1、          In spite of “endless talk of difference,” American society is an amazing machine for homogenizing people.

      　 homogenize  vi.均质化,变类同  vt.使均匀，使类同

2、          There is “the democratizing uniformity of dress and discourse ,and the casualness and absence of deference”, characteristic of popular culture.

democratize  v.(使) 民主化，（使）大众化

uniformity   n. 一律，同样

discourse  n.演讲，论文　v.谈话，论述　vt.讨论

deference 　n.　顺从，尊重，归服

3、          People are absorbed into “a culture of consumption” launched by the 19^th century department stores that offered　“vast arrays of goods in an elegant atmosphere . instead of intimate shops catering to a knowledgeable elite” these were stores “anyone could enter, regardless of class or background. This turned shopping into a public and democratic act.”

consumption  n. 消耗量，消费量

consumptive  a.  消费的，消耗的

launch   vt. 发射，开办

elegant  a. 高雅的，高尚的

intimate  a.亲密的　n.密友，知己　vt.暗示，宣布

cater  vt.备办酒菜；对……提供食品或服务

elite  n. 精英，精华

4、          elevate　vt. 举起，使兴高采烈。

poisonous　a. 有毒的，引起中毒的。

 forum　n. 讨论会，法庭

 precedent 　n. 先例，前例 a. 在前的，优先的。

Unprecedent　a.　空前的，无前例的。

resistant 　a. 抵抗的　n. 抵抗者

assimilation 　n. 吸收（作用）；同化（作用）

5、          prior　a.　在先的，在前的

　 intermarriage 　n. 异族结婚

The children of immigrants tend to be bilingual and proficient in English.

bilingual  a. 能说两种语言的　n.能说两种语言的人

graveyard　n. 墓地

6、          Some American fear that immigrants living within the United States remain somehow immune to the nation’s assimilative power.

immune a.　有疫力的

immune to　不受影响

immune from　受保护，免除，豁免

assimilate  v.消化吸收

7、          Are there divisive issues and pockets of seething anger in American? Indeed , It is big enough to have a bit of everything. But particularly when viewed against American’s turbulent past , today’s social indices hardly suggest a dark and deteriorating social environment .

Pocket　　n.衣袋，小容器，小组织。

turbulent 　a.混乱的，动荡的；汹涌的，猛烈的。

deteriorate   v.变坏的，恶化的。

divisive　a.　区分的，引起分裂的，不和的。

It is big enough to have a bit of everything.　

　　　林子大了，什么鸟儿都有。