2016年下半年翻譯考試初級筆譯資料(八)

　　A commonplace criticism of American culture is its excessive preoccupation with material goods and corresponding neglect of the human spirit. Americans, it is alleged, worship only "the almighty dollar. " We scramble to "keep up with the Joneses. " The love affair between Americans and their automobiles has been a continuing subject of derisive commentary by both foreign and domestic critics. Americans are said to live by a quantitative ethic. Bigger is better, whether in bombs or sedans. The classical virtues of grace, harmony, and economy of both means and ends are lost on most Americans. As a result, we are said to be swallowing up the world's supply of natural resources, which are irreplaceable. Americans constitute 6 percent of the world's population but consume over a third of the world's energy. These are now familiar complaints. Indeed, in some respects Americans may believe the "pursuit of happiness" to mean the pursuit of material things.

　　【參考譯文】

　　人們常常批評美國文化過分熱衷于物質(zhì)產(chǎn)品，卻忽略了人的精神需求。他們說，美國人只崇拜“萬能的美元”。美國人會在生活上競相攀比。美國人過分鐘情于汽車，長期以來這稱為國內(nèi)外批評家的笑柄。美國人把數(shù)量作為衡量一切的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)，無論是炸彈還是轎車，總是越多越好。大多數(shù)美國人已經(jīng)失去了彬彬有禮、和睦相處、量入為出的傳統(tǒng)美德。因而美國人吞噬著世界上大量不可再生的自然資源。美國人占世界人口的百分之六，卻消耗了世界上三分之一以上的能源。人們常常對此頗有怨言。的確，從某種程度上說，美國人可能信奉追求幸福就是追求物質(zhì)享受。