'Rat Race'( 激烈竞争）
'Rat Race'( 激烈竞争）
Words in This Story
negative – adj. harmful or bad : not wanted [数] 负的；消极的；否定的；阴性的
routine – n. a boring state or situation in which things are always done the same way常规 ， 惯例；生活乏味；（演出中的）一套动作；（计算机）例行程序
soul – n. the spiritual part of a person that is believed to give life to the body and in many religions is believed to live forever : a person's deeply felt moral and emotional nature灵魂；心灵；精神；鬼魂
maze – n. a confusing arrangement of paths or passages 迷宫；迷惑；糊涂
obstacle – n. something that makes it difficult to do something障碍，干扰 ， 妨碍；障碍物
exhaustion – n. the state of being extremely tired 枯竭；耗?。痪Ａ?
Quit or Join the 'Rat Race'?( 激烈竞争）
Rats. They are not among nature's most loved animals.
However, rats help humans in many ways. They have been tested and re-tested for so many
diseases and other issues — all for the purpose of human health and happiness.
Rats have other uses, as well. For example, they can be trained to find explosives buried
underground.
Despite all this, lots of people fear or even hate rats.
So, some people like rats. Some don't. However, when talking about English expressions, "rat"
phrases almost all have a negative meaning.
Calling someone a "rat" is a big insult. When we "rat on"(告发 ， 背叛) someone, we tell others something they did in order to get them in trouble. If an object is ratty（糟糕的）, it is in poor
condition. And we can simply say "Rats!" （胡说，差劲）if something bad happens.
Today, we will talk about another bad rat expression: rat race（激烈的竞争）.
This may sound like a running contest between rats. It is not. A rat race is a purely human
situation.
If you are in a rat race, you are in a daily work routine that is extremely competitive, tiring and
never-ending. Day after day, you compete for more power and more wealth against others
wanting the same thing.
We can also use the term "rat race" to describe a person's struggle to gain the basics of life. This struggle is also out of their control. They are seemingly helpless against a way of life that is
slowly killing them and their soul.
Some word historians say this expression comes from real rat races. These were sporting events held in the 1800s. People would bet money on the rats.
Others say it comes from the custom of testing rats in laboratory experiments. Scientists often
【emotional怎么读音 emotional怎么读】study rats to see how they will react in different conditions.
During some of these experiments, scientists put rats in cages. They give them a winding path,
or maze（迷宫）, to run. As the rats look for the reward — in many cases a piece of cheese —
researchers place many obstacles in their way. The rat's race is full of struggles and exhaustion.
And in the end, the race leads to … nowhere.
The phrase "rat race" compares the competitive part of human work life and some of its
struggles as being as pointless as the race of the rat. Leaving or quitting a rat race is the only
way a person can win.
Now, let's hear some examples using the phrase "rat race."
After being in the rat race for years and years, Steve can't wait to retire!
This rat-race* lifestyle is going to kill me! I don't have time to do anything I love anymore!
Chloe has no interest in joining the rat race. I think she is going to be a farmer.
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