Passage 2 Wealth L1340

I. Warm Up

1.1 Vocabulary

Vocabulary　Definition

dispose of

转让；丢弃，除掉；解决

to transfer to the control of another （disposing of personal property to a total stranger）; to get rid of （how to dispose of toxic waste）; to deal with conclusively （disposed of the matter efficiently）

injudicious [ˌɪndʒuˈdɪʃəs]

adj.不明智的，缺乏判断能力的

not judicious;indiscreet, unwise

vanity [ˈvænəti]

n.空虚；无用，无价值

something that is vain, empty, or valueless

impoverish [ɪmˈpɑːvərɪʃ]

v.使贫穷

to make poor

bequeath [bɪˈkwiːð]

v.赠予

to give or leave by will

pecuniary [pɪˈkjuːnieri]

adj.金钱上的

relating to or connected with money

extol [ɪkˈstoʊl]

v.颂扬，赞颂，赞扬

to praise highly

hoard [hɔːrd]

v.储藏，隐藏

a supply or fund stored up and often hidden away

privy [ˈprɪvi]

adj.私人的，秘密的

admitted as one sharing in a secret

sap [sæp]

v.削弱；破坏

to gradually diminish the supply or intensity of

potent [ˈpoʊtnt]

adj.强有力的；有权势的；有影响力的

having or wielding force, authority, or influence

1.2 Background Information

安德鲁·卡内基（Andrew Carnegie，1835~1919）是20世纪初的“世界钢铁大王”。

卡内基认为个人应该通过努力工作来获得发展，但他也强烈地意识到有钱人应该运用他们的财富来为社会谋取福利。他反对施舍救济，愿意提供教育机会，使别人自立。卡内基认为财富不应当传给自己的后代，他常说：“一个人死的时候如果拥有巨额财富，那就是一种耻辱。”卡内基在去世前捐出了巨额的个人财富，他的慈善行为几乎影响到了每个美国人的生活。

1.3 Reading Skills

1.3.1 Skimming

Skim the passage, and answer the following questions.

1. How many modes does the author introduce to distribute wealth?

2. Which mode of wealth distribution wins the author’s support?

1.3.2 Finding the Keywords

There are but three modes in which surplus wealth can be disposed of. It can be left to the families of the decedents; or it can be bequeathed for public purposes; or, finally, it can be administered during their lives by its possessors. Under the first and second modes most of the wealth of the world that has reached the few has hitherto been applied. Let us in turn consider each of these modes. The first is the most injudicious. In monarchical countries, the estates and the greatest portion of the wealth are left to the first son, that the vanity of the parent may be gratified by the thought that his name and title are to descend to succeeding generations unimpaired. The condition of this class in Europe to-day teaches the futility of such hopes or ambitions. The successors have become impoverished through their follies or from the fall in the value of land. Even in Great Britain the strict law of entail has been found inadequate to maintain the status of an hereditary class. Its soil is rapidly passing into the hands of the stranger. Under republican institutions the division of property among the children is much fairer, but the question which forces itself upon thoughtful men in all lands is: Why should men leave great fortunes to their children? If this is done from affection, is it not misguided affection? Observation teaches that, generally speaking, it is not well for the children that they should be so burdened. Neither is it well for the state. Beyond providing for the wife and daughters moderate sources of income, and very moderate allowances indeed, if any, for the sons, men may well hesitate, for it is no longer questionable that great sums bequeathed oftener work more for the injury than for the good of the recipients. Wise men will soon conclude that, for the best interests of the members of their families and of the state, such bequests are an improper use of their means.

It is not suggested that men who have failed to educate their sons to earn a livelihood shall cast them adrift in poverty. If any man has seen fit to rear his sons with a view to their living idle lives, or, what is highly commendable, has instilled in them the sentiment that they are in a position to labor for public ends without reference to pecuniary considerations, then, of course,the duty of the parent is to see that such are provided for. There are instances of millionaires’ sons unspoiled by wealth, who, being rich, still perform great services in the community. Such are the very salt of the earth, as valuable as, unfortunately, they are rare; still it is not the exception, but the rule, that men must regard, and, looking at the usual result of enormous sums conferred upon legatees, the thoughtful man must shortly say, “I would as soon leave to my son a curse as the almighty dollar,” and admit to himself that it is not the welfare of the children, but family pride, which inspires these enormous legacies.

