Question

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 “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. 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 middle-class man did with his money was perhaps nearer the truth. He was-and still is - inclined to take a longer-term 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 long-term plans.

3.  . In a large number of cases factory workers earn as much as their middle – class supervisors (管理者). Social security and laws to improve century, 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). In fact there has been a growing tendency in the past few years for the middle-classes 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 longer-term 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 re-appear, 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 life – styles and attitudes came into existence

D．However, we still have a wide gap between the well – paid and the low - paid

E．In recent years, the working – class people have begun to design long – term plans

F．In some ways, however, very little has changed, particularly where attitudes are concerned

G．The changes in both life – styles and attitudes are probably most easily seen among younger people

Answer

1.F

2.B

3.A

4.G

5.D

【解析】

试题分析：本文讲述了在过去25年来，英国社会改变很大，然而在许多方面几乎没有变化，尤其是有关社会阶层的想法却是改变相当缓慢，同时论述了英国工人阶级和中产阶级的变化。

1.F空前一句提到英国社会改变很大，而空后一句则说社会阶层的想法却是改变相当缓慢，所以空格处表达转折，承上启下，故选择答案F。

2.B空前句子not only。。。but also中提及中产阶级的两项长远的计划，即buying a house和the education of his children，因此空处承接前面的内容，指这两者给他和他的家人提供了安全保障。故选择答案B。

3.A上一段提到中产阶级拥有长远的计划，而工人阶级则很少有机会进行这样的计划，本段空后提到很多工厂工人挣钱和他们的中层管理者一样多，所以说明：现在情况变化很大，故选A。

4.G从空后的内容看，分述了这群人的生活方式和生活态度，故选择G，本段的总起句。

5.

考点：社会类句子填空