美国首都贫富不均情况加重
?美国首都独立研究机构华盛顿特区财政政策研究院（DC Fiscal Policy Institute）于7月22日公布的一份其最新的研究报告显示，华盛顿特区的贫富差距居全美40个大都会区之冠，20%最富有的家庭其年收入高达$186,830美元，是20%最贫穷家庭年收入（仅$6,126美元）的31倍。虽然亚大兰大和迈阿密两市的贫富差距与华盛顿相当，但其贫富不均的情况却不如华盛顿明显。
报告指出，华盛顿特区贫富差距逐渐加大主要是发生在90年代。在过去十年中，20%最富有的家庭其年收入增长了36倍，而20%最贫穷家庭的年收入仅仅增加了3倍。
“我认为中高收入家庭过分集中在特区的情况仍然会持续下去，在未来十年内贫富鸿沟恐怕难以拉近，”布鲁金斯学院（Brookigns Institution）专攻大华盛顿地区经济和社会形势的高级研究员大卫·盖立森（Daivd Garrison）对《华盛顿观察》周刊说道。
?这份报告将华盛顿特区的贫富鸿沟归咎于当地特殊的工作机会。而这些工作往往会吸引高收入家庭搬到此地。特别是华盛顿也是美国联邦政府的所在地，而联邦政府和与政府相关的行业，如院外游说团体和政府合约承包商等等，不断提供高薪工作，也使得华府的高收入家庭有不断增加的趋势。举例来说，一个单身的年轻专业人士从法学院毕业后，在华府的律师事务所服务第一年的年收入可高达$100,000美元。
?“此外，华盛顿特区也提供高品质的住宅（high-quality housing），这也是为什么高薪家庭选择在华府居住的主因之一，”盖立森分析道，“而一般中低收入家庭，在有余力的情况下，为了孩子能够上较好的学校而选择搬离华盛顿特区，移至分布于马里兰州和弗吉尼亚州的住宅区。”
?“在高收入家庭不断迁移到特区、中低阶层的家庭移出，而最贫穷的家庭又面临无处，也无力可搬的窘境时，就造成我们现在看到的，贫富悬殊的华盛顿特区，”盖立森对《华盛顿观察》周刊说到。
盖立森此处所指的华盛顿特区指的是约有56万人口的都市（District of Columbia）本身，不包括整个华盛顿大都会区（Greater Washington Metro Area），“整个华盛顿大都会区人口高达500万人，但低收入户却只往华盛顿特区集中，”他特别解释道。
?“不论我们如何努力吸引商家到华盛顿特区投资，华府有一部分的低收入家庭就是无法从中受惠，没有办法得到特区独特的高薪工作机会。” 华盛顿市长办公室发言人托尼·布拉克（Tony Bullock）说，“贫富差距的背后许多复杂的原因，是不能在一夕之间就改变的。”他言谈间颇有对特区的贫富悬殊无可奈何之叹。
?盖立森则认为，特区政府的确应该吸引高收入家庭到特区居住，因为这样能够带来更多税收，对市政建设有积极作用。“但同时，特区政府也应该重视穷人的权益，设立好的学校、提供健全的社会福利等等，这些市政措施都能有效地改善特区严重的贫富不均状况。”
?但盖立森对未来贫富差距是否真能拉近不是十分乐观，他尤其对这波经济复苏是不是能帮助到穷人保持怀疑的态度：“布什的减税方案虽然带动了美国这波经济复苏，有工作的人和富人的确享受到不少好处，但对穷人的帮助虽然不能说是完全没有，也只能说是不如富人的获益高，”盖立森分析道，“美国一般的工薪族（working class），也就是那些做初级工作、拿最低工资、老老实实缴税的人，实在没有从布什的减税案得到太大益处。”
盖立森总结说：“美国许多城市并没有享受到美国经济好转所带来的积极价值，但华盛顿特区一直以来受到联邦政府的庇佑，它贫富悬殊的情况仍然如此严重，确实值得深入的研究和检讨。”
森林里住着三只蜥蜴，觉得自己的身体和周围的环境大不相同，没有安全感。其中一只说：“这里实在太不安全了，得想办法改变环境。”说完，这只蜥蜴便开始大干起来。森林之大，要使之改变弹衣物，其中一劾容易。不久，这只蜥蜴便活活累死了。另一只蜥蜴说：“看来想要改变这个地方非我辈能力所及，不如另寻安全的地方。”说完，便爬出了这片森林。只是它还没有找到梦中的乐土，就饿死了。第三只蜥蜴，看了看四周，说：“为什么一定要改变环境，而不改变自己来适应环境呢？”说完，它便借着阳光和阴影，慢慢改变了自己的肤色。于是它渐渐地在树干上隐没了。这只蜥蜴就变成了变色龙，从此在森林里安居繁衍。
蜥蜴：Lizard
变色龙：Chameleon
【参考译文】
There lived three lizards in the forest. They suffered from a sense of insecurity due to their distinctiveness from the surrounding environment. One of them said, “It is really unsafe here. We’ve got to figure out a way to change the surroundings.” Then the lizard set out to work. The forest was too big to be easily changed. Soon the lizard died of hard labor.
