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Homes and houses are very important for most Americans and their families.They give a sense of possession，material satisfaction，personal identification and individual life style，around which family activities take place.Indeed，the lives of most Americans revolve around their homes and houses.Most Americans still live in“single-family dwellings”，that is，houses which usually have a front and a backyard.Contrary to a common belief，only about 5％of all Americans live in mobile homes.For all practical purposes，most of these homes are not actual mobile but function as prefabricated housing units in stationary settings.
The average American may move home many times in his／her lifetime.Under normal circumstances，over 20 percent of American population move from one place to another within a county.Even when the economy does not perform particularly well，the annual rate at which people move still stays above ten percent.The U.S.Census Bureau reported in 2011 that in 2010，about 11 percent Americans，compared with 11.9 percent in 2009，moved within a county，the lowest rate since the Bureau began measuring mobility six decades ago，due largely to the financial crisis of 2008.There may be plenty of factors for people to move around，but one of the key factors is homeownership.In the United States，homeownership is very closely associated with socio-economic mobility.A young family unit will move more frequently in middle age from urban areas to the suburbs.Some people may restrict themselves to a particular location，but many Americans move long distances across the country，some even from coast to coast.On the whole，the percentage of Americans owing the houses and apartments they live in is the highest among western nations.The reasons for that are manifold.For one thing，homeownership to the Americans is part of the American Dream，which makes many people feel bad and even ashamed if they are not able to own a home.For another，most Americans are of middle class，and therefore to buy a house or an apartment unit is not particularly difficult.For still another，private houses and apartment units are in general reasonably priced，although they are subject to price fluctuations in the housing market.In the United States，the housing market is divided between the private sector for those who are able to buy or rent a house and the public sector for those who need governmental assistance to obtain lowrent property.
Private houses or apartment buildings are usually of good quality，with many amenities.When buying them，most owners borrow money from a bank（such a loan is called a mortgage）which is secured by the value of their house and income in order to pay for them，which·means that the owner of the house would find it harder to pay for the mortgage should he lose his job or have his salary cut.If he could not pay at all，he could face foreclosure right away，which means that he and his family would be driven out of the house，which would be put for sale in the housing market.
Public sector housing in the United States is meant to provide for a minority of Americans who are unable to buy property or afford highrent private accommodation.In American value system，individuals are expected to be responsible for themselves，including responsibility for their housing arrangements，rather than expecting these to be a public responsibility.However，due to the growth of urban slums as well as substandard housing in both urban centers and rural areas，the Federal Housing Administration（FHA）was created in 1934 to deal with housing problems.As a rule，it provides mortgage insurance on loans made by FHA-approved lenders throughout the United States，and insures mortgage on single family and multifamily homes.It is the largest insurer of mortgages in the world.
Specifically for public housing，the Administration provides loans to organizations willing to build low-rent accommodation for needy people.Similarly，local and state governments also build public housing for people without financial ability to buy homes for themselves.However，even though federal funds for such public housing have never been enormous，attempts to build more low-cost public housing projects have been frequently opposed by property developers.More significantly，while many states and cities have implemented fair-housing laws and fair-housing regulations，a large number of low-income families，particularly low-income minority groups in urban areas，continue to live in barely inhabitable housing conditions.Worse still，since local，state and federal governments have failed to provide sufficient numbers of low-cost accommodation for the needy quite a significant number of Americans are homeless.Estimates of homeless people vary from unofficial figures of up to the millions to official figures of half a million.In the face of government's limitation in aiding the homeless，voluntary or charity organizations have become the sources of help for the homeless，providing shelter，and food.However，their help is often limited both in scope and length，making the issue of the homeless a sticking sore in this land of abundance.
1.This text is taken from A Course ofthe Fundamentals ofBritish and American Culture，Shanghai Foreign Language Press，2013.
