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人生规划课骗走人们的毕生积蓄(They Spent Their Life Savings on Life Coaching)
- Authors
在外人看来，比利乔·穆利特是一个头脑清醒的人。
双语精读
To an outsider, Billiejo Mullett is someone who has her head firmly screwed on. She's smart and educated - a registered nurse who works for a medical insurance provider - and balances her career with a busy family life.
在外人看来，比利乔·穆利特是一个头脑清醒的人。她很聪明，受过良好的教育——是一家医疗保险公司的注册护士——能兼顾事业和繁忙的家庭生活。
In many ways, Ms. Mullett, who lives in Minoa, N. Y., seems to have things figured out, which is why she is still reeling from a life-coaching experience she describes as a "pyramid scheme" that took tens of thousands of dollars from her.
从很多方面来看，住在纽约州米诺亚的穆利特似乎把事情都理得明明白白，这也是为什么她仍然对一次人生指导经历感到震惊，她称之为“金字塔骗局”，这个骗局骗走了她数万美元。
She is part of a growing cohort speaking out about the opaque underbelly of life coaching, an unregulated industry with an often-hefty price-tag, and a significant cost reaching far beyond funds spent.
她是越来越多公开揭露人生指导行业的不透明内幕的人之一，这是一个不受监管的行业，价格通常很高，而且成本远远超出了所花费的资金。
With early roots in the late-20th-century pull toward self-improvement, life coaching broadly encompasses a program of goal-setting and talk-therapy-style sessions aimed at improving an individual's circumstances and well-being.
人生指导起源于20世纪后期对自我提升的追求，笼统地讲，它涵盖了关于目标设定和以谈话治疗为方式的多次会谈，旨在改善个人的处境和幸福感。
Business is booming. The International Coaching Federation, the world's largest nonprofit coaching association, estimated that the industry was worth $4.6 billion in 2022 and that the number of coaches increased 54 percent between 2019 and 2022.
这个行业生意非常兴隆。国际指导联合会是世界上最大的非营利性指导协会，联合会估计，该行业在2022年价值46亿美元，并且指导师人数在2019年至2022年间增加了54%。
Because the industry lacks standardized accreditation, it's most likely larger - one of the dangers of life coaching is that anyone can claim the title of life coach.
因为这个行业缺乏标准化的认证，所以它的规模很可能比这个估计数据更大，人生指导的危险之一是任何人都可以自称是人生指导师。
And while many operate with integrity, providing thoughtful and structured advice to their clients to help them through challenging times, the unregulated nature of the industry can make it easy to take advantage of people.
虽然许多指导师诚信经营，为客户提供深思熟虑和结构化的建议，帮助他们度过困难时期，但该行业不受监管的性质可能使得欺骗利用他人很容易。
In 2018, Ms. Mullett was tiring of the grind of the corporate world and struggling to form a blended family with her now-husband when she discovered life coaching.
2018年，穆利特厌倦了公司的繁忙工作，正努力与她现在的丈夫组建一个重组家庭，就在这时，她发现了人生指导。
"My friend recommended a podcast, and I immediately felt that this was what I'd been looking for," she said. "The host was talking about how our thoughts impact our emotions and our behaviors. I was hooked. " Ms. Mullett started to watch videos on the host's website.
“我的朋友推荐了一个播客，我立刻觉得这就是我一直在寻找的东西。”她说，“播客主持人在谈论我们的想法如何影响我们的情绪和行为。我被深深吸引住了。”于是穆利特开始在主持人的网站上观看视频。
The host, a life coach whom Ms. Mullett asked not to be named for fear of retaliation and harassment, combined the language of successful businesswomen with the promise of a new career in which women could be in control of their own work and schedule, help others and improve themselves.
这个主持人是一位人生指导师（穆利特因担心遭到报复和骚扰而要求不公开她的名字），她将商界事业女强人的语言与开辟新职业的承诺结合起来，在新的职业中，女性可以掌控自己的工作和日程，并帮助他人、提高自己。
She withdrew $18,000 from her 401(k) to pay for her first course at a leading life coach school, hoping that it would lead to a much-needed career change. The course wasn't what she expected.
