On this anniversary, it seems only right to think about this question. There are some very easy answers. Cutting-edge technological advances, the American dream and the generation that fought for freedom in the second world war. There are those who insist the Soviet Union has a greater claim to that last mantle, apart from that unfortunate business of Stalin siding with the Nazis first. But if it weren’t for the greatest generation, we’d all be speaking German now. Well, not the British obviously. We’ve always been hopeless with languages. So, 250 years on, what are America’s greatest hits?
在这样一个周年节点，想一想这个问题似乎再合适不过。有些答案近在眼前：尖端科技进步、“美国梦”，以及在第二次世界大战中为自由而战的一代人。也有人坚称，最后这一顶桂冠更该归苏联所有——撇开斯大林起初曾与纳粹站在一边这段“糟心事”不谈的话。但要不是那一代最伟大的人，我们现在恐怕都在说德语了——嗯，显然不包括英国人，我们学外语向来是一塌糊涂。如今距当年已过去250年，美国究竟有哪些“代表作”？