1.possession［pəˈzeʃn］n.（formal）the state of having or owning something拥有；个人财产：The possession of a passport is essential for foreign travel.出国游有护照是必要的。
2.satisfaction［ˌsætɪsˈfækʃn］n.the good feeling that you have when you have achieved sth.or when sth.that you wanted to happen does happen满足；满意；欣慰：The company is trying to improve customer satisfaction.公司正在努力提高客户满意度。
3.identification［aɪˌdentifiˈkeɪʃn］n.the process of showing，proving or recognizing who or what sb.／sth.is鉴定；辨认；确认：The early identification of children with special educational needs is very important.早期辨认出儿童有特殊教育需求很重要。
4.dwelling［ˈdwelɪŋ］n.（formal）a house，flat／apartment，etc.where a person lives住宅；住所，公寓：This residential area consists of 66 dwellings.这个住宅区由66套公寓组成。
5.mobile［ˈməʊbaɪl］home：（especially AmE）a building that can be moved，sometimes with wheels，that is usually parked in one place and used for living for活动住房：Except for a barn，the property was undeveloped until we moved our mobile home here 21 years ago.21年前我们把活动住房搬到这儿时，除了一个粮仓之外，一切都还没有建成。
6.prefabricated［priːˈfæbrɪkeɪtɪd］adj.（especially of building） made in sections that can be put together later预制的；用预制构件组装的：A prefabricated house（预铸住宅）is economical for people who like move.预铸住宅对于喜欢搬家的人来说是经济的。
7.stationary［ˈsteɪʃənri］adj.not moving；not intended to be moved固定的；不动的；不可移动的：The car collided with a stationary vehicle.一辆轿车撞上了另一辆停泊的汽车。
8.setting［ˈsetɪŋ］n.a set of surroundings；the place at which sth.happens环境；背景：It was a perfect setting for a wonderful Christmas.对于一个喜庆的圣诞节来说，这样的环境太完美了。
9.home-ownership［həʊm ˈəʊnəʃɪp］n.房屋所有权；自置居所：The biggest driver of homeownership has been implicit government subsidies.自置居所的最大驱动力是潜在的政府补贴。
10.social-economic［ˈsəʊʃl'iːkəˈnɒmik］adj.involving social as well as economic factors社会经济的：Families are at the base of a socio-economic pyramid.家庭是社会经济金字塔的基础。
11.manifold［ˈmænɪfəʊld］adj.（formal）many；of many different types多的；多种多样的：The possibilities were manifold.可能性是很多的。
12.be subject to：under the authority of sth.／sb.受……支配；服从于：As a diplomat，he is not subject to local laws.作为外交官，他不受当地法律的约束。
13.fluctuation［ˌflʌktʃuˈeɪʃn］n.the change in size，amount，quality，etc.，especially from one extreme to another（数量、大小、质量等）波动：The wild fluctuations in interest rate influenced stock market.利率的剧烈波动影响了股市。
14.property［ˈprɒpəti］n.［U］a thing or things that are owned by sb.所有物；财产；财物：This building is government property.这栋房子属于政府财产。［U］land and buildings不动产；房地产：The price of property has risen enormously.房价大涨。［C］（formal）a quality or characteristic that sth.has性质；特性：Compare the physical properties of the two substances.比较这两种物质的物理特性。
15.amenity［əˈmiːnəti］n.（usually pl.amenities）a feature that makes a place pleasant，comfortable or easy to live in生活福利设施；便利设施：Many of the houses lacked even basic amenities.很多房子甚至没有基本的设施。
16.mortgage［əˈmiːnəti］n.a legal agreement by which a bank or similar organization lends you money to buy a house，etc.，and you pay the money back over a particular number of years；the sum of money that you borrow按揭（由银行等提供房产抵押借款）；按揭贷款：We're paying out 300 dollars a month on our mortgage.我们的按揭贷款每月要支付300美元。
17.foreclosure［fɔːˈkləʊʒə(r)）］n.the act of foreclosing on money that has been borrowed抵押品赎回权的取消；丧失抵押品赎回权：The bill aims to help thousands of struggling homeowners fight off foreclosure.这项法案旨在帮助成千上万在挣扎中的住户夺回抵押品赎回权。
18.be driven［ˈdrɪvn］out of：赶出；逐出：The invaders were driven out of the town.入侵者被逐出了城镇。
19.accommodation［əˌkɒməˈdeɪʃn］n.a place to live，work or stay in住处；住宿：Hotel accommodation is included in the price of your holiday.你的度假费包含了酒店住宿费。
