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1TEXTASurvivinganeconomiccrisis经济危机中求生存1TheeconomicslumpsomanypeoplesufferedthroughoriginatedintheUnitedStates,witharegulatoryfailureofmortgagesratedlessriskythantheyturnedouttobe.Aslargenumbersofhomeownersprovedunabletorepaytheirloans,thecompaniesthathadtheoversightandthosethatownedtheloans(aswellastheirsubsidiariesandtheirshareholders)lostsizableamountsofmoney.TheeffectsofthesedrasticlossessoonspiraledintotheUSjobmarketaslayoffsandterminations.Thereboundwasslowincoming.Manypeopleexperiencedlongmonthsofstrugglesjustlikethecharacterinthisstory.许许多多的人正经历的这场经济萧条发端于美国。对抵押贷款监管不力，致使当时的风险评估远低于现在的最终结果。由于大量的房产所有人无法偿还贷款，负责监管的公司、放贷的公司（以及其子公司及股份持有者）都损失了大笔的金钱。这些巨额亏损的后果很快就影响到美国就业市场，造成下岗或解雇。经济复兴迟迟不来。许多人几个月来都是苦苦挣扎，正如下面故事中的主人公那样。2Facingtenantevictionafterseveralmonthsofunpaidrent,SueJohnsonpackedupwhatevershecouldfitintohertwo-doorautomobileanddroveoutoftown.苏·约翰逊有好几个月都未付房租了，面临着被逐出的境地，她把能塞进她的那辆双门轿车的东西都打包收拾好，离城而去。3Shewoundupatamotel,puttingdownthe$260shehadmanagedtoscrapetogetherfromfriendsandfromsellingherlivingroomset.ItwasallthemoneySuehadleftafterherunemploymentbenefitshadexpired.Shefacedlifeasamigrant,apreviouslyunimaginablesituationforawomanwho,notthatlongbefore,hadheldacorporatejobinalargemetropolitancityandwasenrolledinagraduatebusinessschool.她最后在一家汽车旅馆落脚，交付了260美元的定金，这还是她设法从朋友那儿以及卖掉家具后凑齐的，是苏在失业救济金被终止后所有的余钱。她面临流浪生活，这在以前是难以想象的，而她不久以前都还在大都市里一家公司供职，并就读于商学院研究生班。4Sueknewthatinalllikelihood,shewouldenduplivinginhercar.Shewaspartofahard-luckgroupofjoblesspeoplewhocalledthemselves99ers,becausetheyhadexhaustedthemaximum99weeksofunemploymentinsurancebenefitsthattheycouldclaim.苏明白自己最终很可能以车为家。她如今已成为倒霉的失业群体中的一份子，他们自称“99周人”，因为他们已经领完至多99周的失业保险救济金。5Long-termunemploymentwasatrecordlevels,accordingtotheBureauofLaborStatistics.Modestpaymentsofunemploymentbenefitswerealifelinethatenabledpeoplewhowereout-of-worktomaintainatleastanappearanceofnormalcy,keepingaroofovertheirheads,puttinggasintheircars,payingelectricandphonebills.根据劳动统计局的数据，长期失业率已达到创纪录的水平。些许的失业救济金对那些失去工作的人来说可是救命钱，这使他们不至于形貌落魄，无立锥之地；不至于无钱加油，缴不起电费话费。26Withoutthechecks,peoplelikeSue,whooncewasadirectorofclientservicesatatechnologycompany,begantotumbleovertheeconomiccliff.Thelastaspectsoftheirformerworking-classormiddle-classlivesweregone,andallofthemfacedunsurefutures.一旦收不到失业救济支票，哪怕是像苏这样曾经贵为技术公司客服经理的人，也会日益跌入经济窘迫的深渊；原有工薪阶层或中产阶级的最后一抹荣光也已消逝不在，所有人都前途未卜。