The United States ofAmerica Unit10 Social Problems in the United States(美国的社会间题) 一、本单元重点内容 L.racial problems(种族间愿) 2.inequality in Americans0ciey(美国社会中的不平等 3.discrimination against创aks(对黑人的歧) 4.the black气nderclass'”最低层"累人) 5.p0wert少y8as0 cial problem(其穷这一社会间思) 6. drug abuse and social cos本of drug abuse(凿用毒品以及杜会为此而付出的代价) 7.crime(犯罪) ·the profile of a typical criminall and racial prejudice in the high rate of arrests(集型的罪犯形 象。以及对高钩浦率人群的种族偏见) ·white-collar crime(白镶犯罪) &.the abuse of power by government and corporations(政将和公司的灌用职权) 二、本单元重、难点辅导 L.racial problems(种装同题) Americans are primarily a nation of immigrants who or whose ancestors came from many parts of the oc.Rcas0s1）s0 me as refugees from reli厚i0 sand political persecution(选程资教和政治迫害的难 民大2)some as adventurers from the Old World seeking a bette:I道e从旧大陆米寻求好生活的冒险家 3).ome as captives brought to American against their own will to be sold into slavery(有一些则是被抓获 后违背他们的意愿运到美国，被出卖为奴隶) Though people all share a common American culture,the nation contains many racial and ethnic subcultures with their own dis似inctive characteris以es.(虽然人们有共同的美国文化，但美利竖民挨包含 了许多种族和少数民族的亚文化群).These differences have contributed to iait that have been a persistent social problem to American society.(这些差异造成了在美国社会长期存在的种族冲突) 2.inequality in American s0ciey(黄国牡会中的不平等 The U.S.was founded on the principle of human equality,but in practice American society is a aife过（有等级的）cne,in which power,vealth,and prestige are unequal业dis出buted among the popullation It is divided into social classes that have varying degrees of access to the reward the socicty offers.For example.the richest fifth of American individuals and families owns more than three-qurters of the wealth in the U.S..whereas the lowest fifth owns only 02%of the wealth.The richest fifth of American families receives over 40%of the nationall income,whereas the poorest fifth receives only 5.2%. 3.diserimination against blacks(对暴人的效混 1
The United States of America 1 Unit 10 Social Problems in the United States (美国的社会问题) 一、本单元重点内容 1. racial problems (种族问题) 2. inequality in American society (美国社会中的不平等) 3. discrimination against blacks (对黑人的歧视) 4. the black “underclass” (“最低层”黑人) 5. poverty as a social problem (贫穷这一社会问题) 6. drug abuse and social costs of drug abuse (滥用毒品以及社会为此而付出的代价) 7. crime (犯罪) ⚫ the profile of a typical criminal and racial prejudice in the high rate of arrests (典型的罪犯形 象，以及对高拘捕率人群的种族偏见) ⚫ white-collar crime (白领犯罪) 8. the abuse of power by government and corporations (政府和公司的滥用职权) 二、本单元重、难点辅导 1. racial problems (种族问题) Americans are primarily a nation of immigrants, who or whose ancestors came from many parts of the globe. Reasons: 1) some as refugees from religious and political persecution (逃避宗教和政治迫害的难 民); 2) some as adventurers from the Old World seeking a better life(从旧大陆来寻求好生活的冒险家); 3). some as captives brought to American against their own will to be sold into slavery (有一些则是被抓获 后违背他们的意愿运到美国，被出卖为奴隶） Though people all share a common American culture, the nation contains many racial and ethnic subcultures with their own distinctive characteristics. (虽然人们有共同的美国文化，但美利坚民族包含 了许多种族和少数民族的亚文化群)。These differences have contributed to racial conflicts that have been a persistent social problem to American society.（这些差异造成了在美国社会长期存在的种族冲突） 2. inequality in American society (美国社会中的不平等) The U.S. was founded on the principle of human equality, but in practice American society is a stratified (有等级的) one, in which power, wealth, and prestige are unequally distributed among the population. It is divided into social classes that have varying degrees of access to the reward the society offers. For example, the richest fifth of American individuals and families owns more than three-quarters of the wealth in the U.S., whereas the lowest fifth owns only 0.2% of the wealth. The richest fifth of American families receives over 40% of the national income, whereas the poorest fifth receives only 5.2%. 3. discrimination against blacks (对黑人的歧视)
