2017考研英语拓展阅读：每个人都有选择自己生活的权利

　　考研英语阅读能力提升需要不断地积累练习，通过阅读来积累词汇量，提升阅读速度和理解能力。冲刺阶段，阅读力度要加大，新东方在线持续分享一些有关政治、经济、文化、生活、体育、科技等方面的文章，大家要多多拓展。下面一篇文章是关于每个人都有选择自己生活的权利。

　　2017考研英语拓展阅读：每个人都有选择自己生活的权利

　　Ever since Donald Trump was elected the next president of the US, the entire Trump family has been put under a microscope. In China, the spotlight has been mainly focused on Trump and his daughter Ivanka. She is described on WeChat as an extremely influential role model with stunning beauty, a successful career, and a happy family.

　　自从川普当选成为下届美国总统之后，整个川普家族都被置于显微镜之下。在中国，人们主要关注川普和他的女儿伊万卡。微信上的人们将伊万卡描述为一个具有耀眼美貌而又影响力非凡的人物，她有成功事业和一个快乐的家庭。

　　She leads a dream life that a million girls would kill for. Yes, she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. But she got where she is by herself. There’s always going to be articles that say people born into wealthy families are better looking and have a better family background than you, but these people do work harder than you.

　　她过着上百万女孩极度渴望的梦幻般的生活。是的，她是含着银汤匙出生的。但是她是靠自己才取得现在的成就的。总是有一些文章说那些出生在富贵之家的人要长得比你好看、有更好家庭背景，但是这些人工作也要比你更加努力一些。

　　Are you a loser if you were raised in an ordinary family? Should you feel guilty that you sleep eight hours a day because Ivanka sleeps five? If you just want to keep a stable nine-to-five job, does it mean you are not ambitious? How about if you don’t work out or eat healthy, does that mean you will not find your Mr or Miss Right?

　　如果在一个平民之家长大，你就注定是一个失败者吗?因为伊万卡一天只睡5小时，所以你就该为自己睡了8小时而感到内疚吗?如果你只想维持一份稳定的朝九晚五工作，那就意味着你没有抱负吗?如果你不健身或者饮食不健康，那就意味着你不可能找到自己的真命天子/女吗?

　　There is a tendency in media nowadays to encourage elitism.

　　现在的媒体都有一种鼓励精英主义的倾向。

　　They are trying to brainwash young people into thinking that they should invest an enormous amount of time and money in bodybuilding and appearance enhancement, even plastic surgery. They encourage lifestyle makeovers: wine tasting classes and expensive trips overseas.

　　它们试图说服年轻人认为自己应该投入大量的时间和金钱来拥有漂亮的身材和好看的外貌，甚至是整形手术。它们鼓励生活方式的改变：品酒课和昂贵的海外旅行。

　　They make you believe that if you do as they say, you can improve the quality of your life and join the elites.

　　它们使你相信如果你按照它们说的那样做，你就可以改善自己的生活质量、成为精英。

　　The funny part about user-generated content is that it makes you believe that you have a loser life and that you can change it if you sign up for a French baking course or run at night. But the fact is that going on a wine tasting tour in Tuscany will not make you into a sought after oenophile the next day.

　　用户生成内容中滑稽的一点是，它让你相信自己正过着一种失败者的生活，但是你可以通过注册一个法国烘焙课程、或者参加夜跑来改变。但是事实是，托斯卡纳的品酒之旅并不会让你将来追求成为品酒大师。

　　First, they tear you down. They make you doubt your life choices; then they sell you quick fix ideas that can help you get rid of being mediocre.

　　首先，他们将你贬低得一无是处。他们让你怀疑自己的生活选择;然后他们卖给你可以帮你摆脱平庸的快速修复办法。

　　But what’s the downside of being mediocre? Do you really need to go to the gym five days a week unless you are a gym maniac? Do you need to take hundreds of selfies and Photoshop the selected ones to post on WeChat? Do you really need to break your neck and sacrifice to earn your first pot of gold only to worry constantly about how to blend into high society later?

　　但是平庸有什么坏处呢?除非你是一个健身狂魔，否则你真的有必要一周去5天健身房吗?你有必要拍几百张自拍，然后挑选一些P过后发到微信上去吗?你真的有必要挤破脑袋、牺牲赚取第一桶金的时机，只为时常担心以后如何融入上流社会吗?

　　Don’t let the idea of elitism get to you. Everybody has a right to the life they want. Human beings should not be judged as a success or failure based on whether they are a part of the elite or not. As long as you lead a happy and comfortable life, why bother to chase after other people’s shadows? Choose your own life path and go for it.

　　不要成为精英主义思想的俘虏。每个人都有过自己想要生活的权利。人类成功或失败，不应该由他是否是一名精英来评判。只要你过着快乐而舒适的生活，为什么要徒添烦恼去追逐别人的影子呢?选择你自己的道路并坚持走下去吧!

来源：环球时报

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