穆利特从40.1万美元积蓄中取出了1.8万美元，用于支付她在一所一流人生指导学校的第一门课程的学费，希望这门课程能带来她急需的职业转变。 但课程与她的预期并不一样。
Ms. Mullett described a confusing and low-quality program of online lessons - one hour per week for six months - in which aspiring coaches discussed chapters they had read outside of class and practiced coaching one another.
穆利特描述了令人困惑且低质量的网络课程——每周一小时，为期六个月——在课程中，充满抱负的指导师们讨论学员在课外读过的章节，并练习互相指导。
She said that students were often belittled and that questioning the wisdom of the coaches who led the course was discouraged. But Ms. Mullett remained hopeful and believed she had learned some valuable things, for example, that she had an ability to focus only on the things in her life that she could control.
她说，学员们经常被贬低，质疑课程主讲指导师的智慧也是不被鼓励的。但穆利特仍然充满希望，并相信她学到了一些有价值的东西，例如，学会只关注生活中她能控制的事情。
She had spent an extraordinary amount of money on the certification and clung to the dream that had been sold to her: earning good money while fulfilling her passion for helping others.
她在证书上花费了一大笔钱，并且紧紧抓着这个贩卖给她的梦想：在做着自己热爱的帮助他人的工作的同时赚大钱。
词汇预习
individual [高考]
美[ˌɪndɪˈvɪdʒuəl] | 英[ˌɪndɪˈvɪdʒuəl]
adj. 单独的；一个人的；独有的 n. 个人；个体
impact [高考]
美[ˈɪmpækt , ɪmˈpækt] | 英[ˈɪmpækt , ɪmˈpækt]
n. 影响；冲击力；撞击 vt. 挤入；压紧；撞击；对 ... 发生影响 vi. 冲击；撞击；产生影响
significant [高考]
美[sɪɡˈnɪfɪkənt] | 英[sɪɡˈnɪfɪkənt]
adj. 重要的；有意义的；意味深长的；显著的
passion [高考]
美[ˈpæʃn] | 英[ˈpæʃn]
n. 激情；酷爱；强烈情感；盛怒 v.〈诗〉感觉[表现]热情
thoughtful [高考]
美[ˈθɔːtfl] | 英[ˈθɔːtfl]
adj. 深思的；体贴的
claim [高考]
美[kleɪm] | 英[kleɪm]
n. 索赔；宣称；声明；断言 v. 声称；宣称；认领；索取
corporate [高考]
美[ˈkɔːrpərət] | 英[ˈkɔːpərət]
adj. 法人的；公司的；社团的；共同的；全体的
firmly [高考]
美[ˈfɜːrmli] | 英[ˈfɜːmli]
adv. 牢牢地；坚定地
provider [高考]
美[prəˈvaɪdɚ] | 英[prəˈvaɪdə(r)]
n. 供应者；赡养者；养家糊口的人
scheme [高考]
美[skiːm] | 英[skiːm]
n. 阴谋；计划；方案 v. 图谋；设计；策划；[非正式]认为
outsider [高考]
美[aʊtˈsaɪdɚ] | 英[ˌaʊtˈsaɪdə(r)]
n. 外行；旁观者；局外人
well-being [高考]
美[ˈwel biːɪŋ] | 英[ˈwel biːɪŋ]
n. 康乐；安宁
certification [高考]
美[ˌsɜːrtɪfɪˈkeɪʃn] | 英[ˌsɜːtɪfɪˈkeɪʃn]
n. 证明；认证；证书；鉴定
per [高考]
美[pər] | 英[pə(r)]
prep. 每；每一；经过；按照
wisdom [高考]