The United States of America In American society.amy group other than the dominant white Anglo-Saxon Protestant majority is a minority group The largest of the racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S.is the blacks who make up about 11.7%of the population.The myth of their racial inferiority was propagated as a justification for their ontinued subjugstion(所谓黑人种族低劣的神话被广泛传播，并以此作为水进复役黑人的借口) The Northern states had all outlawed (slavery by 1830,but in the Southern states,it was ended by the Civil War Lincoln's emancipation of slaves in 1863(ls年林肯额布的《解放黑奴宣言》)and the 13护Amendment0 the Constitution in1865(1865年美国通过的第13条光法修正案》 But after the abolition of slavery,many staes passed segregation()laws to keep the races apart in schools.housing restaurants and public facilities,and institutionalized discrimiration kept blacks in the lome时paid jobs(制度化的种族歧祝使黑人具能干一些收入最低的工作.) 4,the black“underclass”~最低层"黑人) The majority of the blacks today have failed to share in the general gains)of progress made recently.The urban ghettos(里人聚居区)now coetain a permanently(水存地.不变地)impowerished(其 穷的underclass”of habitually unemplo∞ed or underemplo吟ed(未充分载业的，大材小用的，半失业的) black people.Mamy of them are young and unskilled They live in cities where the unemployment rate for teerage black workers runs as high as 50%or about times the rate for the American work force as a whole.This"underclass"coud coninue to persist.even in the absence of racial discrimination,in much the same wiy as other pockets of poverty persist-一hat is for reasons of social-class inequlity(这些"最低 层"黑人将长期存在，就是在没有种族歧视时也不会有什么变化，这种情况和其他贫困地区的一样。 也登是说造成这种状况的是杜会阶级的不平等)_Living in an environment of poverty,decany,cime, drug addiction,joblessness,and hopelessness,this ghetto underclass offers an explosive potential for the future. "After 1960s.many American blacks began to have a new mood (1)Blacks felt that the black community ought to coexist with other groups (2)Blacks felt that"black is beautiful"(3)Blacks felt more and more proud of themselves 5.poverty as a social problem(贫穷这一壮会月题) The U.S is one of the most wealthy countries in the world.Yet over 24 million people or about 10%of the population are living at or below the official poverty line.on incomes that the federal government considers insufficient to meet basic requirement of food.clothing and sheiter.There are millions more. living sightly above the poverty line,whose plight is not much better.Also,the social services in the U.S compare unfavorably with those in moot industrialized societies.Furthermore,the affluent majority seems indifferent to the problems of the poor.This raises some serious moral problems and inevitably creates fierce conflicts of interest and mary political controversies Therefore,poverty in the U.S becomes a social problem. 2
The United States of America 2 In American society, any group other than the dominant white Anglo-Saxon Protestant majority is a minority group. The largest of the racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S. is the blacks who make up about 11.7% of the population. The myth of their racial inferiority was propagated as a justification for their continued subjugation. (所谓黑人种族低劣的神话被广泛传播，并以此作为永远奴役黑人的借口) The Northern states had all outlawed (废除) slavery by 1830, but in the Southern states, it was ended by the Civil War Lincoln’s emancipation of slaves in 1863 (1863 年林肯颁布的《解放黑奴宣言》) and the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865 （1865 年美国通过的第 13 条宪法修正案） But after the abolition of slavery, many states passed segregation(隔离) laws to keep the races apart in schools, housing, restaurants and public facilities, and institutionalized discrimination kept blacks in the lowest-paid jobs.（制度化的种族歧视使黑人只能干一些收入最低的工作。） 4. the black “underclass”(“最低层”黑人) The majority of the blacks today have failed to share in the general gains(收获) of progress made recently. The urban ghettos（黑人聚居区）now contain a permanently（永存地, 不变地）impoverished (贫 穷的)“underclass” of habitually unemployed or underemployed（未充分就业的,大材小用的，半失业的） black people. Many of them are young and unskilled. They live in cities where the unemployment rate for teenage black workers runs as high as 50% or about 8 times the rate for the American work force as a whole. This “underclass” could continue to persist, even in the absence of racial discrimination, in much the same way as other pockets of poverty persist—that is, for reasons of social-class inequality（这些“最低 层”黑人将长期存在，就是在没有种族歧视时也不会有什么变化，这种情况和其他贫困地区的一样。 也就是说造成这种状况的是社会阶级的不平等）. Living in an environment of poverty, decay, crime, drug addiction, joblessness, and hopelessness, this ghetto underclass offers an explosive potential for the future. *After 1960s, many American blacks began to have a new mood (1) Blacks felt that the black community ought to coexist with other groups. (2) Blacks felt that “black is beautiful”. (3) Blacks felt more and more proud of themselves. 5. poverty as a social problem (贫穷这一社会问题) The U.S is one of the most wealthy countries in the world. Yet over 24 million people or about 10% of the population are living at or below the official poverty line, on incomes that the federal government considers insufficient to meet basic requirement of food, clothing, and shelter. There are millions more, living slightly above the poverty line, whose plight is not much better. Also, the social services in the U.S compare unfavorably with those in most industrialized societies. Furthermore, the affluent majority seems indifferent to the problems of the poor. This raises some serious moral problems and inevitably creates fierce conflicts of interest and many political controversies. Therefore, poverty in the U.S becomes a social problem
