Over the past 25 years, British society has changed a great deal—or at least many parts of it have. In some aspects, however, very little has changed, particularly where attitudes are concerned. Ideas about social class—whether a person belongs to the “working class” or the “middle class”—are one area in which changes have been extremely slow.
In the past, the working class tended (往往) to be paid less than the middle class such as teachers and doctors. As a result of this and also of the fact that working-class people’s jobs were generally much less secure, differences in lifestyles and attitudes came into existence. A typical working-class man would collect his wages on Friday evening. Then, as was widely believed, having given his wife her “housekeeping,” the man would go out and squander (挥霍) the rest on beer and betting.
The old style of what a middle-class man did with his money was perhaps closer to the truth. He tended—and this is still true today—to take a longer-term view. Not only did he regard buying a house as the most important thing, but he also considered the education of his children as extremely important. Both of these provided him and his family with security. Only in very few cases did workers have the chance (or the education and training) to make such long term plans.
Nowadays, a great deal has changed. In a large number of cases, factory workers earn as much as—if not more than—their middle-class managers. Social security and laws have made it less necessary than before to worry about “tomorrow.” Working-class people seem to be slowly losing the feelings of inferiority (自卑) they held in the past. In fact, there has been a growing tendency (趋势) over the past few years for the middle class to feel slightly ashamed of their position.
The changes in both lifestyles and attitudes are probably most easily seen among younger people. They generally tend to have very similar tastes in music and clothes; they spend their money on having a good time, and save for holidays or longer-term plans when necessary. There seems to be much less difference between groups of people than there were in previous generations.
【小题1】What is the article mainly about?| A．The gaps between the classes in Britain. | B．Some changes about British society. |
| C．A rough introduction to different classes. | D．Various conflicts existing in the UK. |
| A．By making a comparison. | B．By listing accurate numbers. |
| C．By using an expert’s words. | D．By analyzing cause and effect. |
| A．Feelings of self-worth. | B．Ideas about social class. |
| C．Job security and income. | D．Ideas about entertainment. |
