【文章內(nèi)容簡介】 可能做到不因自身經(jīng)歷和文化身份而對這些價(jià)值觀有負(fù)面和貶損的看法。 ? Personal Control over the Environment ? 6. Americans no longer believe in the power of Fate, and they have e to look at people who do as being backward, primitive, or hopelessly naive. To be called “fatalistic” is one of the worst criticisms one can receive in the American context。 to an American, it means one is superstitious and lazy, unwilling to take any initiative in bringing about improvement. 對環(huán)境的自我把握 6. 美國人不再相信命運(yùn)的力量，那些相信此道的人被認(rèn)為是落后、原始和極其幼稚的。在美國語境下，“宿命論者”是對一個(gè)人最糟糕的評價(jià)之一；對美國人來說，這一評價(jià)意味著這個(gè)人迷信、懶惰且不思進(jìn)取。 7. In the United States, people consider it normal and right that Man should control Nature, rather than the other way around. More specifically, people believe every single individual should have control over whatever in the environment might potentially affect him or her. 7. 在美國 , 人們認(rèn)為人定勝天 , 而非受制于自然的觀點(diǎn)既正常又正確。更確切地說，人們相信每個(gè)人都應(yīng)該控制周圍環(huán)境中任何可能影響到自己的因素。 The problems of one?s life are not seen as having resulted from bad luck as much as having e from one?s laziness in pursuing a better life. Furthermore, it is considered normal that anyone should look out for his or her own selfinterests first and foremost. 一個(gè)人在追求美好生活的過程中出現(xiàn)挫折人們不認(rèn)為是因?yàn)檫\(yùn)氣差，而是由自己的懶惰所導(dǎo)致。而且，人們認(rèn)為如果一個(gè)人把追尋個(gè)人利益放在第一位是很正常的。 ? Time and Its Control 8. Time is, for the average American, of utmost importance. To the foreign visitor, Americans seem to be more concerned with getting things acplished on time (according to a predetermined schedule) than they are with developing deep interpersonal relations. Schedules, for the American, are meant to be planned and then followed in the smallest detail. 把握時(shí)間 8. 對普通美國人來說，時(shí)間至關(guān)重要。在外國人看來，美國人似乎更關(guān)注按時(shí)（根據(jù)預(yù)定的日程表）完成任務(wù)而不是發(fā)展深層人際關(guān)系。美國人認(rèn)為，哪怕最小的細(xì)節(jié)也必須在日程安排中列出來并付諸實(shí)施。 9. It may seem to you that most Americans are pletely controlled by the little machines they wear on their wrists, cutting their discussions off abruptly to make it to their next appointment on time. 9. 你或許會覺得美國人完全被戴在手腕上的那個(gè)小玩意所控制著，為了能準(zhǔn)時(shí)赴下一個(gè)約會，他們會突然打斷談話。 10. Americans? language is filled with references to time, giving a clear indication of how much it is valued. Time is something to be “on,” to be “kept,” “filled,” “saved,” “used,” “spent,” “wasted,” “l(fā)ost,” “gained,” “planned,” “given,” “made the most of,” even “killed.” 10. 美國人的語言中充斥著時(shí)間的指示詞，這也暗示出人們對于時(shí)間的重視程度。時(shí)間可以遵守、填補(bǔ)、節(jié)省、利用、度過，浪費(fèi) 、失去、贏得、計(jì)劃、給予，充分利用，甚至可以消磨。 11. The international visitor soon learns that it is considered very rude to be late — even by 10 minutes — for an appointment in the United States. (Whenever it is absolutely impossible to be on time, you should phone ahead and tell the person you have been unavoidably detained and will be a half hour — or whatever — late.) 11. 外國人很快就會發(fā)現(xiàn)，在美國與人約會，即使遲到十分鐘就會被認(rèn)為是很不禮貌的行為。如果實(shí)在無法準(zhǔn)時(shí)到達(dá)，應(yīng)事先打個(gè)電話告訴不得不久等你的人你將遲到半小時(shí)或怎樣。 Equality 12. Equality is, for Americans, one of their most cherished values. This concept is so important for Americans that they have even given it a religious basis. They say all people have been “created equal.” Most Americans believe that God views all humans alike without regard to intelligence, physical condition or economic status. 平等 12. 平等是美國人最珍視的價(jià)值理念之一，美國人也因此而賦予這一理念以宗教基礎(chǔ)。他們說人“生來平等”。大多數(shù)美國人相信上帝會平等地看待每一個(gè)人，而不考慮其智力、體力或經(jīng)濟(jì)方面的差異 。 In secular terms this belief is translated into the assertion that all people have an equal opportunity to succeed in life. Americans differ in opinion about how to make this ideal into a reality. Yet virtually all agree that equality is an important civic and social goal. 通俗地說，這種信仰被解釋為一種信念，即每個(gè)人都有平等獲得成功的機(jī)會。美國人在如何把這種理想轉(zhuǎn)化為現(xiàn)實(shí)的看法方面存在分歧，然而人們一致認(rèn)為平等是公民和社會共同追求的重要目標(biāo)。 13. The equality concept often makes Americans seem strange to foreign visitors. Seveneighths of the world feels quite differently. To them, rank and status and authority are seen as much more desirable considerations — even if they personally happen to find themselves near the bottom of the social order. 13. 這種關(guān)于平等的理念常使外國人感到美國人不可思議。十之八九的外國人并不認(rèn)同這一理念。對他們來說，等級、地位和權(quán)威是人們更加向往的東西，即使他們碰巧發(fā)現(xiàn)自己接近社會次序的底層。 Class and authority seem to give people in those other societies a sense of security and certainty. People outside the United States consider it reassuring to know, from birth, who they are and where they fit into the plex system called “society.” 等級和權(quán)威似乎能給那些其他國家的人一種安全感和確定感。美國以外的人認(rèn)為一個(gè)人從剛一出生就知道自己是誰、屬于被稱之為“社會”的復(fù)雜體系的哪個(gè)階層會讓人感到寬慰。 14. Many highlyplaced foreign visitors to the United States are insulted by the way they are treated by service personnel (such as waiters in restaurants, clerks in stores, taxi drivers, etc.). Americans have an aversion to treating people of high position in a deferential manner, and, conversely often treat lower class people as if they were very important. 14. 很多到美國來的外國權(quán)貴會被美國服務(wù)人員（例如餐廳里的侍者、商店里的店員和出租車司機(jī)）的服務(wù)方式所侮辱。美國人不喜歡以一種恭敬的態(tài)度對待有權(quán)勢的人；相反，那些身份不高的人常常會感到自己在美國很受尊重。 Newers to the United States should realize that no insult or personal indignity is intended by this lack of deference to rank or position in society. A foreigner should be prepared to be considered “just like anybody else” while in the country. 初到美國的人應(yīng)該意識到這種對社會等級或地位的漠然中并不包含侮辱和對個(gè)人的輕蔑。在美國的外國人要做好被當(dāng)做“普通人” 看待的心理準(zhǔn)備。 ? Individualism and Privacy 15. Americans think they are more individualist in their thoughts and actions than, in fact, they are. They resist being thought of as representatives of a homogenous group, whatever the group. 15. 美國人認(rèn)為自己在思想和行動上都是高度個(gè)人主義的。他們抗拒擔(dān)任任何同質(zhì)組織的典型代表。 They may, and do, join groups — in