英语四级听力练习集锦44（在线收听）

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 portrayed 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 criteria 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 advancements 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 portrayal of life in America.