原文: The American character
Most Americans have great vigor and enthusiasm. They prefer to discipline themlves rather than to be disciplined by others. They pride themlves on their independence, their right to make up their own minds. They are prepared to take the initiative, even when there is a risk to do so. They have courage and do not give in easily. They will take any sort of jobs anywhere rather than be unemployed. They do not care to be looked after by the government. The average American changes his or her job nine or ten times during his or her working life.
Americans have a warmth and friendliness which is less superficial than many foreigners think. They are considered ntimental. When on ceremonial occasions they e a flag, or attend parades celebrating American’s glorious past, tears may come to their eyes. Reunions with family and friends tend to be emotional, too. They like to dress correctly, even if “correctly” means flamboyantly. They love to boast, though often with tongue in cheek. They can laugh at themlves and their country, and they can be very lf-critical, w
hile remaining always intenly patriotic. They have a wide knowledge of everyday things, and a keen interest in their particular city and state. Foreigners sometimes complain, however, that they have little interest in or knowledge of the outside world.
The Americans have a passion for grandeur. Their skyscrapers, bridges and dams often have a splendor which matches in beauty and scale the country’s natural wonders.
Is the sole aim of most Americans to make money and poss luxuries which could be called excessive? The majority of Americans would certainly deny this, though most feel proud to amass wealth and posssions through hard work. In the USA, about 90% of the population is well-off enough to expect a brighter future. The USA still has one of the highest standards of living in the world, although, at the prent time, 10% are below what the government considers to be the “poverty line”. While the underprivileged people receive help from the government, they have no high hopes for their future. It is from this “underclass” and tho who take advantage of it, that most of the violence springs—the violence which is one of the least pleasant aspects of American society.
Americans are beginning to realize that this terrible problem of poverty is their problem and not just the Government’s. it has been said that the individual American is generous, but that the American nation is hard.
The USA is reputed to be a classless society. There is certainly not much social snobbery or job snobbery. The manual worker is usually quite at ea in any company. This is partly explained by the fact that people of all income groups go together to the same schools. Americans are far more race conscious than they are class conscious.
译文: 美国人的性格
大多数的美国人都是充满活力，热情向上的。他们宁愿去自我约束而非被人约束。他们为能独立行事和有权作出自己的决定而自豪。他们积极主动，即便这有时有一定的风险。他们富有勇气且极少轻言放弃。他们愿意在任何地方做任何工作而不愿无所事事。他们不想得到政府的照顾。一个普通的美国人一生至少要换九到十次的工作。
美国人热情友好，而非像许多外国人想的那样只是表面化而已。他们情感丰富，在一些特
别的日子里，如：当他们瞻仰国旗或是参加关于庆祝美国光辉历史的游行时，他们经常会感动得热泪盈眶。和亲人好友的团聚也是感人至深的。他们穿戴讲究适宜，尽管“得体”无异于奢华炫耀。他们喜欢自吹自擂，尽管只是夸夸其谈而已。他们敢于自嘲和嘲笑自己的国家，也常自我批评，但骨子里却有着强烈的爱国精神。
他们对日常琐事的了解甚广，而对于自己所居住的州或城市尤为热爱。外国人时常抱怨说，他们对于外界却是有些孤陋寡闻了。
美国人对于奢华情有独钟。他们的摩天大楼，桥梁和建筑将美感和人们对于自然的向往结合得天衣无缝。
美国人一心想要挣钱和购买奢侈品的目标能不能算是过度消费呢？绝大多数美国人都不愿承认这一点，即便他们以努力工作获得金钱和财富为荣。在美国，有90%的人对未来满怀希望。美国仍然是世界上生活水平最高的国家之一。尽管，到目前为止，有10%的人处于贫困线之下。尽管这些贫困生活水平低下者收到政府的资助，但他们对于未来还是不抱希望。正是这些“下层人士”，和这些从下层人士中谋利的人，成为了暴乱之源。暴力--美国社会最令人不快的一面。
美国人现在已经开始觉察到严重的贫困问题不仅是政府的问题也是每个人自己的问题。据说：普通美国人都是很慷慨大方的，但美国却是个吝啬的国家。
美国以无阶级之分而享有盛誉。的确，美国人对社会或不同工作没有多少势力的看法。体力劳动者通常在各种场合都安然自若。收入不同的人上同一所学校，多少可以看出这一点。与其说美国人有阶级意识还不如说他们有种族意识。
