Over the last 25 years, British society has changed a great deal. In some ways, however, very little has changed. Ideas about social class whether a person is “working-class” or “middle-class” are one area in which changes have been extremely slow.
In the past, the working-class tended to be paid less than middle-class people, such as teachers and doctors. As a result of this and also of the fact that workers’ jobs were generally much less secure, distinct differences in life-styles and attitudes came into existence. The typical working man would collect his wages on Friday evening and then give them to his wife, leaving a little for drinking or betting.
The type of what a middle-class man did with his money was perhaps nearer the truth. He was and still is likely to take a longer-term view. Not only did he regard buying a house to provide him and his family with security. Only in very few cases did workers have the opportunity (or the education and training) to make such long-term plans.
Nowadays, much has changed. In a large number of cases factory workers earn as much. Social security and laws have made it less necessary than before to worry about “tomorrow”. Working-class people seem slowly to be losing the feeling of inferiority(自卑感)they had in the past. In fact there has been a growing tendency in the past few years for the middle-classes to feel slightly ashamed of their position.
The changes in both life-styles and attitudes are probably most easily seen among younger people. They generally tend to share very similar tastes in music and clothes. They spend their money enjoying themselves, and save for holidays or longer-term plans when necessary. There seems to be much less difference than in precious generations. Nevertheless, we still have a wide gap between the well-paid and the low-paid. As long as this gap exists, there will always be a possibility that new problems will appear between different groups.
小题1:Which of the following is seen as the main cause of class differences in the past? A．Life style and occupation.B．Attitude and income. C．Income and job security.D．Job security and hobbies.小题2: The writer seems to suggest that _______.A．the description of middle-class ways of spending money is quite real B．working-class ways of spending the weekend remain the sameC．working-class drinking habits differ from the pastD．middle-class attitudes towards their positions have changed greatly小题3: According to the passage, what was the typical feature of the middle–class in the past?A．They had to save money for security.B．They couldn’t make long-term plans. C．They could make as much money as they do now.D．They didn’t have the sense of inferiority.小题4: Working-class people's sense of security has increased as a result of all the following factors EXCEPT that _______.A．they are provided with social securityB．they can get much incomeC．better jobs are available for all of themD．the government offers legal protection小题5:Which of the following statements is incorrect?A．Changes are slowly taking place in all aspects of the British society.B．The difference between working-class and middle-class young people is narrowing.C．The gap in income between the two classes will still remain. D．Middle-class people may sometimes feel a little inferior.