20.slum［slʌm］n.an area of a city that is very poor and where the houses are dirty and in a bad condition贫民窟；棚屋区：She was brought up in the slums of London.她是在伦敦的贫民窟里长大的。
21.substandard［ˌsʌbˈstændəd］adj.not as good as normal；not acceptable不够标准的；不合格的：Too many families are still living in substandard housing.很多家庭的住房仍然是不合格的。
22.insure［ɪnˈʃʊə(r)］v.to buy insurance so that you will receive money if your property，car，health，etc.gets damaged，stolen，etc.投保；给……保险：Luckily he had insured himself against long-term illness.幸运地是，他为顽疾投了保险。
23.implement［ˈɪmpliment］v.to make sth.that has been officially decided start to happen or be used使生效；贯彻；执行：The government is implementing a new policy to help the unemployed.政府正在施行一项新的政策来帮助失业者。
24.fair-housing laws公平住宅法规：Fair-housing laws are very important for poor minorities.公平住宅法规对于贫穷的少数人来说是非常重要的。
25.inhabitable［ɪnabɪtabl］adj.a residence good to live in适于居住的；可居住的：Human beings are exploring places inhabitable in outer space.人类正在外太空探索适合人类居住的场所。
26.sticking［ˈstɪkiŋ］sore［sɔː(r)］难以摆脱的痛处：Studying English well has been a sticking sore for many people.学好英语对于很多人来说一直是难以摆脱的痛处。
27.abundance［əˈbʌndəns］n.（formal）a large quantity that is more than enough大量；丰盛；充裕：Fruits and vegetables grew in abundance on the island.岛上种植了大量水果和蔬菜。
Answer the questions based upon text comprehension.
（1）Why are homes and houses very important for most Americans and their families？
（2）According to the passage，when is the lowest rate of Americans moving within a county since the U.S.Census Bureau began measuring mobility decades ago？
（3）Why the percentage of Americans owing the houses and apartments they live in is the highest among western nations on the whole？
（4）What is your opinion of American housing？
（5）Houses are very important for Chinese people.However，many young people in China are struggling to buy houses because of the rocketing house prices.To reasonably control house prices，what can we learn from American housing？
Fill in the gaps with words and phrases given in the table.
（1）The company is trying to improve customer_________ .
（2）The company has been _________poorly over the last year.
（3）The program is in line with a long-term strategy to produce new housing and to meet outstanding demand，and to encourage_________in the community.
（4）The problems facing the government are _________.
（5）The annual budget estimate shall_________ approval by the General Council.
（6）An affordable nursery education service is an essential basic_________.
（7）Japanese invaders_________ China in 1945.
（8）These issues are outside the _________of this paper.
Translate the sentences into Chinese.
（1）Homes and houses are very important for most Americans and their families.They give a sense of possession，material satisfaction，personal identification and individual life style，around which family activities take place.
（2）Even when the economy does not perform particularly well，the annual rate at which people move still stays above ten percent.
（3）Private houses and apartment units are in general reasonably priced，although they are subject to price fluctuations in the housing market.
（4）Public sector housing in the United States is meant to provide for a minority of Americans who are unable to buy property or afford high-rent private accommodation.
（5）However，their help is often limited both in scope and length，making the issue of the homeless a sticking sore in this land of abundance.