THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS?
A large ONGOING (GO) survey of American communities seems to show, ________________ (COMFORT), that levels of trust and co-operation are highest in the most homogenous ________________ (NEIGHBOUR). People living in diverse areas, it turns out, are not just more wary of people who don’t look like them; they are also more ________________ (SUSPECT) of their own kind. Because of that, they suffer socially, economically and politically.Fears now focus on those expected to come from the ten countries joining the European Union in May. On February 23rd, Britain became the latest EU country to throw up hurried defences against a projected “flood” of immigrants. They will be allowed to work in Britain, but not to claim most welfare benefits.
Unusually, nativist [1]cheers at this move have been ________________ (COMPANY) by sighs of relief from some on the left, who worry that if people are unable to identify with the foreigner who lives next door, they will not contribute to things like union funds and social security programmes. Britain can have either mass immigration or generous welfare, says David Goodhart, editor of Prospect magazine, but not both—and of the two, welfare is better.
Nobody has yet worked out whether Britons living in ________________ (RACE) mixed streets are less likely to exchange cups of sugar. Certainly, the pattern holds true for large areas. The 2000 General Household Survey found that the three most mixed areas (London, the West Midlands and the South East) had the lowest proportion of neighbourly people, while the four most lily-white areas (Scotland, Wales, the North East and the South West) had the highest. But that may be because the most diverse regions are also the most ________________ (URBAN).
There is better evidence for a link between immigration and attitudes to welfare. A recent MORI poll found that half of all people who felt hard done by reckoned that immigrants and ethnic minorities were getting priority over them. Only 8% pointed a finger at single mothers, the former scapegoat of the benefits system. Such sentiments may make people stingy. If the pattern holds true, Britain will become less like Scandinavia and more like America, with its racial ________________(DIVERSE) and frayed social safety net.
Adapted from© agata-lewandowska.republika.pl/word_form3.html
[1] Nativism: A socio-political policy, especially in the United States in the 19th century, favouring the interests of established inhabitants over those of immigrants. Nativist: advocating the perpetuation of native societies; “the old nativist prejudice against the foreign businessman”; “the nativistic faith preaches the old values”- C.K.Kluckhohn
Fears now focus on those expected to come from the ten countries joining the European Union in May. On February 23rd, Britain became the latest EU country to throw up hurried defences against a projected “flood” of immigrants. They will be allowed to work in Britain, but not to claim most welfare benefits.
Unusually, nativist [1]cheers at this move have been ACCOMPANIED (COMPANY) by sighs of relief from some on the left, who worry that if people are unable to identify with the foreigner who lives next door, they will not contribute to things like union funds and social security programmes. Britain can have either mass immigration or generous welfare, says David Goodhart, editor of Prospect magazine, but not both—and of the two, welfare is better.
Nobody has yet worked out whether Britons living in RACIALLY (RACE) mixed streets are less likely to exchange cups of sugar. Certainly, the pattern holds true for large areas. The 2000 General Household Survey found that the three most mixed areas (London, the West Midlands and the South East) had the lowest proportion of neighbourly people, while the four most lily-white areas (Scotland, Wales, the North East and the South West) had the highest. But that may be because the most diverse regions are also the most URBANISED (URBAN).
There is better evidence for a link between immigration and attitudes to welfare. A recent MORI poll found that half of all people who felt hard done by reckoned that immigrants and ethnic minorities were getting priority over them. Only 8% pointed a finger at single mothers, the former scapegoat of the benefits system. Such sentiments may make people stingy. If the pattern holds true, Britain will become less like Scandinavia and more like America, with its racial DIVERSITY (DIVERSE) and frayed social safety net.
THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS?
A large ONGOING (GO) survey of American communities seems to show, UNCOMFORTABLY (COMFORT), that levels of trust and co-operation are highest in the most homogenous NEIGHBOURHOODS (NEIGHBOUR). People living in diverse areas, it turns out, are not just more wary of people who don’t look like them; they are also more SUSPICIOUS (SUSPECT) of their own kind. Because of that, they suffer socially, economically and politically.Fears now focus on those expected to come from the ten countries joining the European Union in May. On February 23rd, Britain became the latest EU country to throw up hurried defences against a projected “flood” of immigrants. They will be allowed to work in Britain, but not to claim most welfare benefits.
