英语四级听力练习集锦44

Struggling in America

The United States of America is often seen as a nation in which the pursuit of happiness is not a dream but a reality.

The sad truth is that although portrayed¹ as an unusually easy life, life in America is as much of a struggle as in any other nation. For example, higher level education for Americans does not come easy. Although there are scholarships, grants and loans available, if the student fails to meet the criteria² he is left with only personal resources to draw from.

This takes him into a life with not only a school schedule to follow but perhaps, also, a work schedule and family life.

These are often the difficulties that are not portrayed through the TV and movies. These are also the difficulties which many believe they will not encounter by attending an American college. In the second place, there is financial security.

Many times what is portrayed of life in America is a life where “money is no object”.

The fallacy in this is that each person has their own personal struggle and money is an object for the majority of the people, in spite of the comparatively higher wages available, the cost of living is also higher. Even though it may seem like one is making more money, just as much is spent in surviving.

Thirdly is the belief that in the American way of life everyone has a good job. With the increasing advancements³ in technology, a well-paying job for those currently in the work force is getting harder to find. Those who have not been exposed to computers and other new methods of communication are finding this to be true. As it stands now, the job market is requiring at least a two-year degree from college, in order to make enough to live comfortably. Even then well-paid jobs are not easy to find, as it is sometimes believed because of the portrayal⁴ of life in America.

1 portrayed   

v.画像( portray的过去式和过去分词 )；描述；描绘；描画

参考例句：

• Throughout the trial, he portrayed himself as the victim. 在审讯过程中，他始终把自己说成是受害者。
• The author portrayed his father as a vicious drunkard. 作者把他父亲描绘成一个可恶的酒鬼。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 criteria   

n.标准

参考例句：

• The main criterion is value for money.主要的标准是钱要用得划算。
• There are strict criteria for inclusion in the competition.参赛的标准很严格。

3 advancements   

n.（级别的）晋升( advancement的名词复数 )；前进；进展；促进

参考例句：

• Today, the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements. 当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Great advancements in drought prediction have been made in recent years. 近年来，人们对干旱灾害的预报研究取得了长足的进步。 来自互联网

4 portrayal   

n.饰演；描画

参考例句：

• His novel is a vivid portrayal of life in a mining community.他的小说生动地描绘了矿区的生活。
• The portrayal of the characters in the novel is lifelike.该书中的人物写得有血有肉。