7WhenSuereceivedherlastunemploymentcheck,shefeltawaveofprofoundgrief.Withnoincometodeposit,Sue'scheckingaccountdeterioratedintonegativebalances.Hercarwasonthevergeofbeingrepossessed.And,theconstantharassmentofthefinancingcompanyforhercarloanaddedtoherdailystress.Eachday,likeapingpongball,Suewentbackandforthbetweenresolveanddespair.当苏收到最后一笔失业救济支票时，阵阵悲凉涌上心头。由于没有收入进账，苏的活期账户余额转为负值。汽车行将被收回！而且信贷公司不断骚扰，催还车贷，让她成天压力倍增。每天，苏就像乒乓球一样在信心和绝望之间起落不定。8Itwasasickeningplungeconsideringthatonlyashortyearandahalfbefore,Suewasearning$56,000ayearatheroldjob,enjoyedvacationinginplaceslikeMexicoandtheCaribbean,andhadstartedbusinessschoolatanexcellentuniversity.生活境遇真是令人痛心地一落千丈！想想仅在短短的一年半之前，苏在原有工作岗位上可挣到56,000美元的年薪，可在像墨西哥、加勒比那样的地方度假，还就读于名校商学院。9Initially,Suehadtriedtofinishheruniversitycertificationremotely,butfinallydroppedoutbecauseofthestressfromhersinkingfinances.Sheappliedforeverypossiblejobintheemploymentspectrum,fromminimum-wageretailjobstodirectorpositions.最初，苏还试图通过远程教育完成学业，但是由于自己经济状况每况愈下，最后只好辍学。她通过各种就业渠道求职，不管是起薪干起的零售活儿还是部门经理。10Sueshouldhavebeenevictedfromhertwo-bedroomapartmentfornon-paymentseveralmonthsbeforeshewas,but,thankfully,theprocesswasdelayedbypaperworkandbureaucracy.Eventually,thebureaucracycaughtupwithherandamunicipalcouncilgaveher10daystoleaveherapartmentforgood.Shehadnochoicebuttocomply.由于未付房租，苏早在几个月前就应被逐出她那两居室的公寓。不过，谢天谢地，这一过程因为繁琐的文件手续和官僚主义作风而拖延至今。最终政府机构还是找上了她，市政委员会限定她十天内彻底走人。除了遵从，她别无选择。11Thatlastdayofheroldlife,Sueweptasshedroveaway.Shewonderedifshewouldeveragainbeabletoreclaimthatlifeofcomfortandrespect.Sueevenconsideredturningthesteeringwheelofhercarintoatreeandendingherlifestoryrightthere.就在告别昔日生活的最后一天，苏流着泪驾车离去。她不知道自己还能否重温那舒适而又受人尊敬的生活。苏甚至想过打转方向盘一头撞向大树，就此了结一生。12Friendscametoheraid.Onefriendwiredher$200whileshewasdrivingawayfromherold3apartment,enablinghertofindrefugeinamotelalongtheway.ButSueworriedtherewouldn'tbeanymorecharityforthemoneyandgasshedesperatelyneeded.朋友们及时施以援手。就在她驾车离开公寓的路上，一位朋友给她电汇来200美元，使得她能够在沿途的一家汽车旅馆觅得栖身之所。但是她担心不会再有人来援助自己急需的钱和汽油了。13Helpedbygascardsdonatedbyachurch,Suedecidedtoreturntoherhometown.Shefiguredthehealth-caresafetynettherewasbetter,aswellasthejobmarket.Shecontactedalocalshelterbutlearnedtherewasawaitinglist.Welfarewasnotanoption,becauseshedidn'thaveyoungchildren.And,Sueknewthatnoneofherthreeadultsonswereinapositiontohelpher.有了教堂赠送的加油卡，苏打算返回家乡。她想那儿的医疗保障体系会好一些，找工作也容易些。她联系了当地的收容所，但是得到的回答是先得排队等着。领取福利救济没有她的份，因为她没有未成年的孩子。苏知道她的三个已成年的儿子也帮不了她。14IknewtheonlyhelpIwasgoingtogetwasfrommemyself,Suesaid.Ithoughttomyself:Ihavetotakecareofmyself.Ireally,reallyneedtogetwork.Ineedajob.Idon'twanttobeseenasaparasite.“我知道，只有自己才能帮自己，”苏说。“我告诉自己：我得养活自己。我确实得干活，我要找份工作，我可不想被人看成寄生虫。”15Sue'smotelroomwasdepressing.Liningtheshelvesunderneathth