美[ˈwɪzdəm] | 英[ˈwɪzdəm]
n. 智慧；明智；才智；聪明；至理名言
Ms. [高考]
美[mɪz] | 英[mɪz]
n. 女士，小姐
insurance [高考]
美[ɪnˈʃʊrəns] | 英[ɪnˈʃʊərəns]
n. 保险；保险费；安全保障
extraordinary [高考]
美[ɪkˈstrɔːrdəneri] | 英[ɪkˈstrɔːdnri]
adj. 非凡的；特别的；特派的
pyramid [高考]
美[ˈpɪrəmɪd] | 英[ˈpɪrəmɪd]
n. 金字塔；棱锥体；[证券]金字塔式交易法 v. 急速增加；以金字塔的模型构建
self [高考]
美[self] | 英[self]
n. 自己；本性；自我 pron. 我自己；你自己；他或她自己 adj.同一的；纯净的；单一的 v. 近亲繁殖；自花授粉
take advantage of [高考]
美[teɪk æd'væntɪdʒ əv] | 英[teɪk əd'vɑːntɪdʒ əv]
利用；占…的便宜
for fear of [高考]
美[fɔːr fɪr əv] | 英[fɔː fɪə əv]
唯恐； 以免； 担心
setting [高考]
美[ˈsetɪŋ] | 英[ˈsetɪŋ]
n. 背景；环境；镶嵌；安装；放置；（日月的）沉落；[音]乐曲
integrity [高考]
美[ɪnˈteɡrəti] | 英[ɪnˈteɡrəti]
n. 完整；完善；正直；诚实
challenging [高考]
美[ˈtʃælɪndʒɪŋ] | 英[ˈtʃælɪndʒɪŋ]
adj. 挑战性的；有吸引力的
would [高考]
美[wʊd , wəd] | 英[wʊd , wəd]
aux. 将；可能；大概；总会；愿意；will的过去式
grind [四级]
美[ɡraɪnd] | 英[ɡraɪnd]
v. 磨；压迫；碾碎；磨得吱吱响；逐渐停顿 n. 苦事；磨；碾
therapy [四级]
美[ˈθerəpi] | 英[ˈθerəpi]
n. 疗法；治疗
broadly [四级]
美[ˈbrɔːdli] | 英[ˈbrɔːdli]
adv. 概括地；大体上；宽广地；广泛地；明白地；无礼貌地
accreditation [四级]
美[ əˌkredɪˈteɪʃn] | 英[əˌkredɪˈteɪʃn]
n. 认证；委派
make it [四级]
美[mek ɪt] | 英[meik it]
成功 达到预定目标,性交易,幸存
passion for [四级]
美 | 英
对 ... 的强烈爱好； 热爱
leading [四级]
美[ˈliːdɪŋ , ˈledɪŋ] | 英[ˈliːdɪŋ , ˈledɪŋ]
adj. 领导的；指导的；主要的；在前的
learned [四级]
美[lɜːrnd , ˈlɜːrnɪd] | 英[lɜːnd , ˈlɜːnɪd]
adj. 有学问的；博学的
nonprofit [六级]
美[nɑnˈprɑfɪt] | 英[ˌnɒn'prɒfɪt]
adj. 非赢利的 n. 非赢利组织
opaque [六级]
美[oʊˈpeɪk] | 英[əʊˈpeɪk]
adj. 不透明的；难懂的
felt [专八]
美[fɛlt] | 英[felt]
n. 毛毡；毡制品 vt. 制毡；使粘结 vi. 毡合
works [专八]
美[wəks] | 英[wə:ks]
n. 工厂；修建；机器部件；全套物品
hefty [专八]
美[ˈhɛfti] | 英[ˈhefti]
adj. 重的；肌肉发达的；异常大的；相当多的
harassment [考研]
美[həˈræsmənt] | 英[ˈhærəsmənt]
n. 骚扰；困扰
educated [托福]
美[ˈedʒukeɪtɪd] | 英[ˈedʒukeɪtɪd]
adj. 受过教育的；有教养的
booming [雅思]
美[ˈbuːmɪŋ] | 英[ˈbuːmɪŋ]
adj. 兴旺的；繁荣的；轰隆作响的
重点讲解
To an outsider, Billiejo Mullett is someone who has her head firmly screwed on. She’s smart and educated — a registered nurse who works for a medical insurance provider — and balances her career with a busy family life.
