决条件是什么。

regional integration  区域一体化

horizontal integration  横向一体化

2. distribution n. 分配，分布。例：

The two firms also are using each other's marketing and distribution networks to grab new buyers.

这两家公司还都使用对方的营销和分销网络，以吸引新的买家。

[选自：CNN: A TALE OF TWO MARQUES]

The present distribution policy demotivated people.

现行的分配制度使人们变得消极。

uniform distribution 连续均匀分布

probability distribution 概率分布

[In other words], [if middle-class Americans continue to struggle [financially] [as the ultrawealthy 1 grow ever wealthier,]] it will be [increasingly] difficult [to maintain political support] [for the free flow of goods, services, and capital across borders]. And [when the United States places obstacles [in the way of foreign investors and foreign goods],] it’s [likely] [to encourage reciprocal 2 action abroad]. [For people (who buy and sell companies,) or (who allocate 3 capital [to markets all around the world]] 4,) that’s the real nightmare.

换句话说，如果美国中产阶级继续生活拮据，而同时巨富却不断壮大富裕，将会越来越难以维持对商品、服务以及资本跨境自由流动的政治支持。而一旦美国对外国投资者及外国商品设置障碍，很可能会引发别国相应的行动。对那些买卖公司或在全球市场分配资本的人来说，这才是真正让他们夜不能寐的噩梦。

注：1. ultra-wealthy adj. 极富有的，特别富有的。例：

This is just people wanting the economy to work for people, not just the ultra-wealthy elite.

这只是人们而非超级富豪精英希望经济能为普通百姓工作。

This is just people wanting the economy to work for people, not just the ultra-wealthy elite.

这仅仅是人们希望经济能为大众工作，而不仅仅是为超级富豪精英。

[选自：FORBES: Most Popular]

2. reciprocal adj. 相互的，互利的，往复的。例：

These channel partners in essence send us clients, and we try to be reciprocal.

在本质上，这些渠道合作伙伴给我们带来客户，我们尽量互惠互利。

[选自：FORBES: Chinese Purchases Of U.S. Real Estate Poised To Rise]

Beautiful Nina is always a reciprocal of many admiring remarks.

漂亮的妮娜总能收到很多赞誉之词。

【参】incipient  a.初始的

recipe n.食谱，配方

3. allocate v. 分配，分派。例：

The bad news is that the time they have available to allocate is so limited.

坏消息是，他们可供分配的时间是如此有限。

[选自：BBC: Circuses, injunctions and PFI: MPs battle for debates]

The donation of money has been allocated for the disaster areas.

捐款已经分发到灾区。

allocate to  把...拨给

4. For people…world整体为方面状语，意指对哪些人来说是噩梦，而非状语从句，只是在该状语中包含两个定语从句。