Land-Use Case Ponders Fate of the Working Class

Usually it is a question studied in depth by sociology students, but yesterday the troublesome issue of the working class – does it exist in 21^st century Britain? – surfaced in the unlikely surroundings of the High Court in London.

Developers (1) _______________ (to want) to build luxury homes on prime land in west London sold 70 years ago, on condition that it (2) _______________ (to use) to benefit the working people, argued that this social distinction no longer (3) _______________ (to exist).

Opposing the developers was the unlikely proletariat’s champion, the wealthy eighth Earl of Cadogan. He wants to stop the property firm Dano (4) _______________ (to build) four £1m houses on land in Chelsea that used to belong to his family.

When this land (5) _______________ (to sell) in 1929 it (6) _______________ (to have) a covenant that (7) _______________ (to restrict) its use “for the housing of the working class.” The earl claims the phrase still means “persons of lower income,” such as police, nurses and teachers.

Michael Barnes QC, for Dano, told the judge, Mr Justice Etherlon, that the “working class” (8) _______________ (to mean) those in manual or industrial jobs. The phrase (9) _______________ (to have) a clear meaning in the 1920s, but since then economic and social conditions (10) _______________ (to alter). Now some people who (11) _____________ (modal verb) previously (12) _______________ (to label) ‘working class’ (13) _______________ (to earn) more than some professionals, he added.

(From ‘The Guardian’, abridged)

Grammar in Speech

28. Supply the correct form of the verbs given in brackets and perform the role play given below.

Vow to Take Violent Patients to Court

The health secretary, John Reid, yesterday promised that violent patients, relatives and friends (1) _______________ (to prosecute) for verbal and physical attacks on NHS staff.

Dr Reid made the comments as the British Medical Association (2) _______________ (to suggest) that more than one in three doctors (3) _______________________ (to abuse, threaten or assault) in the last year.

From next year, all staff (4) __________________ (modal verb/train) in how to deal with aggression from the public and the NHS counter-fraud and management service (5) _______________ (to step up) government commitments that “any crime against NHS staff” (6) _______________ (to follow) through with prosecutions.

Of the 350 who said they (7) _______________ (to experience) violence, 22% (8) _______________ (to suffer) actual physical assault, from (9) _____________________ (to push, shove or punch) to (10) _______________ (to threaten) with a knife, chair or broken glass.

BMA representatives said NHS trusts (11) __________________ (modal verb/do) more to prosecute violent patients and provide secure surroundings in which they (12) ________________ (modal verb/treat).

Dr Reid, before (13) _______________ (to address) a social service conference in Brighton, said: “There is no excuse whatever for handing out verbal or physical abuse to people whose only aim … is to help other people. I am intent on making sure everybody who (14) _______________ (to do) so (15) ________________ (to end up) (16) _______________ (to prosecute).

(From ‘The Guardian’, abridged)

Role play. You are attending a social service conference dealing with violent attacks on NHS staff.

Role 1. You are the leader of the role play. Introduce the problem to be discussed and ask the participants to speak. Comment on their ideas.

Role 2. You are Patricia Wilks, a personal assistant of the health secretary (John Reid). Dr Reid had to return to London on some urgent business and asked you to speak at the conference. Report the information he gave you. (See the article above.)

Role 3. You are Helen Watson, a BMA representative. Last month you were given the task of investigating cases of physical attacks on NHS staff. You visited 10 hospitals in different parts of Britain and spoke to doctors who had suffered physical assault. Speak about the results of your investigation and report your conversations with the doctors. Say what they thought about the solution of the problem. (E.g. St. John Hospital (London) – 15 attacks on the staff in the past 2 years. Manchester City Hospital – Dr Nelson – verbal abuse; Nurse Hendricson – physical assault, etc.)