单选题
Ask most people how they define the American Dream and chances are, they'll say, "Success." The dream of individual opportunity has been home in America since Europeans discovered a "new world" in the Western Hemisphere. Early immigrants like Hector St. Jean de Crevecoeur praised highly the freedom and opportunity to be found in this new land. His glowing descriptions of a classless society where anyone could attain success through honesty and hard work fired the imaginations of many European readers. In letters from an American Farmer (1782) he wrote, "We are all excited at the sprite of an industry which is unfettered and unrestrained, because each person works for himself... We have no princes, for whom we toil, starve, and bleed. We are the most perfect society now existing in the world." The promise of a land where "the rewards of a man's industry follow with equal steps the progress of his labor" drew poor immigrants from Europe and fueled national expansion into the western territories. Our national mythology is full of illustration of the American success story. There's Benjamin Franklin, the very model of the self-educated, self-made man, who rose from modest origins to become a well-known scientist, philosopher, and statesman. In the nineteenth century, Horatio Alger, a writer of fiction for young boys, became America's best-selling author with rags-to-riches tales. The notion of success haunts us—we spend million every year reading about the rich and famous, learning how to" make a fortune in real estate with no money down", and " dressing for success". The myth of success has even invaded our personal relationships—today it's as important to be "successful" in marriage or parenthoods as it is to come out on top in business. But dreams easily turn into nightmares. Every American who hopes to "make it" also knows the fear of failure, because the myth of success inevitably implies comparison between the haves and the have-nots, the stars and the anonymous crowd. Under pressure of the myth, we become indulged in status symbols: we try to live in the "right" neighborhoods, wear the "right" clothes, and eat the "right" foods. These symbols of distinction assure us and others that we believe strongly in the fundamental equality of all, yet strive as hard as we can to separate ourselves from our fellow citizens.
单选题
What is the essence of the American Dream according to Crevecoeur?
单选题
By saying "the rewards of a man's industry follow with equal steps the progress of his labor" (Para. 1), the author means______.
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】解析：释义题。题目问的是作者通过“the rewards of a man’s industry follow with equal steps the progress of his labor”这句话暗示了什么?这句话的字面意思是“一个人的回报与他的劳动步伐相一致”，与A“一个人越勤奋，他得到的回报就越多”相一致。B“勤劳的工作确保了工业的增长”；C“一个人事业要循序渐进地发展”及D“一个企业的成功依赖于它员工们的辛勤工作”都与此句意思不符，故排除。做这类题目一定要结合原文来看。故选A。
单选题
The characters described in Horatio Alger's novels are people who______.
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】解析：细节题。题目问的是Horatio Alger的小说中的主人翁是哪些人?文章第二段第三句“In the nineteenth century，Horatio Alger，a writer of fiction for young boys，became America’s best—selling author with rags—to一riches tales．”中指出他是rags-to—riches小说作家，因此C“贫穷变富裕”正确。A“房地产投资成功”；B“偶然暴富”；D“一般身世变富”都可排除。故选C。
单选题
It can be inferred from the last sentence of the second paragraph that______.