讲解人 · John
原文
If your boss gave you a bonus and said, “You didn’t earn this, but you look like you need it, “ that would probably rub you the wrong way.
Windfall income brings us less well-being than earned income, and can even lead to psychological problems.
Research from 2018 on a large sample of lottery winners found that although people often report higher happiness right when they win, their measured mental health declines immediately afterward, especially for those with low education levels.
Some scholars, in fact, believe that ecosystems have evolved a need to be productive for survival.
This makes sense for humans as well:
If your ancient ancestor was too leisurely or too much of a taker, they would likely not have survived long in troglodyte times.
The theory that we are indeed wired for achievement lines up with research that demonstrates how earning our success through hard work and merit leads to greater well-being.
Altogether, unearned income is at best inferior as a happiness multiplier and at worst a Faustian bargain.
This conclusion leads me to two ideas you might consider.
First, if possible, given your living situation, avoid spending any time, effort, or resources seeking out unearned income.
So don’t gamble for any purpose other than your own entertainment.
Second, keep an inventory of the unearned benefits you currently receive but don’t truly need.
(For example, are you still on the family cellphone plan?)
Try getting rid of an unearned income stream and see how it makes you feel about yourself and your relationships.
A little poorer in financial terms but richer in self-esteem?
There you go.
带着问题听讲解
- 如何理解文中的 unearned income？
- Faustian bargain 在本文中的意思是什么？
- 根据文章，作者为什么建议我们不要依赖“非劳动所得”的收益？
讲解
重点词汇
get off
停止使用；下车；离开某地
- 搭配短语：get off the bus（下公交）例句：If we can get off by seven o'clock, the roads will be clearer.（如果我们可以在早上 7 点以前走，路上车会少一点。）例句：Can you get off the phone, please? I need to use it urgently.（电话你可以先不打了吗？我有急事要用电话。）
not sit right with sb.
（情况、计划等）（使某人）不舒服，难以接受
- 例句：What you just said doesn't really sit right with me. Let's talk about it.
rub sb. the wrong way
触犯某人，惹怒某人
- 单词：rub（v. 摩擦，揉擦）
windfall
/ˈwɪnd.fɑːl/
n. 意外之财；被风吹落的水果
- 英文释义：an amount of money that you get unexpectedly
ecosystem
/ˈiː.koʊˌsɪs.təm/
n. 生态系统
- 词根词缀：eco-（表示“与环境相关的，生态的”）
evolve
/ɪˈvɑːlv/
v.（使）进化；（使）逐步发展，（使）逐步演变
- 例句：Technology has evolved with time, allowing us to communicate more effectively with each other than ever before.（科技发展与时俱进，让我们能够以比以前更高效的方式与人沟通。）
productive
/prəˈdʌk.tɪv/
adj. 富有成效的；多产的，富有生产力的
- 相关词汇：produce（v. 生产）搭配短语：productive lands（富饶的土地）搭配短语：productive employees（高产的员工）
leisurely
/ˈleʒ.ɚ.li/
adj.（行动）悠闲的，不慌不忙的
- 文化补充：后缀 -ly 既可以跟在形容词后面形成副词（例如 quick 和 quickly），也可以跟在名词后形成形容词（例如 friend 和 friendly）。相关词汇：leisure（n. 闲暇，休闲）
- 搭配短语：increased opportunities for leisure
搭配短语：a leisurely breakfast at the hotel
taker
/ˈteɪ.kɚ/
n. 只接受不给予的人；接受（某物）的人
- 例句：I am selling my old laptop, but if there are no takers, I might just keep it.（我准备把自己原来用的笔记本电脑卖了，但如果没人买的话，就自己留着了。）
troglodyte
/ˈtrɑː.ɡlə.daɪt/
n. 穴居人
be wired for sth.
接通（电气系统工作所需的）线路
- 相关词汇：wire（n. 金属丝；电线；v. 为（电子设备）接上电线）例句：All the rooms have been wired for cable TV.（所有房间都已经布好了有线电视线路。）
line up with
与……一致，与……相符
- 例句：His estimates line up perfectly with my own calculations.
merit
/ˈmer.ɪt/
n. 优点，优秀品质
unearned income
非劳动收入
- 相关词汇：earn（v. 获得，挣得）反义短语：earned income（劳动收入）文化补充：非劳动收入，指不是工资的收入，例如来自投资的利息、股息、出租土地或房产的租金以及任何不来自工作的收入。
inferior
/ɪnˈfɪr.i.ɚ/
adj. 差的，比……不如的
- 反义词：superior（adj. 好于平均的，更好的）例句：Their performance was inferior to that of other teams.
multiplier
/mʌl.t̬ə.plaɪ.ɚ/
n. 倍增器
- 相关词汇：multiply（v.（使）大幅增加；乘）英文释义：a device for multiplying or intensifying some effect
gamble
/ˈɡæm.bəl/
v. 投机，冒险；赌博
- 例句：Drive carefully and don't gamble with your life.（小心驾驶，不要拿生命冒险。）
inventory
/ˈɪn.vən.tɔːr.i/
n.（一个地方所有东西的）详细目录，清单；库存，存货
- 例句：Our inventory of used cars is the best in town.（我们卖的二手车是城里最好的。）例句：This is a detailed inventory of all the jobs to be done.（这是一张待办工作的详细清单。）
stream
/striːm/
n.（人或物的）一连串，一系列，流；溪流
- 搭配短语：traffic stream（交通流）
self-esteem
/ˌself.ɪˈstiːm/
n. 自尊
- 相关词汇：esteem（n. 尊敬，敬重）
there you go
干得漂亮；给你
- 近义短语：here you are（给你）近义短语：nice job（干得漂亮）
