原文赏析

"Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt grew up poor,

贫穷出身的"船长"科尼利厄斯·范德比尔特

but has created a railroad empire,

但建立起了一个铁路帝国

making him the richest man in the country.

这也让他成为了国内最富有的人

At 72, he's thirty years past the average life expectancy,

72岁那年 他已超过平均预期寿命30岁

and his competitors see him as weak.

竞争者们都以为他变弱了

It's a mistake they'll come to regret.

但这是一个他们可能会后悔的错误

Locked in a battle for control of the rail lines east of the Mississippi,

密西西比河以东铁路线控制权的战役开启之后

the Commodore is holding nothing back.

船长毫无保留

I want you to close the Albany Bridge.

我希望你关闭奥尔巴尼桥

We're gonna watch them bleed.

我们将看着他们流血

Vanderbilt controls the only bridge into New York City,

范德比尔特控制着唯一一座进入纽约市的桥梁

America's busiest port.

美国最繁忙的港口

Seizing an opportunity, he sets up a blockade.

找准机会后 他建立起了封锁

This train will not be going any farther!

这辆火车无法继续前行

Shutting the bridge leaves millions of pounds of cargo

封锁桥梁让数以百万磅计的货物

unable to reach the rest of the country,

无法送达国内其它地方

and slowly bleeds his competitors dry.

这让竞争对手慢慢流干了血

Before their stock is worthless,

在股票变得不值钱之前

the presidents of the rival railroad

竞争对手的主席们

try to sell all their shares.

努力抛售了手头所有的股份

Word quickly reaches Wall Street,

华尔街很快得到消息

triggering a massive sell-off.

股价大幅下跌

Come on, put some money in that. Come on.

来 加点钱在那上面

New York Central shares are dropping fast.

纽约中央铁路公司股价正在飞速下跌

How low?

低至多少

$20 a share.

20美元一股

Buy everything you can.

买下所有的股票

Vanderbilt was buying all of that stock

范德比尔特以最低价

that suddenly flooded the market at rock-bottom prices.

买下了股市上疯狂抛售的所有股票

Three aces.

三个A

Ooh, that's good.

喔 太棒了

In just days,

几天时间内

Vanderbilt takes control of the rival railroad,

范德比尔特就控制了对手的铁路公司

creating the largest single rail company in America.

在美国建立起了独霸统治的铁路公司

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

重点讲解：

1. to build sth or put sth somewhere

建起；设立；设置:

The police set up roadblocks on routes out of the city.

警察在城外的路上设置了路障。

2. to make a piece of equipment or a machine ready for use

安装好,装配好,调试好(设备或机器):

She set up her stereo in her bedroom.

她把立体声音响装在了卧室里。

3. to arrange for sth to happen

安排；策划:

I've set up a meeting for Friday.

我已安排好在星期五开会。

4. to create sth or start it

创建；建立；开办:

to set up a business

开办公司

A fund will be set up for the dead men's families.

将为死者家属设立一项基金。

5. to start a process or a series of events

引发；产生:

The slump on Wall Street set up a chain reaction in stock markets around the world.

华尔街股价暴跌在全球股票市场上引起了连锁反应。

6.set (yourself) 'up (as sb)

to start running a business

立业；开始从事:

She took out a bank loan and set up on her own.

她从银行贷了一笔款,自己干起来了。

After leaving college, he set himself up as a freelance photographer.

大学毕业后,他干起了特约摄影师。

7.trigger sth (off)

to make sth happen suddenly发动；引起；触发

Nuts can trigger off a violent allergic reaction.

坚果可以引起严重的过敏反应。