在外人看来，比利乔·穆利特是一个头脑清醒的人。她很聪明，受过良好的教育——是一家医疗保险公司的注册护士——能兼顾事业和繁忙的家庭生活。
have one’s head screwed on 头脑清醒；明智懂事
【例】Despite her young age, she really has her head screwed on and knows how to manage her finances.
虽然她年纪很小，但她很有头脑，知道怎么管理自己的钱。
【近义词】sensible/rational/clear-headed adj. 理智的；清醒的
In many ways, Ms. Mullett, who lives in Minoa, N. Y., seems to have things figured out, which is why she is still reeling from a life-coaching experience she describes as a “pyramid scheme” that took tens of thousands of dollars from her.
从很多方面来看，住在纽约州米诺亚的穆利特似乎把事情都理得明明白白，这也是为什么她仍然对一次人生指导经历感到震惊，她称之为“金字塔骗局”，这个骗局骗走了她数万美元。
reel from sth 因某事而感到震惊；感到晕头转向
【例】He reeled from the news that his best friend had moved away.
得知他最要好的朋友搬走了，他感到非常震惊。
【拓展】make one’s head spin 让某人感觉天旋地转
funds n. 资金
【例】to raise funds for sth 为某事筹集资金
【近义词】funding n. 资金；提供资金
【拓展】fund v. 提供资金
【例】a government-funded school 政府出资的学校
She is part of a growing cohort speaking out about the opaque underbelly of life coaching, an unregulated industry with an often-hefty price-tag, and a significant cost reaching far beyond funds spent.
她是越来越多公开揭露人生指导行业的不透明内幕的人之一，这是一个不受监管的行业，价格通常很高，而且成本远远超出了所花费的资金。
reel from sth 因某事而感到震惊；感到晕头转向
【例】He reeled from the news that his best friend had moved away.
得知他最要好的朋友搬走了，他感到非常震惊。
【拓展】make one’s head spin 让某人感觉天旋地转
funds n. 资金
【例】to raise funds for sth 为某事筹集资金
【近义词】funding n. 资金；提供资金
【拓展】fund v. 提供资金
【例】a government-funded school 政府出资的学校
With early roots in the late-20th-century pull toward self-improvement, life coaching broadly encompasses a program of goal-setting and talk-therapy-style sessions aimed at improving an individual’s circumstances and well-being.
人生指导起源于20世纪后期对自我提升的追求，笼统地讲，它涵盖了关于目标设定和以谈话治疗为方式的多次会谈，旨在改善个人的处境和幸福感。
pull n. 吸引力；影响力
【例】the pull of the moon 月球的引力
the pull of big cities 大城市的吸引力
【近义词】attraction n. 吸引力
encompass v. 涵盖；包含
【例】The festival will encompass a wide range of activities and performances.
节日包括各种各样的活动和表演。
【近义词】include/cover v. 包括
【拓展】all-encompassing adj. 无所不包的
Business is booming. The International Coaching Federation, the world’s largest nonprofit coaching association, estimated that the industry was worth $4.6 billion in 2022 and that the number of coaches increased 54 percent between 2019 and 2022.
这个行业生意非常兴隆。国际指导联合会是世界上最大的非营利性指导协会，联合会估计，该行业在2022年价值46亿美元，并且指导师人数在2019年至2022年间增加了54%。
accreditation n. 认证；证明合格
【例】to undergo accreditation process
进行认证过程
【近义词】certification n. 证明；鉴定
【拓展】certificate n. 证书
take advantage of 利用；占便宜
【例】He decided to take advantage of the sales to buy a new laptop.
