Page 135 - Full Solutions 2nd Advanced Student Book_Neat

S} fnCO Listen to the radio programme about the British
class system and speech. Which of these topics are
mentioned?
ii iiiiii r- i::

i1, (b fnCO Listen again. Using information from the
programme, try to fo[[ow the instructions below.
1 Choose the option (a-c) which rhymes with the word on
the teft when it is spoken in an upper class accent.
getting ashutting bpatting c sitting
just a fist b chest c past
catch a pitch b fetch c clutch
#;,i }: il Describe the photo and answerthe questions
2 ln an upper ctass accent, say: 'Let's get ready for the
below.
m atch !'
1 ln your opinion, what might be: 3 ln a worl<ing class London accent, say:'l thinl< l'll have
a the attitude of the boys on the right towards the boys some butter.'
on the teft? 4 Translate this sentence into standard English: 'My mate
b the reason why the boys on the teft are not lool<ing at went into the boozer to use the bog.'
the boys on the right? 5 Translate this sentence into London worl<ing class
2 What does the photo tett you about British society at the [anguage: 'You were Iucl<y l'm not a police officer"'
time?
,l-.',..,t..,,:. Read the fact file about a popular British IV show.
d Complete the text with suitable words. Then discuss the questions below in pairs.

The British are particularly aware of - and fascinated FACT FILE
t-
--their class system, While many othersocieties
around the world have a comparable structure, in Downton Abbey, one of the most popular shows on British TV
is shown in more than 100 countries worldwide.
Britain it seems to permeate every aspect of life, from
food to fashion and 2__ sports to speech. First screened in 2010, it became an instant hit.
Downton Abbey is the fictional home of an aristocratic family,
A hundred years ago, the British class system was well-defined the Crawley family, in the.north of England
and there 3- little movement between the classes. ln broad The events take place in the early part of the twentieth century,
terms, society was divided into three social groups. The upper There are two sets of characters: the upper-class family who
class consisted 4_ people with inherited land or wealth who own the Abbey and the servants who work there,
5-
no need to worl<. The middle class were professional Highclere Castle is used for the setting, lts owner, the Earl of
people, generally well-educated, with jobs which paid a monthly Carnarvon, is a personal friend of the show's writer,
salary: teachers, architects and doctors, for example. The working
class were people who did unskilled work or skilled manualworkfor
6
-- they were paid a daily or weekly wage.
Although the basic structure of the class system remains the
1-,
some important aspects of it have changed. Firstly,
the proportions. For most of the nineteenth century, the upper
and middle classes together constituted only about l5% of the
8_
population. But the middle classes grew rapidly the
economy grew, with more and more people becoming merchants,
businessmen, financiers and civil servants. Secondly, inequalities
in wealth have become s_ pronounced. Before the 20th
century, ordinary workers earned so little that even a moderately
10_ 1 ln what way does the poputarity of Downton Abbey reflecl
wealthy member of the middle classes afford to employ
an interest in the class system?
servants. This changed as workers began to demand a reasonable
2 ln your opinion, is it morally wrong to have servants?
wage. Thirdly, ideas of status have changed and people tend to
be proud of their origins rather than aspiring t0 move up the class Why?/Why not?
Ia dder. 3 Do you thinl< society would be better without a class
system of any kind? Why?/Why not?
134 2 e utture The tsritislr class system