首页
外语
计算机
考研
公务员
职业资格
财经
工程
司法
医学
专升本
自考
实用职业技能
登录
外语
The American Dream: Myth or Reality? Though the term " American Dream" is widely used today, there exist many questions we
The American Dream: Myth or Reality? Though the term " American Dream" is widely used today, there exist many questions we
admin
2016-06-30
21
问题
The American Dream: Myth or Reality?
Though the term " American Dream" is widely used today, there exist
many questions we seem unable to provide answers. A more important question
arises: Is the "American Dream" a myth or a reality today?
I. Introduction: the occurrence of "American Dream"
—【T1】______: first appeared in Horatio Alger’s novel, Ragged Dick【T1】______
—the message from the novel: everyone could succeed in America if they
are hard-working and【T2】______【T2】______
—【T3】______: the hope to have a better life and a higher living standard【T3】______
II. Evolution: new versions and【T4】______of the term【T4】______
A. the basic definition mentioned above: desiring to【T5】______【T5】______
—in the past: starting out on a smaller scale
—today: causing an out-of-control【T6】______and materialism【T6】______
B. more【T7】______view: desiring to create opportunities by hard work【T7】______
—hallmark: the classic "【T8】______"【T8】______
—example: former President Abraham Lincoln
C. associated with【T9】______and their stories【T9】______
—fascinated by their stories
—working hard to create a better life for【T10】______(10)
D. associated with【T11】______in the U. S.【T11】______
—frontier: a vast expanse of【T12】______in the West【T12】______
—positive side: opportunities for dreamers
—negative side: displacement of【T13】______【T13】______
III. Recent interpretation: be relevant to【T14】______【T14】______
—Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. : equal opportunities for all Americans
—a harsh reality: not everyone has the same opportunity
—a myth: people being【T15】______opportunities for race, ethnic【T15】______
background, or gender
【T15】
The American Dream: Myth or Reality?
Good morning, everyone. In today’s lecture, we will look at the American Dream. As we all know, the term "American Dream" is widely used today. But what exactly does this concept mean? Where does the term come from? When we talk about the American Dream, whose American Dream are we describing? Is the American Dream the same for all Americans? Has the meaning of the term changed over time? Is the American Dream a unique American concept? Questions like these can complicate a seemingly simple term and lead us to an even more important question: Is the American Dream a myth or a reality today?
(1)The term "American Dream" began to be widely used in 1867. The term was used in a famous novel written by Horatio Alger. The novel, Ragged Dick, was a "rags to riches" story about a little boy who was orphaned and lived in New York. The boy saved all his pennies, worked very hard, and eventually became rich. The novel sent the message to the American public that anyone could succeed in America if they were honest, worked hard, and showed determination to succeed.(2)No matter what your background was, no matter where you were from, no matter if you had no money or no family, hard work and perseverance would always lead to success.
Today, the message from Alger’s novel is still a prevalent one in this country. It is still used to define the American Dream.(3)A very basic definition of the American Dream is that it is the hope of the American people to have a better quality of life and a higher standard of living than their parents. This can mean that each generation hopes for better jobs, or more financial security, or ownership of land or a home.
However,(4)new versions and variations of the American Dream have surfaced since Alger’s novel was published.(5)For one thing, the basic definition I stated a moment ago—the idea that Americans are always seeking to improve their lifestyle—also suggests that each generation wants more than the previous generation had. Some people would argue that this ever-increasing desire to improve the quality of one’s life may have started out on a smaller scale in the past,(6)but today has led to an out-of-control consumerism and materialism. According to this view, we not only want more than our parents and our grandparents had, but we also want more than our friends, our co-workers, and our neighbors have.
Another,(7)more benign view of the American Dream is that it is about the desire to create opportunities for ourselves, usually through hard work.(8)A hallmark of the American Dream, some would argue, is the classic " self-starter," the person who starts out with very little in life—little money, few friends, few opportunities—and works hard to make his or her way in the world. A classic example of this type of American Dreamer would be former President Abraham Lincoln, who was born in a log cabin, was largely self-educated, and yet worked his way up in the world to eventually become a United States President.
