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1、Unit10TheJeaningofAmericaThisisthestoryofasturdyAmericansymbolwhichhasnowspreadthroughoutmostoftheworld.Thesymbolisnotthedollar.ItisnotevenCoca-Cola.Itisasimplepairofpantscalledbluejeans,andwhatthepantssymbolizeiswhatAlexisdeTocquevillecalled"amanlyandlegit
2、imatepassionforequality---"Bluejeansarefavoredequallybybureaucratsandcowboys;bankersanddeadbeats;fashiondesignersandbeerdrinkers.Theydrawnodistinctionsandrecognizenoclasses;theyaremerelyAmerican.Yettheyaresoughtafteralmosteverywhereintheworld--includingRuss
3、ia,whereauthoritiesrecentlybrokeupateen-agedgangthatwassellingthemontheblackmarketfortwohundreddollarsapair.Theyhavebeenaroundforalongtime,anditseemslikelythattheywilloutliveeventhenecktie.ThisubiquitousAmericansymbolwastheinventionofaBavarian-bornJew.Hisna
4、mewasLeviStrauss.HewasborninBadOcheim,Germany,in1829,andduringtheEuropeanpoliticalturmoilof1848decidedtotakehischancesinNewYork,towhichhistwobrothersalreadyhademigrated.Uponarrival,Levisoonfoundthathistwobrothershadexaggeratedtheirtalesofaneasylifeintheland
5、ofthemainchance.Theywerelandowners,theyhadtoldhim;instead,hefoundthempushingneedles,thread,pots,pans,ribbons,yam,scissorsandbuttonstohousewives.Fortwoyearshewasalowlypeddler,haulingsome180poundsofsundriesdoor-to-doortoekeoutamarginalliving.Whenamarriedsiste
6、rinSanFranciscoofferedtopayhiswayWestin1850,hejumpedattheopportunity,takingwithhimboltsofcanvashehopedtosellfortenting.Itwasthewrongkindofcanvasforthatpurpose,butwhiletalkingwithaminerdownfromthemotherlode,helearnedthatpants--sturdypantsthatwouldstanduptoth
7、erigorsofthedigging--werealmostimpossibletofind.Opportunitybeckoned.Onthespot,Straussmeasuredtheman'sgirthandinseamwithapieceofstringand,forsixdollarsingolddust,had[thecanvas]tailoredintoapairofstiffbutruggedpants.Theminerwasdelightedwiththeresult,wordgotar
8、oundabout"thosepantsofLevi's,"andStrausswasinbusiness.Thecompanyhasbeeninbusinesseversince.WhenStraussranoutofcanvas,hewrotehistwobrotherstosendmore.Hereceivedinsteadatough,browncottonclothmadeinNimes,