Language Point 1
The Pursuit of Happiness (the Title)
pursuit: n. the process of trying to achieve sth.; the act of chasing sb. or sth.
in order to catch them
The pursuit of profit is the only goal of their company.追求利润是他们公司的惟一目标。
The hounds were in hot pursuit of a fox. 猎犬正在穷追一只狐狸。
Language Point 2
The right to pursue happiness is promised to Americans by the US Constitution, but no one seems quite sure which way happiness runs. (Para.1)
Meaning: The US Constitution protects people's right to happiness, but no one is quite sure where to find appiness.
constitution: n. laws and principles according to which a state is governed
Great Britain has an unwritten constitution, while the United States has a written one. 英国的宪法是不成文的，而美国的宪法是成文的。
Language Point 3
Jonathan Swift conceived of happiness as “the state of being well-deceived”, or of being “a fool among idiots”, for Swift saw society as a land of false goals. (Para.1)
Meaning: Jonathan Swift thought that happiness was a state of being cheated without realizing the fact, or of being a fool among other foolish people, for Swift saw society as a land with false goals or empty dreams that could not be fulfilled.
conceive: v. form the idea of
Who first conceived the idea of filling bags with gas to make ballons? 谁最先想到往袋中充气制成汽球的？
conceive of ...as: think of ...as
Many city residents conceive of rural life as carefree and romantic. 许多城市居民把乡村生活想像成无忧无虑和十分浪漫。
Note: Do not confuse conceive with
perceive:
Conceive means to form or hold an idea. It relies more on subjective thinking and internal factors.
Perceive relies more on objective observation and external factors such as sight or hearing.
Compare:
The ancients conceived of the earth as flat. 古人认为地球是平的。
I perceived that I could not make her change her mind. 我发觉我不能使她改变她的主意。
idiot: n. a foolish or stupid person
No one is born an idiot. 没有天生的傻瓜。
He is such an idiot that when a customer paid for a 3-dollar hamburger with a fiver, he returned the customer 17 dollars. 他是十足的傻瓜，顾客用5美元付3美元的汉堡包，他给顾客找回17美元。
Language Point 4
It is, of course, un-American to think in terms of false goals. (Para.2)
Meaning: Of course, it is un-American to consider empty dreams that cannot be realized.
in terms of: in relation to; with reference to
I'm thinking in terms of moving to a seaside city, as I prefer the moist air there. 我正考虑搬到一个海滨城市去，因为我更喜欢那里湿润的空气。
No form of money has ever proved completely satisfactory in terms of providing a stable measure of value. 在提供稳定的价值单位方面，没有任何货币形式是完全令人满意的。
Language Point 5
We do, however, seem to be dedicated to the idea of buying our way to happiness. (Para.2)
Meaning: However, we do seem to devote our efforts to buy happiness.
dedicate: vt.
1) commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action; devote
He dedicated his life to finding a new medicine. 他为寻找一种新药而奉献了他的一生。
The new President said she would dedicate herself to protecting the rights of the old and the homeless. 新总统说，她将致力于保护老年人与无家可归者的权利。
2) address or inscribe (a book, etc.) to another as a mark of respect or affection
He dedicated his first book to his mother. 他把第一本书献给他母亲。
The expert dedicates his new book to his teacher. 这位专家将新书献给他的老师。
Language Point 6
We shall all have made it to Heaven when we possess enough. (Para.2)
Meaning: When we possess enough, we shall all be very successful.
Language Point 7
And at the same time the forces of American business are hugely dedicated to making us deliberately unhappy. (Para.3)
Meaning: At the same time American business uses all its forces it can to make us unhappy on purpose.
Language Point 8
Advertising is one of our major industries, and advertising exists not to satisfy desires but to create them — and to create them faster than anyone's budget can satisfy them. (Para.3)
Meaning: Advertising is one of our major industries, and it does not work to satisfy but to create our desires — and to create our desires faster than our income can satisfy them.
