English 中文网 漫画网 爱新闻iNews 翻译论坛
中国网站品牌栏目(频道)
当前位置: Language Tips > Normal Speed News VOA常速

Tough times test quality-of-life quest in US

[ 2012-02-01 10:18]     字号 [] [] []  
免费订阅30天China Daily双语新闻手机报:移动用户编辑短信CD至106580009009

It has been six years since the Economist Intelligence Unit based in London, published a survey about the quality of life in countries around the world. Sort of a life-satisfaction index, it takes into account factors such as people's relative health, material well being, and sense of security.

Four nations that have since been rocked by economic upheavals - Ireland, which ranked first; Iceland; Italy; and Spain - finished in the top 10. Americans were surprised to find their country rated 13th in quality of life.

Finding that hard-to-define measure of satisfaction has been a big issue in this country. We search for such things as good schools for our kids, personal space and access to nature.

We move incessantly, sometimes for reasons no more profound than to be close to a favorite trout stream or sophisticated nightlife; or to have a waterfront view, a yard big enough for the dog to run, or a welcoming church or synagogue or mosque.

Tough times test quality-of-life quest in US

Of course, quality-of-life considerations must sometimes give way to job demands or the needs of a spouse or parent or child. But whenever we can, we try to adjust our recipes for a better life, perhaps building a den for reading or moving to a leisure village with a golf course.

The American West has been settled; the wild places tamed. The search for quality of life is Americans' new, personal, ever-changing frontier.

And, just as in beautiful Ireland or Italy or Spain, tough times have made our search for the good life more challenging of late. It would be interesting, in fact, to see where the United States would rank if a worldwide quality-of-life survey were conducted in 2012.

A possible indicator, though - and not a very promising one - is the Mercer Human Resources Group's worldwide quality-of-living ranking of cities, completed last year. Only six US cities made the list of the world's 50 most agreeable places to live. And you have to go all the way to Number 29 before the first one - Honolulu - shows up.

synagogue: 犹太教堂

mosque: 清真寺

Related Stories:

欧洲幸福指数调查:冰岛人最快乐

想要快乐吗?做个知足的人

Cohousing offers modern village living

厄瓜多尔和巴拿马获评最佳养老地

(来源:VOA 编辑:Rosy)

 
中国日报网英语点津版权说明:凡注明来源为“中国日报网英语点津:XXX(署名)”的原创作品,除与中国日报网签署英语点津内容授权协议的网站外,其他任何网站或单位未经允许不得非法盗链、转载和使用,违者必究。如需使用,请与010-84883631联系;凡本网注明“来源:XXX(非英语点津)”的作品,均转载自其它媒体,目的在于传播更多信息,其他媒体如需转载,请与稿件来源方联系,如产生任何问题与本网无关;本网所发布的歌曲、电影片段,版权归原作者所有,仅供学习与研究,如果侵权,请提供版权证明,以便尽快删除。
 

关注和订阅

人气排行

翻译服务

中国日报网翻译工作室

我们提供:媒体、文化、财经法律等专业领域的中英互译服务
电话:010-84883468
邮件:translate@chinadaily.com.cn