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’.Theideathatthetwentiethcenturyistheageofthecommonmanhasbecomeoneofthegreatclichéso

2、fourtime.Thesameoldargumentsareputforwardinevidence.Herearesomeofthem:monarchyasasystemofgovernmenthasbeencompletelydiscredited.Themonarchiesthatsurvivehavebeendeprivedofallpoliticalpower.Inheritedwealthhasbeensavagelyreducedbytaxationand,intime,thegr

3、eatfortuneswilldisappearaltogether.Inanumberofcountriesthevictoryhasbeencomplete.Thepeoplerule;thegreatmillenniumhasbecomeapoliticalreality.Buthasit?Closeexaminationdoesn’tbearouttheclaim.   Itisafallacytosupposethatallmenareequalandthatsocietywillbel

4、eveledoutifyouprovideeverybodywiththesameeducationalopportunities.(Itisdebatablewhetheryoucaneverprovideeveryonewiththesameeducationalopportunities,butthatisanotherquestion.)Thefactisthatnaturedispensesbrainsandabilitywithatotaldisregardfortheprincipl

5、eofequality.Theoldrulesofthejungle,‘survivalofthefittest’,and‘mightisright’arestillwithus.Thespreadofeducationhasdestroyedtheoldclasssystemandcreatedanewone.Rewardsarebasedonmerit.For‘aristocracy’read‘meritocracy’;inotherrespects,societyremainsunalter

6、ed:theclasssystemisrigidlymaintained.   Genuineability,animalcunning,skill,theknackofseizingopportunities,allbringmaterialrewards.Andwhatisthefirstthingpeopledowhentheybecomerich?Theyusetheirwealthtosecurethebestpossibleopportunitiesfortheirchildren,t

7、ogivethem‘agoodstartinlife’.Forallthelipservicewepaytotheideaofequality,wedonotconsiderthiswronginthewesternworld.Privateschoolswhichofferunfairadvantagesoverstateschoolsarenotbannedbecauseoneoftheprinciplesinademocracyisthatpeopleshouldbefreetochoose

8、howtheywilleducatetheirchildren.Inthisway,thenewmeritocracycanperpetuateitselftoacertainextent:anablechildfromawealthyhomecansucceedfarmorerapidlythanhispoorercounterpart.Wealthisalsousedindiscriminatelytofurtherpoliticalends.Itwouldbealmostim