Language Point 9
For that matter, our whole economy is based on addicting us to greed. (Para.3)
Meaning: As for purchasing desire, our whole economy is built on the basis of making us addicted to greed, or to the desire to buy.
for that matter: so far as that is concerned; as for that
He doesn't trust his partner. For that matter I can't blame him. 他不信任合作伙伴，就这一点说，我不能责怪他。
For that matter，I would burn the mid-night oil to review whatever we have covered this term. 就此而言，我要开夜车复习本学期学过的内容。
addict: vt.（与to 或oneself to连用）devote or give (oneself) habitually or compulsively to
He became addicted to drugs. 他染上了毒瘾。
The children are addicted to computer games. 孩子们对计算机游戏上了瘾。
Language Point 10
We are even told it is our patriotic duty to support the national economy by buying things. (Para.3)
Meaning: We are even told that if we love our country it is our duty to support the national economy by buying things.
patriotic: a. feeling a lot of love, respect, and duty towards one's country
He is a patriotic overseas Chinese. 他是一位爱国华侨。
They had a parade, marching up and down and singing patriotic songs. 他们举行了游行，边游行边唱爱国歌曲。
Language Point 11
Look at any of the magazines that cater to women. (Para.4)
cater: v.
1) (to) try to satisfy the wants or needs of
We should cater to the needs of the customers. 我们应该满足顾客的需求。
Some tabloid newspapers cater to low tastes. 有些小报迎合低级趣味。
2) provide food or entertainment
Besides serving individual customers, we also cater banquets and weddings. 除了为散客服务，我们还承接宴席和婚宴。
Who is catering your daughter's wedding? 谁承办你女儿的婚宴？
Language Point 12
There advertising begins as art and slogans in the front pages and ends as pills and therapy in the back pages. (Para.4)
Meaning: In the magazines catering to women, advertising begins in the front pages as art and slogans to attract people, and in the back pages, it introduces medicine and therapy.
slogan: n. a short phrase expressing a political or advertising message
He won reelection on the campaign slogan “He Kept Us Out of War”. 他以“他让我们免于战争”为竞选口号而赢得连任。
They are beginning to feel that shouting slogans in reaction to pollution is not enough. 他们开始觉得光喊口号来对付污染是不够的。
Language Point 13
This, the sixteen-year-old figure she must display at forty, at fifty, at sixty, and forever. (Para.4)
Meaning: This sixteen-year-old figure is the shape that she must have at the age of forty, fifty, sixty, and forever.
Language Point 14
This is the harness into which Mother must strap herself in order to display that perfect figure. (Para.4)
Meaning: This is the close-fitting undergarment which Mother must wear in order to display her perfect figure.
Language Point 15
This is the cream that restores skin, these are the tablets that melt away fat around the thighs, and these are the pills of perpetual youth. (Para.4)
Meaning: This cream can restore skin to youth, these tablets can reduce fat around the thighs, and these pills can preserve everlasting youth.
tablet: n. a small hard round piece of medicine
A sleeping tablet can make him quiet. 一片安眠药能使他安静。
It was reported half a million fake sleeing tablets had been sold in the previous nine months. 据报导，在过去的9个月售出假安眠药50万片。
thigh: n. the top part of the human leg between the hip and the knee
His thigh was hurt in an accident. 他的大腿在一次事故中受伤了。
She sat there putting the baby on her thigh. 她坐在那里，把婴儿放在大腿上。
perpetual: a. lasting forever or for a long time
The two countries made a treaty of perpetual friendship. 这两个国家签订了永久友好条约。
The widespread use of Singlish is a perpetual worry to the authorities in Singapore. 新加坡式英语的广泛使用成了一个长期困扰新加坡领导人的问题。
Language Point 16
Clearly the happiness-market is not running out of customers,... (Para.5)
Meaning: Clearly there are customers buying happiness in the happiness-market,...
run out of: use up; exhaust the supply of
His contract expires in July, and he is running out of time to prove that it is worth keeping. 他的合同7月到期，要证明自己值得续签合同，他的时间不多了。
He always runs out of his money before payday. 他总是没等到发薪日就把钱用光了。
Language Point 17
Defining the meaning of “happiness” is a perplexing proposition: the best one can do is to try to set some extremes to the idea and then work towards the middle. (Para.6)
Meaning: It is a complex task to define the meaning of “happiness”: the best one can do is to try to set some extreme ways to define happiness and then take the middle road in definition.