他决定利用促销机会买一台新的笔记本电脑。
He took advantage of my generosity.
他利用我的慷慨大方占了便宜。
【近义词】exploit v. 利用……为自己谋利（贬）
Because the industry lacks standardized accreditation, it’s most likely larger — one of the dangers of life coaching is that anyone can claim the title of life coach.
因为这个行业缺乏标准化的认证，所以它的规模很可能比这个估计数据更大，人生指导的危险之一是任何人都可以自称是人生指导师。
accreditation n. 认证；证明合格
【例】to undergo accreditation process
进行认证过程
【近义词】certification n. 证明；鉴定
【拓展】certificate n. 证书
take advantage of 利用；占便宜
【例】He decided to take advantage of the sales to buy a new laptop.
他决定利用促销机会买一台新的笔记本电脑。
He took advantage of my generosity.
他利用我的慷慨大方占了便宜。
【近义词】exploit v. 利用……为自己谋利（贬）
And while many operate with integrity, providing thoughtful and structured advice to their clients to help them through challenging times, the unregulated nature of the industry can make it easy to take advantage of people.
虽然许多指导师诚信经营，为客户提供深思熟虑和结构化的建议，帮助他们度过困难时期，但该行业不受监管的性质可能使得欺骗利用他人很容易。
accreditation n. 认证；证明合格
【例】to undergo accreditation process
进行认证过程
【近义词】certification n. 证明；鉴定
【拓展】certificate n. 证书
take advantage of 利用；占便宜
【例】He decided to take advantage of the sales to buy a new laptop.
他决定利用促销机会买一台新的笔记本电脑。
He took advantage of my generosity.
他利用我的慷慨大方占了便宜。
【近义词】exploit v. 利用……为自己谋利（贬）
In 2018, Ms. Mullett was tiring of the grind of the corporate world and struggling to form a blended family with her now-husband when she discovered life coaching.
2018年，穆利特厌倦了公司的繁忙工作，正努力与她现在的丈夫组建一个重组家庭，就在这时，她发现了人生指导。
grind n. 令人疲劳的工作；苦差事；折磨人的事
【例】The grind of studying for exams can be overwhelming.
复习备考的繁重任务会让人压力很大。
【近义词】drudgery n. 单调乏味的工作
“My friend recommended a podcast, and I immediately felt that this was what I’d been looking for,” she said. “The host was talking about how our thoughts impact our emotions and our behaviors. I was hooked. ” Ms. Mullett started to watch videos on the host’s website.
“我的朋友推荐了一个播客，我立刻觉得这就是我一直在寻找的东西。”她说，“播客主持人在谈论我们的想法如何影响我们的情绪和行为。我被深深吸引住了。”于是穆利特开始在主持人的网站上观看视频。
grind n. 令人疲劳的工作；苦差事；折磨人的事
【例】The grind of studying for exams can be overwhelming.
复习备考的繁重任务会让人压力很大。
【近义词】drudgery n. 单调乏味的工作
The host, a life coach whom Ms. Mullett asked not to be named for fear of retaliation and harassment, combined the language of successful businesswomen with the promise of a new career in which women could be in control of their own work and schedule, help others and improve themselves.
这个主持人是一位人生指导师（穆利特因担心遭到报复和骚扰而要求不公开她的名字），她将商界事业女强人的语言与开辟新职业的承诺结合起来，在新的职业中，女性可以掌控自己的工作和日程，并帮助他人、提高自己。
retaliation n. 报复
【例】The company's recent layoffs were seen as retaliation for the workers' strike.
公司最近的裁员被认为是在报复工人们罢工。
【搭配】in retaliation for sth 为了某事而报复
retaliation against sb 报复某人
【近义词】take revenge on sb 报复某人
【拓展】retaliatory adj. 报复性的
【例】retaliatory tariffs 报复性关税
She withdrew $18,000 from her 401(k) to pay for her first course at a leading life coach school, hoping that it would lead to a much-needed career change. The course wasn’t what she expected.
