Think of the income distribution as a ladder , with different people on different rungs .

我们可以将收入分配当成一个梯子，不同的人群处于不同的阶梯上。

Second , as the rungs moved farther apart , the ladder became harder to climb .

其次，随着阶梯之间距离的拉大，攀登这个梯子的难道大为增加。

Starting around 1980 , the rungs began moving ever farther apart , adversely affecting black economic progress in two ways .

从1980年左右开始，阶梯之间的距离越来越远，从两个方面对黑人的经济进步构成不利影响。

Narrowing the income gap directly through greater fiscal transfers might be necessary , for it is easier to climb a ladder if the rungs are closer together .

或许有必要通过更广泛的财政转移直接缩小收入差距，因为如果各层阶梯都距离更近，“爬梯子”就更容易。

First , because many blacks were still on the lower rungs , they were left behind as income at the top of the ladder soared while income near the bottom stagnated .

首先，因为许多黑人依然处于较低的阶梯上，由于处在梯子最顶端人群的收入大幅攀升，而紧接低端人群的收入停滞不前，黑人便被抛在后面。