美国人相信，只要努力奋斗就能过上好的生活，这被称为“美国梦”。但是希望越大失望越大，对于有些人来说，梦醒以后就只剩下绝望了。
The dark side of the American Dream
by Randy Essex
Last month, a reliable family guy with a big laugh became a news story when he didn't show up for work. A week later, he was found dead of what authorities are confident was a suicide.
reliable /rɪˈlaɪəb(ə)l/ adj. 值得信赖的（由rely加后缀-able变成形容词）
show up 到场
authorities /ɔːˈθɒrətiz/ n. 有关部门
confident /ˈkɒnfɪd(ə)nt/ adj. 肯定的、确信的
suicide /ˈsuːɪsaɪd/ n. 自杀
It's not uncommon. Like people I've known who have taken their lives, he was a hard-working, middle-aged white guy with a solid track record – exactly the kind of American most likely to die by suicide.
uncommon /ʌnˈkɒmən/ adj. 不常见的（由common加上表示否定的前缀un-）
take one's life 杀死某人
hard-working 努力工作的、勤劳的
solid /ˈsɒlɪd/ adj. 可靠的、坚实的
track record 指过去的表现（包括成功和失败）
I blame, in part, the American Dream. For all the glamor and freedom of ski towns and the West in general, it was easy, up close, to see how broken dreams breed a sense of hopelessness. In Detroit or little towns like the one in which I grew up, it's about how we measure failure and what we decide to do about it.
blame /bleɪm/ v. 指责、责怪
in part 部分地、一定程度上
glamor /ˈɡlæmə(r)/ n. 魅力
freedom /ˈfriːdəm/ n. 自由
the West 指美国西部
in general 总体而言
up close 近距离地
breed /briːd/ v. 造成
hopelessness /ˈhəʊpləsnəs/ n. 没有希望、绝望（由hopeless加后缀-ness变成名词）
Detroit /dəˈtrɔɪt/ n. 底特律（美国城市）
measure /ˈmeʒə(r)/ v. 衡量、判断
failure /ˈfeɪljə(r)/ n. 失败（由fail加后缀-ure变成名词）
The idea that this nation affords each of us the opportunity to be whatever we want comes true for many, but certainly not all.★ Unspoken is the converse implication – especially for white men, born with advantages conferred by race and gender: If you can't make it, it's your fault and you are a failure.
nation /ˈneɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 国家
afford /əˈfɔːd/ v. 给予
opportunity /ˌɒpəˈtjuːnəti/ n. 机会
★ 这句话里many指many people，而all指all people
unspoken /ʌnˈspəʊk(ə)n/ adj. 没有说出来的（由speak的过去分词加上表示否定的前缀un-）
converse /ˈkɒnvɜːs/ adj. 相反的
implication /ˌɪmplɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 暗示、隐含的意思
confer /kənˈfɜː(r)/ v. 授予、给予
race /reɪs/ n. 种族
gender /ˈdʒendə(r)/ n. 性别
make it 成功
fault /fɒlt/ n. 过错
Individuals can define success differently, but our upbringing and cultural norms teach us to keep score, and that we define winning in America in dollars and creature comforts.
individual /ˌɪndɪˈvɪdʒuəl/ n. 个体、个人
define /dɪˈfaɪn/ v. 定义
upbringing /ˈʌpbrɪŋɪŋ/ n. 家庭教养
norm /nɔːm/ n. 规范、行为准则
score /skɔː(r)/ n. 分数、得分
creature comforts 物质享受
If we are not born into money, it can be freeing and motivating to believe our lot is not cast, that America affords us the chance to attain meaningful employment and have enough money to live comfortably.
be born into money 出生在有钱人家
freeing /friːɪŋ/ adj. 让人自由的
motivating /ˈməʊtɪveɪtɪŋ/ adj. 激励人的
lot /lɒt/ n. 命运
cast /kɑːst/ v. 浇铸、铸造（过去分词也是cast，这里可以看作过去分词做形容词）
attain /əˈteɪn/ v. （努力之后）获得
meaningful /ˈmiːnɪŋf(ə)l/ adj. 有意义的、重要的（由meaning加后缀-ful变成形容词）
employment /ɪmˈplɔɪmənt/ n. 工作、就业（由employ加后缀-ment变成名词）
comfortably /ˈkʌmftəbli/ adv. 舒服地、安逸地
That's really my story. Public education lifted me from childhood poverty. I had good teachers, good parents and got a couple breaks, particularly being born a white male American. I never had to deal with racism or sexism.
poverty /ˈpɒvəti/ n. 贫困
break /breɪk/ n. 机遇
deal with 应付、处理
racism /ˈreɪsɪz(ə)m/ n. 种族主义（认为白人优于其他人种；由race加上表示主义的后缀-ism）
sexism /ˈseksɪz(ə)m/ n. 性别主义（认为男性优于女性；由sex加上表示主义的后缀-ism）
Today, I have love, rewarding work and a great deal of fun and fulfillment in my life. And still, at times, I feel inadequate, a condition that I know is wholly ordinary but can feel profoundly shameful when it is happening to you.
rewarding /rɪˈwɔːdɪŋ/ adj. 令人满足的
fulfillment /fʊlˈfɪlmənt/ n. 成就感
still /stɪl/ adv. 尽管如此
at times = sometimes
inadequate /ɪˈnædɪkwət/ adj. 不够自信的、不够好的（由adequate加上表示否定的前缀in-）
condition /kənˈdɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 状态、情况
wholly /ˈhəʊlli/ adv. 完全地（由whole加后缀-ly变成副词）
profoundly /prəˈfaʊndli/ adv. 深深地
shameful /ˈʃeɪmf(ə)l/ adj. 令人羞愧的（由shame加后缀-ful变成形容词）
happen to someone 发生在某人身上
I do not know all of the toxic expectations put on little girls or non-white Americans, but I know that little white boys learn that if they don't succeed, it's because they aren't smart enough, savvy enough, determined enough or hard-working enough.
toxic /ˈtɒksɪk/ adj. 有毒的、有害的
expectation /ˌekspekˈteɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 期望（由expect加后缀-ation变成名词）
savvy /ˈsævi/ adj. 有见识的
determined /dɪˈtɜːmɪnd/ adj. 意志坚定的
This implicit message can be crushing if, as adults, we fall short of our expectations. I think it's past time that we look at the difficulty and myths of the American Dream.
implicit /ɪmˈplɪsɪt/ adj. 隐含的、暗含的
crushing /krʌʃɪŋ/ adj. 能压垮人的
fall short 没达到、未实现
past time 过了合适的时间（指早就该做而没做）
myth /mɪθ/ n. 虽然流行但其实是错误的观念
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