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In the United States and other developed nations around the world, the middle class is slowly disappearing. When viewed over the past thirty years, this fact becomes obvious. Five million middle-class jobs have been lost in America alone. Thirty years ago, the middle class made up more than fifty percent of all the money earned in America. Today, the vast majority of salary money goes to the upper class. Union membership, traditionally a strong indication of middle-class status, has steadily shrunk over the years. Perhaps the most revealing statistic is that 1.6 million middle-class Americans were forced into bankruptcy in 2004. That’s a number that had not been reached since the Great Depression.
An obvious result of a disappearing middle class is the growth of the lower and upper classes. First world nations are increasingly finding their populations separated into the rich and the poor, with fewer and fewer people in the middle. In 1970, if one compared the average salaries of people with a college degree and those without one, the difference would have been 17%. Today that difference is more than 50%. In addition to the increasing gap in salaries, there is also an increasing gap in the benefits that workers receive. Today, nearly 30% of all Americans hold jobs which do not provide them with health insurance or a retirement plan. So over the last 30 years, much of the middle class has seen a steady decline in its standard of living, while a lucky few have moved into the upper class. Furthermore, if current trends continue, future generations will find their class status much more permanent; the majority will remain poor, and a small minority will remain rich.
The causes for the disappearance of the middle class are complex, but two major factors clearly play key roles. First, the world is becoming more technologically advanced. Traditionally, middle-class jobs have been factory jobs. While these jobs did require experience and on-the- job training, very few of them required anything higher than a high school degree. In the 21st century, many of these jobs have been eliminated by advances in robotic technology. Furthermore, many companies have found it cheaper to open their factories in Third World nations, where they can pay much lower salaries. The disappearance of these factory jobs has damaged the middle class because it has meant that those without a college education have been forced to take lower-paying, unskilled jobs.
Another important factor is the increased ease with which business can be conducted internationally. With nearly world-wide internet access, it is now easier than ever for companies to maintain offices in several
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different countries. As a result, many large corporations only keep their headquarters in First World nations. While the high-level management jobs at these headquarters are high paying, they are relatively few and usually require advanced degrees. Lower-level management jobs are often shipped abroad to areas where the company can pay lower salaries. As a result, First World citizens who have neither an advanced degree nor a highly specialized skill are likely to find themselves with increasingly fewer employment options.
1. In paragraph 1, all of the following are mentioned as proof of the disappearance of the middle class EXCEPT ___
A. the loss of large numbers of middle-class jobs
B. record rates of bankruptcy among the middle class
C. increasing numbers of people who cannot afford homes
D. large percentages of money earned by the upper class
2. The word “indication” in the passage is closest in meaning to ________________
A. factor
B. signal
C. protector
D. justification
3. The word “one” in the passage refers to _____________
A. salary
B. college degree
C. salary gap
D. upper-class job
4. According to paragraph 2, the difference in salaries paid to workers with and without college degrees has _______
A. increased over the last thirty years
B. resulted in the loss of benefits for middle-class workers
C. prompted a larger number of people to seek college degrees
D. created widespread anger toward the upper class
5. According to paragraph 2, the loss of health insurance and retirement plans has had what effect on the middle class?
A. It has shortened their average lifespan.
B. It has forced them to take second jobs to pay medical bills.
C. It has ensured that future generations remain poor.
D. It has lowered their standard of living.
