Final answer:
Sentence 2 is best rewritten as: In today's world, we tend to think of it as an aspiration to a certain standard of living: a nice house, a decent car, and an annual vacation. This format is clear and concise, directly following a colon with examples of standard living aspirations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The best way to rewrite sentence 2 to maintain clarity and conciseness would be: In today's world, we tend to think of it as an aspiration to a certain standard of living: a nice house, a decent car, and an annual vacation. This eliminates unnecessary words and presents the list directly after the colon, which effectively introduces the examples of the standard of living being discussed.