Unusually, nativist [1]cheers at this move have been ACCOMPANIED (COMPANY) by sighs of relief from some on the left, who worry that if people are unable to identify with the foreigner who lives next door, they will not contribute to things like union funds and social security programmes. Britain can have either mass immigration or generous welfare, says David Goodhart, editor of Prospect magazine, but not both—and of the two, welfare is better.
Nobody has yet worked out whether Britons living in RACIALLY (RACE) mixed streets are less likely to exchange cups of sugar. Certainly, the pattern holds true for large areas. The 2000 General Household Survey found that the three most mixed areas (London, the West Midlands and the South East) had the lowest proportion of neighbourly people, while the four most lily-white areas (Scotland, Wales, the North East and the South West) had the highest. But that may be because the most diverse regions are also the most URBANISED (URBAN).
There is better evidence for a link between immigration and attitudes to welfare. A recent MORI poll found that half of all people who felt hard done by reckoned that immigrants and ethnic minorities were getting priority over them. Only 8% pointed a finger at single mothers, the former scapegoat of the benefits system. Such sentiments may make people stingy. If the pattern holds true, Britain will become less like Scandinavia and more like America, with its racial DIVERSITY (DIVERSE) and frayed social safety net.
Adapted from© agata-lewandowska.republika.pl/word_form3.html
[1] Nativism: A socio-political policy, especially in the United States in the 19th century, favouring the interests of established inhabitants over those of immigrants. Nativist: advocating the perpetuation of native societies; “the old nativist prejudice against the foreign businessman”; “the nativistic faith preaches the old values”- C.K.Kluckhohn
Vocabulary
wary: /ˈweəri/ careful when dealing with somebody/something because you think that there may be a danger or problem. Cautious. E.g. Be wary of strangers who offer you a ride.
Throw sth up: to build something suddenly or in a hurry. E.g. They're throwing up new housing estates all over the place.
hold true to be true; to remain true. E.g. Does this rule hold true all the time? Yes, it holds true no matter what.
neighbourly: friendly and helpful. Kind. E.g. It was a neighbourly gesture of theirs.
lily-white: almost pure white in colour. E.g. lily-white skin.
MORI (Market & Opinion Research International, Ltd.) a British leading survey company.
be/feel hard done by to be or feel unfairly treated. E.g. She has every right to feel hard done by—her parents have given her nothing.
point a/the finger (at somebody): to accuse somebody of doing something. E.g. The article points an accusing finger at the authorities.
scapegoat: /ˈskeɪpɡəʊt/ a person who is blamed for something bad that somebody else has done or for some failure. E.g. She felt she had been made a scapegoat for her boss's incompetence.
stingy: /ˈstɪndʒi/ not given or giving willingly; not generous, especially with money. Mean. E.g. You're stingy! (= not willing to spend money)
fray: if cloth frays or something frays it, the threads in it start to come apart. E.g. The cuffs of his shirt were fraying. This material frays easily. It was fashionable to fray the bottoms of your jeans.
Vocabulary
wary: /ˈweəri/ careful when dealing with somebody/something because you think that there may be a danger or problem. Cautious. E.g. Be wary of strangers who offer you a ride.
Throw sth up: to build something suddenly or in a hurry. E.g. They're throwing up new housing estates all over the place.
hold true to be true; to remain true. E.g. Does this rule hold true all the time? Yes, it holds true no matter what.
neighbourly: friendly and helpful. Kind. E.g. It was a neighbourly gesture of theirs.
lily-white: almost pure white in colour. E.g. lily-white skin.
MORI (Market & Opinion Research International, Ltd.) a British leading survey company.
be/feel hard done by to be or feel unfairly treated. E.g. She has every right to feel hard done by—her parents have given her nothing.
point a/the finger (at somebody): to accuse somebody of doing something. E.g. The article points an accusing finger at the authorities.
scapegoat: /ˈskeɪpɡəʊt/ a person who is blamed for something bad that somebody else has done or for some failure. E.g. She felt she had been made a scapegoat for her boss's incompetence.
stingy: /ˈstɪndʒi/ not given or giving willingly; not generous, especially with money. Mean. E.g. You're stingy! (= not willing to spend money)
fray: if cloth frays or something frays it, the threads in it start to come apart. E.g. The cuffs of his shirt were fraying. This material frays easily. It was fashionable to fray the bottoms of your jeans.
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