阅读理解
Over the last 25 years, British society has changed a great deal-or at least many parts of it
have. _1 .
Ideas about social class-whether a person is "workingclass" or "middleclass" -are one area
in which changes have been extremely slow.
In the past, the workingclass tended to be paid less than middleclass people. The typical
working man would collect his wages on Friday evening and then, it was widely believed, having
given his wife her "housekeeping", would go out and squander the rest on beer and betting.
The old style of what a middleclass man did with his money was perhaps nearer the truth. He
was and still is inclined to take a longerterm view. Not only did he regard buying a house as a
most important thing, but he also considered the education of his children as extremely important.
__2_. Only in very few cases did workers have the opportunity (or the education and training) to
make such longterm plans.
_3_. In a large number of cases factory workers earn as much as their middleclass supervisors
(管理者). Social security and laws to improve century, have made it less necessary than before to
worry about "tomorrow". Workingclass people seem slowly to be losing the feeling of inferiority(自
卑感). In fact there has been a growing tendency in the past few years for the middleclasses to feel
slightly ashamed of their position.
_4_.They generally tend to share very similar tastes in music and clothes, they spend their money
in having a good time, and save for holidays or longerterm plans when necessary. There seems to
be much less difference than in precious generations. _5_. As long as this gap exists, there will always
be a possibility that new conflicts and jealousies will emerge, or rather that the old conflicts will
reappear, but between different groups.
A. Nowadays, a great deal has changed
B. Both of these provided him and his family with security
C. As a result, differences in lifestyles and attitudes came into existence
D. However, we still have a wide gap between the wellpaid and the lowpaid
E. In recent years, the workingclass people have begun to design longterm plans
F. In some ways, however, very little has changed, particularly where attitudes are concerned
G. The changes in both lifestyles and attitudes are probably most easily seen among younger people