第1部分 (第5/8页)

participated　in　the　test。

Mike　was　right。　It　was　the　educational　product　I　had　been　looking　for。　But　it　had　a　twist：　It　looked　like　a　colorful　Monopoly　board　with　a　giant　well…dressed　rat　in　the　middle。　Unlike　Monopoly；　however；　there　were　two　tracks：　one　inside　and　one　outside。　The　object　of　the　game　was　to　get　out　of　the　inside　track…what　Robert　called　the　〃Rat　Race〃　and　reach　the　outer　track；　or　the　〃Fast　Track。〃　As　Robert　put　it；　the　Fast　Track　simulates　how　rich　people　play　in　real　life。

Robert　then　defined　the　〃Rat　Race〃　for　us。

〃If　you　look　at　the　life　of　the　average…educated；　hard…working　person；　there　is　a　similar　path。　The　child　is　born　and　goes　to　school。　The　proud　parents　are　excited　because　the　child　excels；　gets　fair　to　good　grades；　and　is　accepted　into　a　college。　The　child　graduates；　maybe　goes　on　to　graduate　school　and　then　does　exactly　as　programmed：　looks　for　a　safe；　secure　job　or　career。　The　child　finds　that　job；　maybe　as　a　doctor　or　a　lawyer；　or　joins　the　Army　or　works　for　the　government。　Generally；　the　child　begins　to　make　money；　credit　cards　start　to　arrive　in　mass；　and　the　shopping　begins；　if　it　already　hasn't。

〃Having　money　to　burn；　the　child　goes　to　places　where　other　young　people　just　like　them　hang　out；　and　they　meet　people；　they　date；　and　sometimes　they　get　married。　Life　is　wonderful　now；　because　today；　both　men　and　women　work。　Two　ines　are　bliss。　They　feel　successful；　their　future　is　bright；　and　they　decide　to　buy　a　hou