时间:2019-01-07 作者:英语课 分类:六分钟英语


英语课

   Neil: Hello.


  Rob: Today we’re talking about class. This is something of an obsession 1 with British people; it’s something they talk about and think about all the time! So Neil, what class are you - lower, middle or upper?
  Neil: I suppose if you look at my background, you could say I am middle class.
  Rob: Yes, me too - middle class. So we belong to a social group that consists of well-educated people, who have good jobs and are neither very rich nor very poor.
  Neil: Well we are certainly not rich! But being middle class is not just a British thing.
  Rob: No - the number of middle class people around the world is rising as people earn more money. So, for your question today Neil, can you guess how many people are predicted to be middle class in the world by 2030?
  a) 2.9 billion
  b) 3.9 billion
  c) 4.9 billion
  Neil: Such large numbers, I don’t know. I’ll go for b) 3.9 billion.
  Rob: We’ll find out the answer later. So, being middle class involves a number of factors - good education, a good job, sometimes owning your own home and having a number of possessions like a car or a TV.
  Neil: It’s quite a privileged 2 or comfortable position to be in - but the most important factor is having disposable income - that’s spare money to spend on more than just things you need for everyday survival 3, like food. That’s what you’ve got Rob, right?
  Rob: A little - spare money to spend on little luxuries 4 like a holiday, a computer or a meal at a restaurant. But we always complain we never have enough money, don't we!
  Neil: Yes, we do: the UN says to be middle class you have to earn between $10 and $100 per day. In the UK I think that’s quite a small amount so we could say, very generally, we are quite well-off - but in places such as Asia there has been a huge shift 5 recently from people in poorer working class jobs to middle class ones.
  Rob: It’s interesting: that by 2030 there could be 3.2 billion middle class people in Asia - overtaking 6 Europe and America. The BBC’s John Sudworth can explain what is happening now in China. What does he say people are becoming?
  BBC reporter, John Sudworth:
  Now there’s a new chapter, the farmers leaving these fields for cities like Zhengzhou, are becoming not just workers but consumers too. In short - they’re off to join the middle class.
  Neil: So, people are now moving to the city not just to find work but to spend the money they earn. They are becoming consumers because their income - the money they earn - has gone up.
  Rob: So, this is because of industrialisation - a change from an economy based on farming to a growth in factories making things. Now, this happened in China in the 1970s but it is now upgrading 7 or improving its industries again making people wealthier.
  Neil: This has led to a consumer society - that’s where people are spending money on things like fridges and washing machines.
  Rob: Let’s hear from John Sudworth again, talking about a consumer from China - what does this woman do if she can’t afford to buy something?
  BBC reporter, John Sudworth:
  Jessica Zhao earns a little more than $12,000 US dollars a year and she spends every last bit of it, often with the help of a credit 8 card. My parents would never spend money they don’t have, she tells me, but attitudes are changing fast.
  Neil: So that woman uses a credit card - it means she can buy now and pay later. It’s a change in attitude - it’s not what our parents or grandparents would do. I do it all the time. You pay for the goods later but with a high interest rate. What have you bought with your credit card recently Rob?
  Rob: A new carpet… a pair of jeans and some train tickets. But I’m not looking forward to my credit card bill!
  Neil: Nor me. You might think we are spending a lot - in China 2,500 vehicles are sold every hour!
  Rob: Goodness 9. Well, the rise of the middle class could be a good thing. As people’s standard of living improves, global poverty could be reduced.
  Neil: Ah, but if people borrow too much money there could be a credit crunch 10 - that’s a bad economic situation where banks do not want to lend as much money.
  Rob: But what I really want to know is when will I become upper class?
  Neil: Sorry Rob, you’ll never get there - it’s all about your upbringing and your family - something you can’t change, even with money. But let’s prove how well educated I am by seeing if I got today’s question right.
  Rob: OK. Earlier I asked you how many people are predicted to be middle class in the world by 2030?
  Neil: I said 3.9 billion.
  Rob: You were wrong. The figure is 4.9 billion. Now, Neil, could you remind us of some of today's language?
  Neil: obsession
  possessions
  privileged
  disposable income
  well-off
  consumers
  income
  industrialisation
  credit crunch
  upgrading
  consumer society
  upbringing
  Rob: OK that's it for this programme. Do join us again soon for more 6 Minute English from BBC Learning 11 English.
  Both: Bye.