(9)This view of the American Dream has also been associated with immigrants and their stories, their quests for a better life in a new country. Americans have long been fascinated by immigrant stories, and(10)many feel great pride about their own families who may have come from other countries, worked very hard, and created a better life for future generations. The immigrant story is most often a narrative of upward mobility. Immigrants, seeing this country as a place of new opportunities and possibilities, play a large role in narratives—both fiction and nonfiction—about pursuing the American Dream, and indeed, we could point to many success stories,
(11)The American Dream has also, historically, been associated with westward expansion in this country. Throughout most of the 1800s,(12)the notion of the frontier—a vast expanse of largely unclaimed land in the West—symbolized new opportunities and a fresh start for people. Many a Dreamer set off for the West in search of land, jobs, gold, or other opportunities, often with next to nothing in his pocket. Unfortunately, this idea of new opportunities in the West had a negative side. The American West was not unpopulated: (13)Native American Indians already lived there, along with other immigrant groups, and these people were often displaced—or met with violence—if they interfered with the visions or ideas of westward-migrating Americans.
(14)A more recent interpretation of the American Dream has to do with equality. Civil rights activists, such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. , used some of the rhetoric associated with the American Dream to urge people to work for equal opportunities for all Americans, not just some Americans. A harsh reality was becoming clear to some people, especially in the 1960s and 1970s: not everyone had the same opportunities.(15)If people were denied jobs, education, or other opportunities because of their race, ethnic background, or gender, was the American Dream only a myth? You can continue to think about this question after my speech, and give me your feedback on my blog homepage.
That’s our main point today. Thank you for your attention!
选项
答案
denied
解析
转载请注明原文地址:https://jikaoti.com/ti/hmFYFFFM
0
专业英语八级
相关试题推荐
TheAmericanDream:MythorReality?Thoughtheterm"AmericanDream"iswidelyusedtoday,thereexistmanyproblemswese
TheAmericanDream:MythorReality?Thoughtheterm"AmericanDream"iswidelyusedtoday,thereexistmanyproblemswese
TheAmericanDream:MythorReality?Thoughtheterm"AmericanDream"iswidelyusedtoday,thereexistmanyproblemswese
AzharUsman,astand-upcomic,saysheisa"verypatriotic"AmericanMuslim."Iwoulddieforthiscountry,"hedeclares.After
AzharUsman,astand-upcomic,saysheisa"verypatriotic"AmericanMuslim."Iwoulddieforthiscountry,"hedeclares.After
Pre-courseLectureof"AmericanNovelSince1945"Tolearnthelectureof"AmericanNovelSince1945",somepointsshouldbe
Pre-courseLectureof"AmericanNovelSince1945"Tolearnthelectureof"AmericanNovelSince1945",somepointsshouldbe
随机试题
InthemorningofMay5th,1975,theastronautnamedHarryJacksonwasgivenverycarefulmedicalexamination.Thenhewassent
不是引起高渗性脱水的因素是
对于贝尔面瘫急性期的患者,以下哪项治疗是不恰当的
房地产经纪人接待到店购房客户时,正确的做法有()。
依据《烟花爆竹安全管理条例》的规定,在禁止燃放烟花爆竹的时间、地点燃放烟花爆竹,或者危害公共安全和人身、财产安全的方式燃放烟花爆竹的,由公安部门责令停止燃放,处()的罚款。
根据我国现行规定,资本公积金包括()。
采用FTP传输文件时,需要对文件进行复杂的转换,效率比较低。()
根据原银监会公布的《商业银行杠杆率管理办法》,商业银行并表和未并表的杠杆率均不得低于()。
根据《民法通则》的规定,民事法律行为应当具备的条件有()。
在中国社会主义改革与社会主义改造关系问题上,有人说:“早知今日,何必当初?”
最新回复
(
0
)