Though it is mere 1 to 3 percent of the population,the upper class possesses at least 25 percent of the nation’s wealth.This class has two segments:upper-upper and lower- upper.Basically,the upper-upper class is the“old rich”-families that have been wealthy for several generations-an aristocracy of birth and wealth.Their names are in the Social Register,a listing of acceptable members of high society.A few are known across the nation,such as the Rockefellers,Roosevelts,and Vanderbilts.Most are not visible to the general public.They live in grand seclusion(深居简出),drawing their income from the investment of their inherited wealth.In contrast,the lower-upper class is the“new rich”. Although they may be wealthier than some of the old rich,the new rich are anxious to make their money like everybody else lower than their class.Thus their prestige(威望) is generally lower than that of the old rich,who have not found it necessary to lift a finger to make their money,and who tend to look down upon the new rich.
However its wealth is acquired,the upper class is very,very rich.They have enough money and leisure time to cultivate an interest in the arts and to collect rare books, paintings,and sculptures.They generally live in exclusive areas,belong to exclusive social clubs,communicate with each other,and marry their own kind-all of which keeps them so distant from the common people that they have been called the out-of-fight class.More than any other class,they tend to be conscious of being members of a class.They also command an enormous amount of power and influence here and abroad,as they hold many top government positions,run the Council on Foreign Relations,and control multinational corporations.Their actions affect the life of millions.
小题1:
According to the author,the“old rich”get riche_________.A．through the Social RegisterB．through their reputation C．by investing their inherited wealthD．by collecting paintings and sculptures小题2:
The reason why the“old rich”look down upon the‘new rich’is that .A．the former are wealthier than the latterB．the latter sweat themselves to make moneyC．the“new rich”have no interest in artsD．the“old rich”are conscious of being members of the upper class小题3:
The upper class is also called the out-of-sight class because_________.A．they keep away from the general publicB．they spend most of their time abroad.C．they don’t communicate with any peopleD．they move frequently from place to place小题4:
We can learn from the passage that_________.A．the upper class is powerful and influentialB．the upper class collects rare books to make moneyC．the upper class holds all top government positionsD．the“old rich”make much more money than the“new rich”