The United States of America 6.drug abuse and s0 cial costs of drug abuse遗用粤品以及社会为此而付出的代价 Drug abuse in the U.S.has come to be regarded as one of the most challenging social problems facing the nation.The drug issue always excites strong emotions of Americans because drug abuse is perceived as a major threat to American socicty.particularly to its younger members.Drug abuse is a social problem because it has a wide range of social cests For example,drug is closely related with gime,automobile ccidents It has xrous effects on individuals physically and mentally.and the gconomic loses caused by drug abuse are great. 7,crime(犯罪) I)the profile of a typical criminal and racial prejudice in the high rate of arrests(典型的罪犯形 象，以及对高拘捕率人期的种族偏见：According to the reports given b的y the FBI联邦调查局l,hee碳 arrested for crimes are disproportionalely(不成比例的likely to be male young..a member of a racial minority,and a city resident.For example,more blacks are arrested for crime than white people because a higher proportion of the black population is poor or unemployed and there are high correlations between powerty and the types of crime classified by the FBI as mo网serious(联邦调查局划分的最严重的罪行 Also,racial discrimination in the enforcement0f1w(执法中的种族级视)causes more arrests of racia minority people(导致拘捕的人群当中更多的是少数民铁)But if the white-collar crimes are included nd if the authorities are more vigorous in their enforcement(如果权威机构执法力度更)，the profile of a typical criminal would be older,wealthier,whiter and more suburban than suggested by the FBI 2 white-collar crimes(白领阶层的犯罪) White-collar crimes are those committed by higher income groups such as the crimes of fraud () fase advertisingl做假广告人corporate price fixing共同限定/控制市场价格).bribery(行随)， embexzlement(都用公款)，industrial pollution,tax evasion(恤悦漏税）and知oa.Yet the statistics provided by the FBI tend to overlook white-oollar crimes.In fact,white-collar crimes are often ignored by law enforcement agencies Some sociologists argue that the higher classes may actually have a higher rate of crime than the lower classes. Former President Nion said that crime is America's "mumber one enemy".In 1970s.he was imolved in the Watergate scandal.for which he was forced to resign from the presidency &.the abuse of power(道用权) 1)he abuse of power by government(政府遭用职权] People believe that public organizations in the U.S.sometimes work in concert()to advance their own interests rather than those of the people.Government in America is widely distrusted for the lack of arswerability )Americans were comvinced that the Johrson and Nixon administrations were deliberately and systematically lying to the people in the war againet Victnam and in the Watergae scandal. The FBI and the CIA are responsible for thousands of illegal acts All these acts show the abuse of power by government.(e.g①Two of the illegal acts<不法行by the FBI are many burglaries of presumed
The United States of America 3 6. drug abuse and social costs of drug abuse (滥用毒品以及社会为此而付出的代价) Drug abuse in the U.S. has come to be regarded as one of the most challenging social problems facing the nation. The drug issue always excites strong emotions of Americans because drug abuse is perceived as a major threat to American society, particularly to its younger members. Drug abuse is a social problem because it has a wide range of social costs. For example, drug is closely related with crime, automobile accidents. It has serious effects on individuals physically and mentally, and the economic losses caused by drug abuse are great. 