perplexing: a. feeling confused with uncertainty or doubt; complicated
We find it a perplexing problem. 我们发现这是个令人费解的问题。
It is perplexing why the family moved to such a cold place. 这家人为什么搬到那么寒冷的地方，真是令人费解。
proposition n. a problem or task; an approved statement in which an opinion or judgment is expressed
Writing a paper is a more difficult proposition. 写论文要更难一些。
How do you think of my proposition? 你认为我的建议怎么样？
Language Point 18
To think of happiness as achieving superiority over others, living in a mansion made of marble, having a ardrobe with hundreds of outfits, will do to set the greedy extreme. (Para.6)
Meaning: It will do to set the greedy extreme by thinking of happiness as achieving advantage over others, living in a large marble house, having a wardrobe with several hundred sets of clothing.
superiority: n.
1) the fact that one person or thing is better than another
The army has superiority over the enemy troops. 这个军队具有对敌军的优势。
Their vast superiority in speed would be easily outweighed by the high running costs. 它们在速度方面的巨大优势很可能会被昂贵的经营开支压倒。
2) a way of thinking oneself better than others
Quite often, his sense of superiority makes him laugh at her opinions. 他的优越感常常会使他嘲笑她的看法。
mansion: n. a large house
This is a brewery magnate's mansion built in 1900. 这是一位酿酒大亨在1900年建造的宅第。
Seated in the dining room at the mansion now, he is right where he seems to want to be. 他现在坐在毫宅的餐厅里，这似乎正是他想要坐的地方。
marble: n. a hard smooth stone, usu. white with dark lines that are not regular in shape, used esp. in architecture and sculpture
There is a long marble counter and tricolor marble floor in the dining hall. 餐厅中有一个长长的大理石柜台和三色大理石地板。
It is a domed marble building, a slightly smaller copy of Washington's Capitol. 这是一个有穹顶的大理石建筑，是华盛顿国会大厦略小一些的翻版。
wardrobe: n. a tall cabinet, closet, or small room built to hold clothes
What shape is your wardrobe? 你的衣柜是什么形状的？
He put his jacket in the wardrobe and sat watching TV. 他把夹克放在衣柜里，然后坐下来看电视。
outfit: n. a set of clothes that are worn together
The football team were wearing orange outfits. 这个足球队的队员穿着清一色的橘黄色运动服。
She bought him a cowboy outfit. 她给他买了一套牛仔服。
Language Point 19
To think of happiness as the joy of a holy man of India will do to set the spiritual extreme. (Para.6)
Meaning: It will do to set the spiritual extreme by thinking of happiness as the joy of a holy man of India.
Language Point 20
He sits completely still, contemplating the nature of reality, free even of his own body. (Para.6)
contemplate: v. think (about) carefully and at length; meditate on or ponder
The young surgeon contemplated the difficult kidney transplant operation. 年青的外科医生为肾移植这一棘手的手术苦思冥想。
We are contemplating a vacation in the US. 我们正考虑去美国度假。
free of : untroubled or unspoilt by; without (sb. or sth. unwanted); safe from
This is a train free of smoking. 这是趟无烟列车。
This is a supplementary course free of charge. 这是一门免费的补充课程。
Language Point 21
What is physical is trivial to him. (Para.6)
Meaning: The physical aspect is not important to him.
trivial: a. of little significance or value
Trivial affairs took up much of her time. 琐事占去了她很多时间。
It's not worth it getting angry over such trivial matters. 为这些琐事生气不值得。
Language Point 22
To contemplate is his joy and he achieves complete mental focus through an incredibly demanding discipline, the accomplishment of which is it¬self a joy to him. (Para.6)
Meaning: It is his joy to think, and he achieves complete mental focus or meditation through a very demanding discipline, and the accomplishment of such mental focus or meditation is itself a joy to him.