As to the second mode, that of leaving wealth at death for public uses, it may be said that this is only a means for the disposal of wealth, provided a man is content to wait until he is dead before it becomes of much good in the world. Knowledge of the results of legacies bequeathed is not calculated to inspire the brightest hopes of much posthumous good being accomplished. The cases are not few in which the real object sought by the testator is not attained, nor are they few in which his real wishes are thwarted. In many cases the bequests are so used as to become only monuments of his folly. It is well to remember that it requires the exercise of not less ability than that which acquired the wealth to use it so as to be really beneficial to the community. Besides this, it may fairly be said that no man is to be extolled for doing what he cannot help doing, nor is he to be thanked by the community to which he only leaves wealth at death. Men who leave vast sums in this way may fairly be thought men who would not have left it at all, had they been able to take it with them. The memories of such cannot be held in grateful remembrance, for there is no grace in their gifts. It is not to be wondered at that such bequests seem so generally to lack the blessing.

The growing disposition to tax more and more heavily large estates left at death is a cheering indication of the growth of a salutary change in public opinion. The State of Pennsylvania now takes—subject to some exceptions—one-tenth of the property left by its citizens. The budget presented in the British Parliament the other day proposes to increase the death-duties ; and,most significant of all, the new tax is to be a graduated one. Of all forms of taxation, this seems the wisest. Men who continue hoarding great sums all their lives, the proper use of which for—public ends would work good to the community, should be made to feel that the community, in the form of the state, cannot thus be deprived of its proper share. By taxing estates heavily at death the state marks its condemnation of the selfish millionaire’s unworthy life.

It is desirable that nations should go much further in this direction. Indeed, it is difficult to set bounds to the share of a rich man’s estate which should go at his death to the public through the agency of the state, and by all means such taxes should be graduated, beginning at nothing upon moderate sums to dependents, and increasing rapidly as the amounts swell, until of the millionaire’s hoard, as of Shylock’s, at least

“_____ The other half

Comes to the privy coffer of the state.”

This policy would work powerfully to induce the rich man to attend to the administration of wealth during his life, which is the end that society should always have in view, as being that by far most fruitful for the people. Nor need it be feared that this policy would sap the root of enterprise and render men less anxious to accumulate, for to the class whose ambition it is to leave great fortunes and be talked about after their death, it will attract even more attention, and, indeed, be a somewhat nobler ambition to have enormous sums paid over to the state from their fortunes.

There remains, then, only one mode of using great fortunes; but in this we have the true antidote for the temporary unequal distribution of wealth, the reconciliation of the rich and the poor—a reign of harmony—another ideal, differing, indeed, from that of the Communist in requiring only the further evolution of existing conditions, not the total overthrow of our civilization. It is founded upon the present most intense individualism, and the race is projected to put it in practice by degree whenever it pleases. Under its sway we shall have an ideal state, in which the surplus wealth of the few will become, in the best sense the property of the many, because administered for the common good, and this wealth, passing through the hands of the few, can be made a much more potent force for the elevation of our race than if it had been distributed in small sums to the people themselves. Even the poorest can be made to see this, and to agree that great sums gathered by some of their fellow-citizens and spent for public purposes, from which the masses reap the principal benefit, are more valuable to them than if scattered among them through the course of many years in trifling amounts.

II. Text Structure

Reread the text and answer the questions in regard to the outline of the passage.

III. Argument Analysis

Paragraph 1 & 2

The author introduces a general statement in the first paragraph, what is it? And the author also makes his first claim on wealth distribution, what is it? How does the author employ reasons, evidence in terms of data, examples, or counterexamples to substantiate his claim? Does the author anticipate possible objection? If he does, does he provide a counterargument to the objection?

Paragraph 3 & 4

The author makes his second claim on wealth distribution here, what is it? How does the author employ reasons, evidence in terms of data, examples, or counterexamples to substantiate his claim? Does the author anticipate possible objection? If he does, does he provide a counterargument to the objection?

Paragraph 6

In this paragraph, the author also makes his third claim on wealth distribution, what is it? How does the author employ reasons, evidence in terms of data, examples, or counterexamples to substantiate his claim? Does the author anticipate possible objection? If he does, does he provide a counterargument to the objection?

