2012高考英语阅读理解课堂练学案（10）

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1、2012高考英语：阅读理解课堂练学案（10）PassageSix(EqualityofopportunityinthetwentiethCenturyHasNotDestroyedtheClassSystem)   Thesedayswehearalotofnonsenseaboutthe‘greatclasslesssociety’.Theideathatthetwentiethcenturyistheageofthecommonmanhasbecomeoneofthegreatclichésofourtime.Thesameoldargume

2、ntsareputforwardinevidence.Herearesomeofthem:monarchyasasystemofgovernmenthasbeencompletelydiscredited.Themonarchiesthatsurvivehavebeendeprivedofallpoliticalpower.Inheritedwealthhasbeensavagelyreducedbytaxationand,intime,thegreatfortuneswilldisappearaltogether.Inanumberofcoun

3、triesthevictoryhasbeencomplete.Thepeoplerule;thegreatmillenniumhasbecomeapoliticalreality.Buthasit?Closeexaminationdoesn’tbearouttheclaim.   Itisafallacytosupposethatallmenareequalandthatsocietywillbeleveledoutifyouprovideeverybodywiththesameeducationalopportunities.(Itisdeba

4、tablewhetheryoucaneverprovideeveryonewiththesameeducationalopportunities,butthatisanotherquestion.)Thefactisthatnaturedispensesbrainsandabilitywithatotaldisregardfortheprincipleofequality.Theoldrulesofthejungle,‘survivalofthefittest’,and‘mightisright’arestillwithus.Thespreado

5、feducationhasdestroyedtheoldclasssystemandcreatedanewone.Rewardsarebasedonmerit.For‘aristocracy’read‘meritocracy’;inotherrespects,societyremainsunaltered:theclasssystemisrigidlymaintained.   Genuineability,animalcunning,skill,theknackofseizingopportunities,allbringmaterialrew

6、ards.Andwhatisthefirstthingpeopledowhentheybecomerich?Theyusetheirwealthtosecurethebestpossibleopportunitiesfortheirchildren,togivethem‘agoodstartinlife’.Forallthelipservicewepaytotheideaofequality,wedonotconsiderthiswronginthewesternworld.Privateschoolswhichofferunfairadvant

7、agesoverstateschoolsarenotbannedbecauseoneoftheprinciplesinademocracyisthatpeopleshouldbefreetochoosehowtheywilleducatetheirchildren.Inthisway,thenewmeritocracycanperpetuateitselftoacertainextent:anablechildfromawealthyhomecansucceedfarmorerapidlythanhispoorercounterpart.Weal

8、thisalsousedindiscriminatelytofurtherpoliticalends.Itwouldbealmostim