Language Point 23
And who will dare say it is more false than happiness paid for through an installment plan? (Para.7)
Meaning: One is happy in meditation into voidness, the other is happy in consuming merchandise by installment paying over a fixed period of time, it is hard to say which happiness is more false.
installment: n. one of a number of successive payments in settlement of a debt
We're paying for the car by monthly installments. 我们按月分期付款购买汽车。
We kept up the installments on the house. 我们为买的房子按时分期付款。
installment plan: a system of payment for goods by which one pays small sums of money regularly after receiving the goods
Americans acquired more private debt with the introduction of credit cards and installment plans. 由于信用卡和分期付款购买法的推行，美国人欠下更多的私人债务。
We are buying a house on installment plan. 我们以分期付款的方式购买房子。
Language Point 24
Although the holy man's concept of happiness may enjoy considerable prestige in the Orient, I doubt the existence of such motionless happi¬ness. (Para.8)
Meaning: Although the holy man's concept of happiness may be rather well-known in the Orient, I doubt if such motionless happi¬ness really exists.
prestige: n. the high reputation and respect that sb. or sth. has earned
The old universities of Oxford and Cambridge still have a lot of prestige. 历史悠久的牛津大学和剑桥大学仍然享有很高的声望。
The company has been developing in a big way and is gaining prestige internationally. 该公司有大幅度的发展，而且正在获得国际声望。
Language Point 25
What is certain is that his way of happiness would be torture to almost anyone of Western temperament. (Para.8)
Meaning: It is certain that his way of happiness would cause severe physical pain to almost anyone of Western character.
temperament : n. a person's nature or basic character, esp. as it influences how they think or behave
She is an actress with a radical temperament. 她是一位性情偏激的演员。
The twins look alike, but they differ in temperament. 这对孪生兄弟长得很像，但性情不同。
Language Point 26
Yet these extremes will still serve to define the area within which all of us must find some sort of balance. (Para.8)
Meaning: Yet these extremes will serve to make out an area, where we have to find some kind of balance in defining our happiness.
Language Point 27
Thoreau had his own firm sense of that balance: save on the petty in order to spend on the essential. (Para.8)
Meaning: Thoreau's own firm sense of that balance is to save energy (or money, time, etc.) by letting go of unimportant things in order to spend his energy (or money, time, etc.) on something basic.
petty: a. of very little importance; trivial
He is only a petty official. 他只是个小官吏。
He was guilty of the petty crimes he once committed. 他为自己曾犯的轻微罪行感到内疚。
Language Point 28
Possession for its own sake or in competition with the rest of the neighborhood would have been Thoreau's idea of the petty. (Para.9)
Meaning: Possession for the sake of possession or possession in competition with the rest of the neighborhood would have been seen by Thoreau as the unimportant things.
for sb.'s/sth.'s sake: for the benefit or good of sb. or sth.; for the purpose of
I am not just doing this for my own sake, you know. 你知道，我做这件事并不是仅仅为了我自己。
The regulation is not just for the protection of the workers, but for the sake of all the people. 该规定不仅仅是为了保护工人，也是为了保护所有人。
in competition with: struggling with (sb.) to win sth. or gain an advantage
We must emphasize that we are not in competition with you. 我们必须强调，我们并不是在和你竞争。
In competition with its rivals, the company won by its quality and service. 在与对手的竞争中，该公司以质量和服务取胜。
Language Point 29
The active discipline of raising one's perception of what is eternal in nature would have been his idea of the essential. (Para.9)
Meaning: The active training to raise one's faculty of perceiving what is eternal in nature would have been his idea of something fundamental.
Language Point 30
Time saved on the petty could be spent on the essential. (Para.9)
Meaning: Time saved from not doing the unimportant things could be spent on the key issues.
Language Point 31
Thoreau certainly didn't intend to starve, but he would put into feeding himself only as much effort as would keep him functioning for more important efforts. (Para.9)
Meaning: Certainly Thoreau didn't want to die of hunger, but he would eat with only as much effort as would keep him performing more important tasks.
Language Point 32
Effort is the essence of it: there is no happiness except as we take on challenges. (Para.10)
Meaning: Effort is the essence of happiness: there is no happiness unless we accept difficult tasks.
