The underclass means the group of people at the very bottom of a society — very poor, often without steady work, and, this is the important part, stuck there, with little realistic way out for them or their children. That last idea is what separates 'underclass' from simply 'the poor': it carries the sense of being shut out of normal society for a long time, maybe across generations.

The underclass means Underclass指的是 the group of people at the very bottom of a society一個社會裡處在最底層的一群人 very poor非常貧窮 often without steady work通常沒有穩定的工作 and, this is the important part而這是重點所在 stuck there困在那裡出不去 with little realistic way out幾乎沒有實際的出路 for them or their children他們自己或他們的孩子 That last idea is what separates最後這一點正是區分開 'underclass' from simply 'the poor' 'underclass'和單純窮人的地方 it carries the sense of它帶有一種感覺 being shut out of normal society被排除在正常社會之外 for a long time長期如此 maybe across generations甚至可能一代傳一代

It is a word from sociology, politics and journalism, not everyday chat; you will meet it in newspapers, textbooks and speeches.

It is a word from它是一個來自 sociology, politics and journalism社會學政治學和新聞學的詞 not everyday chat不是日常閒聊會用的詞 you will meet it你會遇到它 in newspapers, textbooks and speeches在報紙教科書和演講裡

It is also a word people argue about, and your students should know that. Some writers use it with sympathy, to point at a system that traps people. Others use it to blame the people themselves, as if they were a different sort of person from the rest of us.

It is also a word它也是一個 people argue about人們會爭論的詞 and your students should know that你的學生應該要知道這一點 Some writers use it有些作家用這個詞 with sympathy帶著同情心 to point at a system指出一個 that traps people會困住人的體制 Others use it其他人用這個詞 to blame the people themselves是為了責怪這些人自己 as if they were好像他們是 a different sort of person from the rest of us一種跟我們其他人不一樣的人

Because of that second use, many sociologists now avoid the term, and calling a real person 'underclass' can sound cold or insulting. Say 'people living in poverty' when you are talking about individuals, and keep 'underclass' for describing the structure of a society.

Because of that second use因為第二種用法 many sociologists now avoid the term現在很多社會學家會避免用這個詞 and calling a real person 'underclass'而把一個真實存在的人稱為'underclass' can sound cold or insulting可能聽起來很冷酷或帶有侮辱意味 Say 'people living in poverty' 要說'people living in poverty' when you are talking about individuals當你在講具體某個人的時候 and keep 'underclass' 而把'underclass' for describing the structure of a society留給描述一個社會的結構時用

Grammatically it is almost always singular and takes 'the': 'the urban underclass', 'a growing underclass'.

Grammatically文法上 it is almost always singular它幾乎總是單數 and takes 'the'而且常常前面加'the' 'the urban underclass' 'the urban underclass' 'a growing underclass' 'a growing underclass'