Paragraph 7

The author draws a conclusion on wealth distribution in this paragraph, what is it? How does the author employ reasons, evidence in terms of data, examples, or counterexamples to substantiate his claim? Does the author anticipate possible objection? If he does, does he provide a counterargument to the objection?

IV. Rhetorical Analysis

Read the sample exercise, complete the rhetorical analysis and translate the sentences below.

Sample

There are instances of millionaires’sons unspoiled by wealth, who, being rich, still perform great services in the community. Such are the very salt of the earth, as valuable as, unfortunately, they are rare;

修辞 metaphor

分析 The author compares the instance that millionaires’ sons unspoiled by wealth to salt. Salt is with figurative meaning “precious.”

翻译 有很多百万富翁的孩子并没有被财富宠坏的例子，这些人虽然很富有，但仍然在社区中提供了很好的服务。不幸的是，此种例子极其珍贵，但也极其稀有。

Nor need it be feared that this policy would sap the root of enterprise and render men less anxious to accumulate, for to the class whose ambition it is to leave great fortunes and be talked about after their death, it will attract even more attention, and, indeed, be a somewhat nobler ambition to have enormous sums paid over to the state from their fortunes.

V. Language and Style

5.1 Language Focus

5.1.1 Parenthetical Expressions 插入语

Parenthetical expressions offer comments, explanations, digressions, or other supplementary information nonessential to meaning. These expressions are usually set off by commas, dashes or parentheses.

插入语提供评论、解释、转移话题或提供其他补充性的信息，这些内容不会对整体意思造成影响。在句中，通常用逗号、破折号或括号隔开插入语。

Principal Use of the Parenthetical Expressions 主要用法

Parenthetical expressions can be set off by commas, dashes or parentheses

用逗号、破折号和括号隔开插入语

例句 If any man has seen fit to rear his sons with a view to their living idle lives, or, what is highly commendable, has instilled in them the sentiment that they are in a position to labor for public ends without reference to pecuniary considerations, then, of course, the duty of the parent is to see that such are provided for.

分析 插入语可以是一个词组，也可以是一个分句。

翻译 如果有人认为养儿育女是要让他们过上安逸的生活，更让人钦佩的是，要把不为私利服务社群的观念灌输给子女，当然，父母的责任便是如此。

例句 Indeed, it is difficult to set bounds to the share of a rich man’s estate which should go at his death to the public through the agency of the state, and by all means such taxes should be graduated, beginning at nothing upon moderate sums to dependents, and increasing rapidly as the amounts swell, until of the millionaire’s hoard, as of Shylock’s, at least.

分析 插入语可以在句首，也可以在句子内部。插入语可以是一个单词，也可以是一个词组。

翻译 的确，很难以说富人就有责任在死后把财富交给国家，当然，向富人征税，税率也务必根据富人的收入递增。

例句 A relapse to old conditions would be disastrous to both—not the least so to him who serves—and would sweep away civilization with it.

分析 可以用破折号隔开插入语，但此时作者的意图是强调插入语部分。

翻译 回归到原始状态，对彼此都具有灾难性的影响，不仅仅是对于富人而言，因为回归到原始状态也会将文明也一同席卷而走。

例句 Unlike personal or private knowledge （such as the health of one’s friends and family; the conduct of a private hobby; a secret liaison）, public knowledge increases in value as it is shared by more people.

分析 可以用括号隔开插入语，此时插入语的目的为解释说明。

翻译 跟私人信息不同的是（例如个人或者家庭健康，个人行为兴趣，或者秘密关系），公共知识越多人知道，价值便越高。

Parenthetical expressions vs. Appositives

插入语与同位语的辨析

An appositive is a noun or noun substitute that renames another noun just before it.

同位语是一个名词或名词词组，作用是对之前的名词进行解释说明。

Note：虽然同位语和插入语都起补充说明或修饰的作用，但同位语一定要是名词形式，紧跟其所修饰的名词，且在名词的格上也要一致。此外，限定性的同位语不需要用逗号隔开。

例句 In the late 1880s, clothing store owner Levi Strauss patented the practice of putting rivets, tiny metal studs, on the stress points of men’s “waist overalls.”