Language Point 33
Short of the impossible, the satisfactions we get from a lifetime depend on how high we place our difficulties. (Para.10)
Meaning: Anything is possible, so it depends on how high we place our difficulties to get the satisfactions from a lifetime.
short of: lacking; having an inadequate supply of
Being short of hands we find it hard to complete the task in time. 由于缺少人手，我们发现按时完成任务很困难。
His digital revolution was severely short of financing. 他的数码革命非常缺少资金。
depend on: rely on
Producers in the United States depended on world markets to buy oil, iron and steel. 美国厂商依赖世界市场购买石油和钢铁。
The program's future depended on international cooperation. 这个项目的未来依赖于国际合作。
Language Point 34
The mortal flaw in the advertised version of happiness is in the fact that it claims to be effortless. (Para.10)
Meaning: The most serious problem in the advertised version of happiness is in the fact that it claims to offer effortless happiness.
mortal: a.
1) causing death; fatal
The old man has gotten a mortal disease. 老人患了绝症。
He received a mortal wound in the battle. 他在战斗中受到了致命的创伤。
2) that will die; not living for ever
His heart attack made him realize that he is mortal. 他的心脏病使他认识到，他迟早会死的。
All creatures are mortal. 所有生物都会有一死。
Language Point 35
We demand difficulty even in our diversions. (Para.11)
Meaning: We demand difficulty even in our leisure and entertainment.
diversion: n. an activity that people do for fun
London offers lots of diversions for every type of people. 伦敦为各种人提供许多消遣。
Big cities have lots of cinemas and other diversions. 大城市有许多电影院和其他娱乐活动。
Language Point 36
... but the fun is in winning within the rules. (Para.11)
Meaning: ...but the fun is to win by observing the rules.
Language Point 37
If we could mint our own money, even building a fortune would become boring. (Para.11)
mint: vt.
1) produce (coins, etc.) by stamping metal
Money would be valueless if we could mint it by ourselves. 如果我们自己会造钱，钱就没有什么价值了。
2) invent (a word or phrase, etc.)
The poet minted several words that can't be found in any dictionary. 那位诗人臆造了几个哪本词典中也查不到的词。
Language Point 38
The Western weakness may be in the illusion that happiness can be bought. (Para.12)
Meaning: The Western fault may lie in its false belief that hap¬piness can be bought.
Language Point 39
Perhaps the oriental weakness is in the idea that there is such a thing as perfect happiness. (Para.12)
Meaning: The fault in the Orient may lie in its false belief in perfect happiness.
oriental: a. of or relating to the countries of the Orient or their peoples or cultures; eastern
The findings will be published in June by the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. 研究结果将由芝加哥大学东方学院于6月出版专著。
The dragon, symbol of oriental civilization for 5,000 years, implies the national spirit of China as being profound, powerful and grand. 龙作为东方5,000年文明的象征，暗含着中国深沉、强大和宏伟的民族精神。
Language Point 40
Happiness is never more than partial. (Para.13)
Meaning: Not an end product, happiness is always incomplete in a long process.
Language Point 41
Whatever else happiness may be, it is neither in having nor in being, but in becoming. (Para.13)
Meaning: Whatever else happiness may be, happiness is not in having or in being; happiness is in becoming, a process that you cannot have all at once, but from which you can get motivation, inspiration and satisfaction.
Language Point 42
What the early patriots might have underlined, could they have foreseen the happiness-market, is the cardinal fact that happiness is in the pursuit itself, in the pursuit of what is engaging and life-changing, which is to say, in the idea of becoming. (Para.13)
Meaning: If the early patriots could have seen the happiness-market beforehand, they might have emphasized the basic fact that happiness is in the process of pursuing, engaging and life-changing or becoming.
patriot: n. one who loves, supports, and defends one's country
He was regarded as a great patriot. 他被认为是一位伟大的爱国者。
foresee: vt. see or know (sth.) beforehand
Those who can foresee difficulties on their way to success may keep calm when they actually appear. 能够预见在走向成功的途中可能出现的困难的人，在困难真正出现的时候常常能保持冷静。
She foresaw the troubles ahead and took steps to avoid them. 她预见到了前面的麻烦，并采取措施加以避免。
cardinal: a. most important, chief
This is a matter of cardinal significance. 这是一件非常重要的事。
This is one of the cardinal principles we must adhere to. 这是我们必须遵守的基本原则之一。
Language Point 43
A nation is not measured by what it possesses or wants to possess, but by what it wants to become. (Para.13)
Meaning: Whether a nation is great or not is not measured by its possessions or by what it wants to possess materially, but by what it wants to become.