Another lizard said, “It seems beyond us lizards to change this place. We might as well look for some other safe place to live in.” And then it crawled out of the forest. However, it was starved to death before getting to its dreamland.
The third lizard looked around and said, “Why not change myself to adapt to the surroundings, rather than the other way round?” Having said so, it gradually changed its skin color via light and shadow, and little by little it immerged on the trunk. Therefore the lizard became a chameleon, happily living and multiplying in the forest ever after.
【第二篇】
美国人认为，向人借钱的是聪明人，借钱给人的是傻瓜。美国政府、企业、普通百姓都以此为准则，使资源丰富的美国成为欠债最多的国家。美国人用明天的钱，使今天楼市一落千丈、通胀加剧。无论是美国政府还是企业和个人，总认为美利坚是世界最富裕的国家，可以为所欲为地借钱、用钱。然而，靠借钱过日子的国家，总不是一个健康的国家。“不用花一分钱可以成为豪宅业主”，终于引发了波及全球的金融危机；靠印钞票来掠取他国资产，会使自己的威信彻底丧失。不负责任的“向人借钱的聪明人”，反被聪明所误，这已成为威胁美国安全的因素之一。【参考译文】
The Americans believe that borrowing money form others is smart, while lending money to others is foolish. The U.S. government, companies and common people all regard this as a guideline, which renders this resourceful nation the most indebted one in the world. With tomorrow’s money, the Americans have undermined today’s housing market and aggravated the inflation. The U.S. government, companies and common people always consider the United States as the wealthiest nation in the world, so that they can borrow and spend as much as they want. However, a nation depending upon borrowing is in no way a healthy nation. One can become the owner of a luxury house without spending a cent, and finally a global financial crisis was brought about. It costs a nation its entire credit to plunder property from other nations by paper-currency printing. A smart guy who borrows irresponsibly is too clever to be wise, and this has become one of the facts threatening the U.S. national security.
维护世界和平，促进共同发展，谋求合作共赢，是各国人民的共同愿望，也是不可抗拒的当今时代潮流。中国高举和平、发展、合作的旗帜，坚持走和平发展道路，与世界各国一道，共同致力于建设一个持久和平、共同繁荣的和谐世界。
中国与世界从未像今天这样紧密相连。中国政府把中国人民的根本利益与各国人民的共同利益结合起来，坚持奉行防御性的国防政策。中国的国防服从和服务于国家发展战略和安全战略，旨在维护国家安全统一，确保实现全面建设小康社会的宏伟目标。中国永远是维护世界和平、安全、稳定的坚定力量。
中国在经济不断发展的基础上推进国防和军队现代化，是适应世界新军事变革发展趋势、维护国家安全和发展利益的需要。中国不会与任何国家进行军备竞赛，不会对任何国家构成军事威胁。新世纪新阶段，中国把科学发展观作为国防和军队建设的重要指导方针，积极推进中国特色军事变革，努力实现国防和军队建设全面协调可持续发展
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