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Unit 1
1. Read the text and try to understand it:
The terms "social stratification" and "social inequality" are synonymous. By
social stratification we mean the arrangement of any social group or society into
a hierarchy of positions that are unequal in power, property and social evaluation.
According to historical and archeological documents, stratification was
present even in the small bands that characterized society in the earliest days of
men. In such primitive conditions age and sex in combination with physical
strength were important criteria of stratification. "Women and children last" was
probably the dominant rule of order.
Written historical documents of men dating from several thousand years ago
tell us, when we speak of the ancient Babylonians, Persians, or Greeks, that
there were| rich and poor, powerful and humble, freemen and slaves; that such
hierarchical levels were the natural order of things, especially to those at the top
of hierarchies.
Also in the better documented period, starting about 2000 years ago, the
idea was widespread that a social hierarchy was a natural and unavoidable feature
of social life. This was true in China, India and Africa, as well as in Europe and
in the New World. Among the ancient American Indian kingdoms, there were
nobles and commoners – a few who had many of the world's goods, and many
who had a few of these goods. The poor and the powerless obeyed and served
the few who were powerful and rich and believed to be superior.
2. Transcribe the following words. Practise their pronunciation.
hierarchy ancient
feature archeological
criterion (pl. criteria) superior
society Persia
equally
3. Memorize the following words and expressions:
to obey, to serve, to characterize, to avoid, evaluation, to mean, power,
property, society, (un)equal, (in)equality, ancient, feature, superior, criterion (pl.
criteria), by social stratification we mean..., according to, at the top of, as well as.
4. Give Russian equivalents for the following:
the arrangement of society into hierarchies, physical strength, the dominant
rule of order, powerful and humble, in the better documented period, the idea
was widespread, a natural and unavoidable feature, nobles and commoners, the
world's goods.
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