原文赏析

After inheriting and expanding his father's banking empire J.P. Morgan is now among the most powerful man in the nation.
在继承并扩展了他父亲的银行帝国之后 J·P·摩根成了又一位全国最有权势的人
His influence over the country is matched by only two other men.
他在全国的影响力只有另外两人可以与之抗衡
Andrew Carnegie and John D Rockefeller have been rivals for decades and that competition has driven both men to incredible heights.
也就是安德鲁·卡内基与约翰·D·洛克菲勒 他们两人是几十年的老对手了 这种竞争也将两人推到了令人难以置信的高度
At the peak of their power, J.P. Morgan,John Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie are worth the modern equivalent of over $one trillion dollars combined.
在他们的权力鼎盛时期 J·P·摩根 约翰·洛克菲勒和安德鲁·卡内基 三人财富价值的总和相当于现代的一万亿美元以上
More than the entire net worth of the 40 richest people alive today.
比当今活着的40个最富有的人身家总和还要高
The wealth, then, was like royalty.
当时那些富人就像王室成员一样
It was just a different thing.
只是叫法不同
They literally controlled the country.
他们几乎控制了整个国家
When you're talking about a guy like Rockefeller,who was literally 1% of the economy,it's stunning to think about that.
洛克菲勒他一个人就整整占了国民经济的1％ 想起来都不可思议
It is almost incomprehensible.
简直难以想象
But while Carnegie,Rockefeller and Morgan continue to get richer,others are struggling to get by.
虽然卡内基 洛克菲勒和摩根越来越富有 别人却在挣扎度日
The gap between the rich and the poor is as big as it's ever been.
富人与穷人之间的差距达到了前所未有的地步
Over 19% of Americans survive on less than 100$ dollars per month, while the average worker earns barely a dollar a day-- well below the poverty line.
超过19％的美国人生活开销少于100美元每月 普通工人每天的收入不到一美元 远远低于贫困线
Working conditions in factories across the country are almost unbearable.
整个国家的工厂的工作条件简直让人无法忍受
In a single year, one out of every eleven steel workers will die while on the job.
一年里 每十一个钢铁工人中就有一个会在工作时死掉
As the country approaches the 1896 Presidential election, America's poor are desperate and without hope.
在一八九六年总统大选前期 美国的穷人看不到希望

视频资料
视频资料:
洛克菲勒、范德比尔特、卡内基、阿斯托、福特和摩根，他们的名字几乎是美国梦的近义词，也代表着美国梦的历史。他们转变了他们所接触的每个行业：石油、铁路、钢铁、船运、汽车，还有金融。他们的付出改变了一个国家。出身贫寒，他们却多次涉足总统选举，设立经济政策，影响他们那个年代——内战到大萧条时期。他们，被称为造就美国的人。

重点讲解

讲解：
inherit (sth) (from sb)
继承(金钱、财产等):
She inherited a fortune from her father.
她从她父亲那里继承了一大笔财富。

sb/sth's approach
(距离和时间上的)靠近,接近:
She hadn't heard his approach and jumped as the door opened.
她没有听见他走近的声音,所以门开时吓了一跳。

drive sth
激励；促进；推进:
This is the main factor driving investment in the area.
这是推动在这个地区投资的主要因素。

get by (on / in / with sth)
(靠…)维持生计,设法过活,勉强应付:
How does she get by on such a small salary?
她靠这点微薄的工资怎么过活？

be in desperate
绝望的；孤注一掷的；铤而走险的:
She clung to the edge in a desperate attempt to save herself.
为了活命,她拚命抓住边缘。

be worth+数额
拥有…价值的财产:
He's worth ￡10 million.
他拥有 1 000 万英镑的财产。

comprehensible (to sb)
可理解的；能懂的:
The book is easily / readily comprehensible to the average reader.
这本书一般读者容易懂的。