纪录片《美国商业大亨传奇》 掌控全局(22)

After inheriting and expanding his father's banking¹ 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 royalty².

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 literally³ 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 stunning⁴ 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 unbearable⁵.

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

1 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

2 royalty   

n.皇家，皇族

参考例句：

• She claims to be descended from royalty.她声称她是皇室后裔。
• I waited on tables，and even catered to royalty at the Royal Albert Hall.我做过服务生， 甚至在皇家阿伯特大厅侍奉过皇室的人。

3 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

4 stunning   

adj.极好的；使人晕倒的

参考例句：

• His plays are distinguished only by their stunning mediocrity.他的戏剧与众不同之处就是平凡得出奇。
• The finished effect was absolutely stunning.完工后的效果非常美。

5 unbearable   

adj.不能容忍的；忍受不住的

参考例句：

• It is unbearable to be always on thorns.老是处于焦虑不安的情况中是受不了的。
• The more he thought of it the more unbearable it became.他越想越觉得无法忍受。