穆利特从40.1万美元积蓄中取出了1.8万美元，用于支付她在一所一流人生指导学校的第一门课程的学费，希望这门课程能带来她急需的职业转变。 但课程与她的预期并不一样。
retaliation n. 报复
【例】The company's recent layoffs were seen as retaliation for the workers' strike.
公司最近的裁员被认为是在报复工人们罢工。
【搭配】in retaliation for sth 为了某事而报复
retaliation against sb 报复某人
【近义词】take revenge on sb 报复某人
【拓展】retaliatory adj. 报复性的
【例】retaliatory tariffs 报复性关税
Ms. Mullett described a confusing and low-quality program of online lessons — one hour per week for six months — in which aspiring coaches discussed chapters they had read outside of class and practiced coaching one another.
穆利特描述了令人困惑且低质量的网络课程——每周一小时，为期六个月——在课程中，充满抱负的指导师们讨论学员在课外读过的章节，并练习互相指导。
aspiring adj. 有抱负的；渴望成功的
【例】Many aspiring actors move to Hollywood to pursue their dreams.
许多渴望成功的演员搬去好莱坞追逐梦想。
【近义词】ambitious adj. 充满雄心的
【拓展】aspire v. 渴望成就
【例】aspire to success 渴望成功
belittle v. 贬低；看轻
【例】Don't belittle his abilities.
别小看他的能力。
【近义词】diminish v. 贬低；轻视
look down on 瞧不起
She said that students were often belittled and that questioning the wisdom of the coaches who led the course was discouraged. But Ms. Mullett remained hopeful and believed she had learned some valuable things, for example, that she had an ability to focus only on the things in her life that she could control.
她说，学员们经常被贬低，质疑课程主讲指导师的智慧也是不被鼓励的。但穆利特仍然充满希望，并相信她学到了一些有价值的东西，例如，学会只关注生活中她能控制的事情。
aspiring adj. 有抱负的；渴望成功的
【例】Many aspiring actors move to Hollywood to pursue their dreams.
许多渴望成功的演员搬去好莱坞追逐梦想。
【近义词】ambitious adj. 充满雄心的
【拓展】aspire v. 渴望成就
【例】aspire to success 渴望成功
belittle v. 贬低；看轻
【例】Don't belittle his abilities.
别小看他的能力。
【近义词】diminish v. 贬低；轻视
look down on 瞧不起
She had spent an extraordinary amount of money on the certification and clung to the dream that had been sold to her: earning good money while fulfilling her passion for helping others.
她在证书上花费了一大笔钱，并且紧紧抓着这个贩卖给她的梦想：在做着自己热爱的帮助他人的工作的同时赚大钱。
cling to 紧紧抓住
【例】cling to the rail 紧紧抓住栏杆
cling to the hope 守着一线希望
cling to the idea 坚持认为
课后练习
What is the primary reason Billiejo Mullett is reeling from her life-coaching experience?
A. The price of the coaching was extraordinarily high.
B. She didn't find the life-coaching sessions useful for her career.
C. She struggled to balance her career with her family life after the sessions.
D. She was deceived by the sessions even though she was a sensible person.
What contributes to the potential risks associated with the life coaching industry?
A. The industry's lack of effective and innovative methods.
B. The rapid growth and high valuation of the life coaching industry.
C. The lack of standardized accreditation and regulation within the industry.
D. The involvement of the International Coaching Federation in the industry.
Why did Ms. Mullett decide to withdraw $18,000?
A. To pay for a life coaching course that promised a career change.
B. To invest in a new business opportunity recommended by a friend.
C. To support her blended family and reduce the grind of corporate work.
D. To learn how to manage her money from the successful businesswoman.
How did Ms. Mullett feel about the life coaching course?
A. She found the program to be well-structured and of high quality.
B. She was disappointed and dropped out of the course before long.
C. She learned something valuable and wanted to be a life coach herself.
D. She felt the course was worth the money for the certification it provided.