分析 Levi Strauss是Clothing store owner的限定性同位语，因此不需要用逗号隔开。Tiny metal studs是rivets的同位语，起解释说明作用。

翻译 在1880年代后期，服装店店主Levi Strauss，把在男性工装裤的应力点上钉上铆钉一举，即小的金属饰扣，申请了专利。

Parenthetical Drills

Choose the best replacement for the underlined part in each of the following sentences.

1. Men who attended the local nursing school founded a hospital to provide care for the sick during the tuberculosis epidemic and cared for wounded soldiers in countless wars throughout history.

A. founded a hospital to provide care for the sick during the tuberculosis epidemic

B. , founded a hospital to provide care for the sick during the tuberculosis epidemic;

C. ; founded a hospital to provide care for the sick during the tuberculosis epidemic,

D. , founded a hospital to provide care for the sick during the tuberculosis epidemic,

2. It was named Treasure Island as a tribute to California’s Gold Rush—the economic venture, that had allowed the state to succeed early in its history.

A. Rush—the economic venture, B. Rush—the economic venture

C. Rush; the economic venture, D. Rush; the economic venture

3. His photos of Huskies have gained him international acclaim and made his pets, the best-known dogs, since Lucky and Sunshine.

A. pets, the best-known dogs, B. pets the best-known dogs

C. pets; the best-known dogs D. pets the best-known dogs,

4. Allen Jones, famous for his romantic stories, uses a pen name when writing fictions.

A. Jones, famous for his romantic stories,

B. Jones famous for his romantic stories,

C. Jones famous for his romantic stories

D. Jones, famous for his romantic stories

5. During her sophomore year, Lil Wharton, Washington University’s track coach, noticed Sharon’s potential as a printer.

A. year, Lil Wharton, B. year, Lil Wharton—

C. year, Lil Wharton D. year Lil Wharton

5.1.2 Dash 破折号

Dash indicates added emphasis, an interruption, or an abrupt change of thought.

破折号表示强调、插入或者话题的突然转变。

Principal Uses of the Dash主要用法

Using a dash or dashes to indicate shifts （in thought, speech or tone） and hesitations

使用破折号表示转折或犹豫

例句 Clearly, there were some concerns amongst focus group participants about the veracity of particular news stories—but these were not common.

分析 此处破折号表示转折。

翻译 显然，一些重点研究群体的成员们对某些新闻的真实性表示担忧——但这种担忧并不是普遍的。

Using a dash to set off or emphasize nonessential elements

使用破折号隔开或强调非限定成分

例句 The question then arises,—and, if the foregoing be correct, it is the only question with which we have to deal, —What is the proper mode of administering wealth after the laws upon which civilization is founded have thrown it into the hands of the few?

分析 此处两个破折号之间为非限定成分，作用与插入语相同。

翻译 问题出现了，如果之前的论述是正确的话，那我们只需要解决一个问题，那便是，什么才是依法管理小部分人财产的合理模式呢？

Using a dash to set off introductory and concluding elements

使用破折号隔开主句与引入成分和总结性成分

例句 One who studies this subject will soon be brought face to face with the conclusion that upon the sacredness of property civilization itself depends—the right of the laborer to his hundred dollars in the savings bank, and equally the legal right of the millionaire to his millions.

分析 此处破折号为总结列举的作用。

翻译 研究这个议题的人们很快便要面对这一结论，财产神圣不可侵犯便是基于这一结论，即劳动者对其银行财产具有所有权，同样，百万富翁对其财产，具有平等的所有权。

例句 The date of an election and the claims of rival candidates; the causes and consequences of an environmental disaster; a debate about how to frame a particular law; the latest reports from a war zone—these are all examples of public knowledge that people are generally expected to know in order to be considered informed citizens.

分析 此处破折号为隔开引入列举部分与主句的作用。

翻译 大选之日以及选举竞争对手的言辞；环境灾难的因与果；制定法律的辩论；来自战争区域的最新报道，这些都是被认为是见多识广的公民所必备公共知识的例子。

Dash Drills

Choose the best replacement for the underlined part in each of the following sentences.