7. crime (犯罪) 1) the profile of a typical criminal and racial prejudice in the high rate of arrests (典型的罪犯形 象，以及对高拘捕率人群的种族偏见)： According to the reports given by the FBI 联邦调查局), those arrested for crimes are disproportionately(不成比例的) likely to be male, young, a member of a racial minority, and a city resident. For example, more blacks are arrested for crime than white people because a higher proportion of the black population is poor or unemployed and there are high correlations between poverty and the types of crime classified by the FBI as most serious (联邦调查局划分的最严重的罪行). Also, racial discrimination in the enforcement of law（执法中的种族歧视）causes more arrests of racial minority people (导致拘捕的人群当中更多的是少数民族). But if the white-collar crimes are included and if the authorities are more vigorous in their enforcement (如果权威机构执法力度更强), the profile of a typical criminal would be older, wealthier, whiter and more suburban than suggested by the FBI. 2) white-collar crimes (白领阶层的犯罪) White-collar crimes are those committed by higher income groups such as the crimes of fraud (欺诈), false advertising( 做假广告), corporate price fixing(共同限定/控制市场价格), bribery（行贿）, embezzlement（挪用公款）, industrial pollution, tax evasion（偷税漏税） and so on. Yet the statistics provided by the FBI tend to overlook white-collar crimes. In fact, white-collar crimes are often ignored by law enforcement agencies. Some sociologists argue that the higher classes may actually have a higher rate of crime than the lower classes. * Former President Nixon said that crime is America’s “number one enemy”. In 1970s, he was involved in the Watergate scandal, for which he was forced to resign from the presidency. 8. the abuse of power (滥用职权) 1) the abuse of power by government (政府滥用职权) People believe that public organizations in the U.S. sometimes work in concert(共同) to advance their own interests rather than those of the people. Government in America is widely distrusted for the lack of answerability（负责任）. Americans were convinced that the Johnson and Nixon administrations were deliberately and systematically lying to the people in the war against Vietnam and in the Watergate scandal. The FBI and the CIA are responsible for thousands of illegal acts. All these acts show the abuse of power by government. (e.g. ①Two of the illegal acts by the FBI are: many burglaries of presumed
The United States ofAmerica critics of the administration and widespread illegal wiretapping多次非法商入被认为是数评玫府的人员 家中，广泛地、非法地使用窃听器，②The CIA infiltrated the civil rights and antiwar movements and compiled dossiers【dosiei】on many Americans美国中央情报局漆透到民权和反战运动中，给数以 千计的美国人私，立档案。③The CIA had teste时variety of drugs.including LSD.ogma野people who were unaware that they were being used as guinea pig.and had caused several deaths in the process.CIA 在许多人身上进行各种实验。包括实验可使脑神经素乱的麻醉药LSD.被试验的人白己光全不知道 他们被当成试验品。在实验过程中发生了几起死亡事件。) 2)the ab知se of power by corporations(公司溢用权利 The abuse of power by corporations is shown in the fact that these corporations are concerned with their own profits than with social responsibility.the quality or price of their produets.o the truth of their advertising.They maintain供养)professional lobbyists lobbyist域说客)in Washington to influence public officials bchind the scenes.They argue for legislation to serve their own ends.influence the appointment of officials block reforms they consider undesirable,and often seem to have more sry in the councils of government than the ordinary voter Many Americans believe that"big business"has taken the reins of government auy from Congress and the Administration",and that "government is run hy a few big interest groups looking after themselves." 4
The United States of America 4 critics of the administration and widespread illegal wiretapping.多次非法窃入被认为是批评政府的人员 家中，广泛地、非法地使用窃听器。 ② The CIA infiltrated the civil rights and antiwar movements and compiled dossiers 【`dosiei】on many Americans. 美国中央情报局渗透到民权和反战运动中，给数以 千计的美国人私立档案。③The CIA had tested variety of drugs, including LSD, on many people who were unaware that they were being used as guinea pig, and had caused several deaths in the process. CIA还 在许多人身上进行各种实验，包括实验可使脑神经紊乱的麻醉药 LSD, 被试验的人自己完全不知道 他们被当成试验品。在实验过程中发生了几起死亡事件。) 2) the abuse of power by corporations (公司滥用权利) The abuse of power by corporations is shown in the fact that these corporations are concerned with their own profits than with social responsibility, the quality or price of their products, or the truth of their advertising. They maintain(供养) professional lobbyists lobbyist(说客)in Washington to influence public officials behind the scenes. They argue for legislation to serve their own ends, influence the appointment of officials, block reforms they consider undesirable, and often seem to have more say in the councils of government than the ordinary voter. Many Americans believe that “big business” has taken the reins of government away from Congress and the Administration”, and that “government is run by a few big interest groups looking after themselves