Passage 49
(2006 广东 C)
Members of the working class have blue-collar jobs.They are construction workers, truck drivers, mechanics, steel workers, electricians, and the like.What makes this class differ from the lower class is, first, longer periods of employment and therefore, more fixed incomes—and, second, employment in skilled or semiskilled (半熟练的)occupations, not unskilled ones.Although unemployment hits all levels of the american economy, including those of skilled and semiskilled workers, it is most common at the bottom of the class structure and increasingly less common at each level upward. They consider themselves to be respectable and hard working and they look down upon members of the “lower”class, whom they often consider to be lazy, dishonest, and too ready to exploit public assistance.
Most people in the working class have at least high school education.Many have some experience of college (especially community college), though few are college graduates.Unionization has helped the working class, but a rapidly changing economy and frequent periods of high unemployment make it difficult for most of its members to be able to increase their savings greatly.Purchasing a house for people in this class is extremely difficult, although a certain percentage may receive houses from their parents.(Home-owning rises with social class.)
a greater number of the members of the working class take relatively little satisfaction in their jobs, because much of their work is ordinary and boring.As a result, many seek their main satisfaction in recreational (娱乐的)activities.Many members of this class would like to earn enough money to leave their jobs and start their own businesses, though few make it.Many place their expectations on their children, hoping that they at least will rise in the ladder of success, american style.
1.Which of the following is TRUE about the working class?
A. They are often employed as skilled and semiskilled workers.
B. They are often offered jobs with high incomes.
C. They are often considered lazy and dishonest.
D. They are often exploited by the public.
2.The underlined word “hit”(Paragraph 1 )roughly means ______.
A. strike with a blow
B. have bad effects on
C. break up
D. beat
3.Most people in the working class ______.
A. have difficulty increasing their savings greatly
B. have at least some experience of college
C. receive houses from their parents
D. buy houses by themselves
4.Many members from the working class are not satisfied with their jobs because ______.
A. they could not rise in the ladder of success
B. they are not interested in their jobs
C. they could not earn much money
D. they are not their own bosses
【重点词汇】
blue-collar adj.蓝领的,工人的
construction worker 建筑工人
mechanics n.技工
and the like 等等
differ from 与……不同
fixed income 固定收入
occupation n.职业
unemployment n.失业
look down upon 瞧不起
ready adj.愿意的
exploit v.剥削
college graduate 大学毕业生
social class 社会阶级
expectation n.期望
【疑难长句】
What makes this class differ from the lower class is, first, longer periods of employment and therefore, more fixed incomes—and, second, employment in skilled or semiskilled occupations, not unskilled ones.
理解句子的关键在于把握句子的主体结构what makes a differ from b,即a与b不同的原因在于什么。
(参考译文)工人阶层与更低阶层的区别在于:其一,他们工作的时间更长,因此收入更固定;其二,他们主要从事熟练或半熟练的工作,而非不熟练工作。