1. Though Hills died in 2004, his legacy: the Ballet Folkloric—lives on, as an outstanding dance company.

A. legacy:

B. legacy,

C. legacy—

D. legacy

2. From the Sung dynasty to the Ming dynasty, wood carvings assumed various forms—as penholders, window frames, and other things as well, as ornamental forms such as hairpins and pendants.

A. forms—as penholders, window frames, and other things as well,

B. forms—as penholders, window frames, and other things—as well

C. forms; as penholders, window frames, and other things, as well

D. forms; as penholders, window frames, and other things—as well

3. However, it was when I began singing the song to myself; that I felt the true value of the music.

A. myself;

B. myself—

C. myself

D. myself,

4. The beginnings of the country’s unique music—the music made well-known around the world by singer-songwriter Bill Mane—remain somewhat mysterious.

A. singer-songwriter Bill Mane—

B. singer-songwriter Bill Mane,

C. singer-songwriter Bill Mane

D. singer-songwriter, Bill Mane,

5. Thus, a final review is essentially: a tool for remembering.

A. essentially: a tool

B. essentially—a tool

C. essentially a tool

D. essentially, a tool

5.2 Language Analysis

Read the sample exercise, complete the language analysis and translate the following sentences.

Sample

Beyond providing for the wife and daughters moderate sources of income, and very moderate allowances indeed, if any, for the sons, men may well hesitate, for it is no longer questionable that great sums bequeathed oftener work more for the injury than for the good of the recipients.

语法标签 原因状语从句，倒装，插入语

分析 调整语序为：Men may well hesitate beyond providing for the wife and daughters moderate sources of income and very moderate allowance, if any, for the sons, for it is no longer questionable that great sums bequeathed oftener work more for the injury than for the good of the recipients.

翻译 人也许会对除了给予子女适量的收入以及零花钱之外的遗赠产生犹豫，因为毫无疑问的是，巨额遗赠给受益人带来更多的伤害而非好处。

1. If any man has seen fit to rear his sons with a view to their living idle lives, or, what is highly commendable, has instilled in them the sentiment that they are in a position to labor for public ends without reference to pecuniary considerations, then, of course, the duty of the parent is to see that such are provided for.

2. Such are the very salt of the earth, as valuable as, unfortunately, they are rare; still it is not the exception but the rule that men must regard, and, looking at the usual result of enormous sums conferred upon legatees, the thoughtful man must shortly say, “I would as soon leave to my son a curse as the almighty dollar,” and admit to himself that it is not the welfare of the children but family pride which inspires these enormous legacies.

3. Men, who continue hoarding great sums all their lives, the proper use of which—for public ends would work well to the community, should be made to feel that the community, in the form of the state, cannot thus be deprived of its proper share.

4. There remains, then, only one mode of using great fortunes; but in this we have the true antidote for the temporary unequal distribution of wealth, the reconciliation of the rich and the poor—a reign of harmony—another ideal, differing, indeed, from that of the Communist in requiring only the further evolution of existing conditions, not the total overthrow of our civilization.

5.3 Style and Tone

Style: formal and punctilious

The author makes uses of formal and strong words as well as various evidence throughout the passage, such as 　1　 and 　2　 in paragraph 1, as well as 　3　 and 　4　 in paragraph 4. Meanwhile, the author is punctilious towards the organization of ideas. He presents 3 modes of wealth distribution in paragraph 　5　 , continues to refute the first mode in paragraphs 　6　 and 　7　 , disproves the second mode in paragraphs 　8　 and 　9　 and finally draws the conclusion that the third mode is the most desirable way of wealth distribution.

Tone: vehement

The author holds a vehement tone in his attacks on the 　10　 and 　11　 mode of wealth distribution, and an emphatic tone in his analysis of the 　12　 mode.

VI. Exercises

6.1 Vocabulary

Matching

Match the words with their synonyms.

______1. Potent　　A. Private

______2. Extol　　B. Money

______3. Pecuniary　　C. Powerful

______4. Privy　　D. Deal with

______5. Impoverished　　E. Praise

______6. Dispose　　F. Poor

6.2 Text Comprehension

Short Answers

Reread the passage and find the correct answers to the following questions.

1. Why does the author claim the first mode of wealth distribution the most injudicious?

2. Why does the author claim that the second mode fails to achieve its purpose?

3. Why does the author claim the third mode the best choice to distribute property?