第八篇： the changing middle class

the united states perceives 感知察觉itself to be a middle-class nation. however，middle class is not a real designation名称称号，nor does it carry privileges.特权 it is more of a perception感觉观念，which probably was as true as it ever could be right after world war ii.

the economy was growing，more and more people owned their own homes，workers had solid可靠的 contracts 合同with the companies公司 that employed them，and nearly everyone who wanted a higher education 教育could have one. successful people enjoyed upward 上升的social mobility. 移动性they may have started out poor，but they could become rich. successful people also found that they had greater geographic 地理的mobility.流动性

in other words，they found themselves moving to and living in a variety 多样化of places.

the middle class collectively共同地 holds 拥有several values 价值and principles. 原则one strong value is the need to earn enough money to feel that one can determine 决定one's own economic fate. 经济命运in addition，middle class morality道德 embraces 包含principles of individual 个人的responsibility责任，importance of family, obligations 义务to others，and believing相信 in something outside oneself.

but in the 1990s those in the middle class found that there was a price for success. a u. s.news & world report 《美国新闻与世界报道》survey in 1994 indicated表明 that 75 percent of americans believed that middle class families could no longer make ends meet 收支相抵.

both spouses 配偶now worked，as did some of the children; long commutes 通勤became routine; 日常的the need for child care put strains on带来压力 the family; and public schools were not as good as they once were. members of the middle class were no longer financing负担 their lifestyles through earnings 收入but were using credit信用 to stay afloat维持下去. the understanding of just what middle class meant was changing.

1. the information in this passage deals with_______.

a) an individual

b) a social and economic group

c) a political organization

d) government

 解析：the changing middle class

 

2. a common middle class value is that________.

a) people should always have fun

b) children should be seen and not heard

c) debt is nothing to worry about

d) the family is very important

解析：2 the middle class collectively共同地 holds 拥有several values 价值and principles. 原则one strong value is the need to earn enough money to feel that one can determine 决定one's own economic fate. 经济命运in addition，middle class morality道德 embraces 包含principles of individual 个人的responsibility责任，importance of family, obligations 义务to others，and believing相信 in something outside oneself.

3. ln the years after world war ii，the middle class could be defined as_______.

a) overburdened 负担过多and in debt

b) hard working and suspicious 可疑的

c) prosperous繁荣and optimistic 乐观

d) young and foolish

解析： 1 the united states perceives 感知察觉itself to be a middle-class nation. however，middle class is not a real designation名称称号，nor does it carry privileges.特权 it is more of a perception感觉观念，which probably was as true as it ever could be right after world war ii.

the economy was growing，more and more people owned their own homes，workers had solid可靠的 contracts 合同with the companies公司 that employed them，and nearly everyone who wanted a higher education 教育could have one. successful people enjoyed upward 上升的social mobility. 移动性they may have started out poor，but they could become rich. successful people also found that they had greater geographic 地理的mobility.流动性

in other words，they found themselves moving to and living in a variety 多样化of places.

4. the phrase “in other words" in the first paragraph means that the following statement is_____.

a) an exception例外 to the previous先前在 idea

b) a denial 否认of the previous idea

c) a restatement 重述of the previous idea

d) a contrasting对比 idea

解析：

1 the united states perceives 感知察觉itself to be a middle-class nation. however，middle class is not a real designation名称称号，nor does it carry privileges.特权 it is more of a perception感觉观念，which probably was as true as it ever could be right after world war ii.

the economy was growing，more and more people owned their own homes，workers had solid可靠的 contracts 合同with the companies公司 that employed them，and nearly everyone who wanted a higher education 教育could have one. successful people enjoyed upward 上升的social mobility. 移动性they may have started out poor，but they could become rich. successful people also found that they had greater geographic 地理的mobility.流动性

in other words，they found themselves moving to and living in a variety 多样化of places.

5. the word collectively means______.

a) as a group 总体上来讲

b) hesitatingly 踌躇地

c) unknowingly 不知不觉地

d) weakly 虚弱地