点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  






1
obsession
eIdxt
  
 


n.困扰,无法摆脱的思想(或情感)


参考例句:





I was suffering from obsession that my career would be ended.那时的我陷入了我的事业有可能就此终止的困扰当中。
She would try to forget her obsession with Christopher.她会努力忘记对克里斯托弗的迷恋。












2
privileged
SkrzwE
  
 


adj.享有特权的;特许的,专用的;秘密的,保密的;幸运的


参考例句:





Those in authority were in a privileged position. 有地位者自有特权。
a privileged Wasp background 享有特权的盎格鲁&dash1;撒克逊裔白人新教徒出身












3
survival
lrJw9
  
 


n.留住生命,生存,残存,幸存者


参考例句:





The doctor told my wife I had a fifty-fifty chance of survival.医生告诉我的妻子,说我活下去的可能性只有50%。
The old man was a survival of a past age.这位老人是上一代的遗老。












4
luxuries
55cf4c8b14bd86c2649841910e182373
  
 


n.奢侈( luxury的名词复数 );豪华;奢侈品;不常有的乐趣(或享受、优势)


参考例句:





Such luxuries are unavailable to ordinary people. 此等奢侈品普通百姓是难以获得的。
His salary is low and he gets few luxuries. 他薪水微薄,很少买奢侈品。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》












5
shift
4yAwt
  
 


n.交换,变化,移动,接班者;vt.更替,移转,变声;vi.改变,定责,更衣


参考例句:





Lend me a hand to shift this box,will you?来帮一下忙,把这箱子搬开,好吗?
A sudden shift in the wind warned of the coming storm.风向的突然改变预示暴风雨来临。












6
overtaking
3dec6cf186e66a2e3aacf8c644a9e589
  
 


v.追上,赶上,超过( overtake的现在分词 );(不愉快的事情)突然发生;突然降临;(在数量或重要性方面)大于


参考例句:





After the meal, I could feel lethargy overtaking me. 饭后我昏昏欲睡。 来自《简明英汉词典》
We should have close fighting and overtaking, and unfortunately we don't. 我们应该要更紧密的战斗和超车,但不幸的是我们没有。 来自互联网












7
upgrading
b1709369b19b51deac976f5fc9dce527
  
 


浓缩


参考例句:





Many people are upgrading their mobiles to top-end models. 很多人不断将手机升级到最高档的款式。
We will press ahead with our plans for upgrading the software. 我们会继续为我们的计划努力,加快进行软件升级。












8
credit
pOGzH
  
 


n.信用,荣誉,贷款,学分;v.归功于,赞颂,信任


参考例句:





I credit him with a certain amount of sense.我认为他有一定的见识。
He got the credit,and we did the dirty work.他得荣誉,我们做不讨好的工作。












9
goodness
xfgxm
  
 


n.善良,善行,美德


参考例句:





Would you have the goodness to turn off the radio?劳驾,请你把收音机关上好不好?
Thank goodness,we've found a cure for the disease.好了,这病有救了!












10
crunch
uOgzM
  
 


n.关键时刻;艰难局面;v.发出碎裂声


参考例句:





If it comes to the crunch they'll support us.关键时刻他们是会支持我们的。
People who crunch nuts at the movies can be very annoying.看电影时嘎吱作声地嚼干果的人会使人十分讨厌。












11
learning
wpSzFe
  
 


n.学问,学识,学习;动词learn的现在分词


参考例句:





When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时,常会从车上掉下来。
Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。













n.困扰,无法摆脱的思想(或情感)
  • I was suffering from obsession that my career would be ended.那时的我陷入了我的事业有可能就此终止的困扰当中。
  • She would try to forget her obsession with Christopher.她会努力忘记对克里斯托弗的迷恋。
adj.享有特权的;特许的,专用的;秘密的,保密的;幸运的
  • Those in authority were in a privileged position. 有地位者自有特权。
  • a privileged Wasp background 享有特权的盎格鲁&dash1;撒克逊裔白人新教徒出身
n.留住生命,生存,残存,幸存者
  • The doctor told my wife I had a fifty-fifty chance of survival.医生告诉我的妻子,说我活下去的可能性只有50%。
  • The old man was a survival of a past age.这位老人是上一代的遗老。
n.奢侈( luxury的名词复数 );豪华;奢侈品;不常有的乐趣(或享受、优势)
  • Such luxuries are unavailable to ordinary people. 此等奢侈品普通百姓是难以获得的。
  • His salary is low and he gets few luxuries. 他薪水微薄,很少买奢侈品。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
n.交换,变化,移动,接班者;vt.更替,移转,变声;vi.改变,定责,更衣
  • Lend me a hand to shift this box,will you?来帮一下忙,把这箱子搬开,好吗?
  • A sudden shift in the wind warned of the coming storm.风向的突然改变预示暴风雨来临。
v.追上,赶上,超过( overtake的现在分词 );(不愉快的事情)突然发生;突然降临;(在数量或重要性方面)大于
  • After the meal, I could feel lethargy overtaking me. 饭后我昏昏欲睡。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • We should have close fighting and overtaking, and unfortunately we don't. 我们应该要更紧密的战斗和超车,但不幸的是我们没有。 来自互联网
浓缩
  • Many people are upgrading their mobiles to top-end models. 很多人不断将手机升级到最高档的款式。
  • We will press ahead with our plans for upgrading the software. 我们会继续为我们的计划努力,加快进行软件升级。
n.信用,荣誉,贷款,学分;v.归功于,赞颂,信任
  • I credit him with a certain amount of sense.我认为他有一定的见识。
  • He got the credit,and we did the dirty work.他得荣誉,我们做不讨好的工作。
n.善良,善行,美德
  • Would you have the goodness to turn off the radio?劳驾,请你把收音机关上好不好?
  • Thank goodness,we've found a cure for the disease.好了,这病有救了!
n.关键时刻;艰难局面;v.发出碎裂声
  • If it comes to the crunch they'll support us.关键时刻他们是会支持我们的。
  • People who crunch nuts at the movies can be very annoying.看电影时嘎吱作声地嚼干果的人会使人十分讨厌。
n.学问,学识,学习;动词learn的现在分词
  • When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时,常会从车上掉下来。
  • Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。
标签: 社会阶层
学英语单词
A.E.S.
adiabatic damping
agvs (automated guided vehicle system)
alalunga
alfalfa mosaic
anticultists
aracari
aristoxenuss
Austrophobes
axis angle
bachas
bansela
barlby
Bourdeilles
Boxer Rising
brakemakers
busting
cake shampoo
Calamus rotang
calling for
centaurium calycosums
cleavable
combustible case
computer civilization
construction guide
crack filler
cutting movement
cycloprate
DEPLOC
destructive oxidation
diarthrodactylous
direct-current excited reactor
discontinuous crystallizer
Ecclestone
edging device
eleanors of aquitaine
electronic detector
end matched specimen
fetishizer
finger-prints
fleetwide
Flyte
foot-rest
forewalk
fryar
goathair
hard space
hydrodynamic aided rotary shaft lip seal
i am curious orange
in-flood
International Council for the Exploration of the Sea
Iosiderite
KUW
Ligusticum acutilobum
logic fallacies
media life
melanodon
meridional cell
nonsprouting
nuclear runaway
nucleus dentatus
oestringen
ople tree
output transfer function
parallel flow heating furnace
pebble-dashed
pentamethine
phasetrajectory
Pivoteau
Price County
rabones
radiation health physics
railway wear tolerance
ray crossing
red onions
refractometrically
Riemann-Christoffel tensor
safety protective lighting
SATA cables
sheep-stealer
shift position
Ship Re-mortgage
shoot a glance at sb
Shuakhevi
straight-through flow
straw in the wind
subs' bench
sulfoxidation
tarsoconjuntiva graft
tavernas
tetrarchic
three-section cut
tin-cans
tomographic scanner X
top-side
trabeculae cranii
trade mode
university-levels
up one level
ventral celiotomy
yummily
Zimb.