The United Statesperceives itself to be a middle-class nation.However,middle class is not a realdesignation（称号）,nor doesit carry privileges. It is more of a

perception,which probablywas as true as it ever could be right after World War Ⅱ.The economy was growing,more and morepeople owned their own homes,workers had

solid contracts withthe companies that employed them,and nearly everyone who wanted a highereducation could have one.Successful people enjoyed upward social

mobility.They mayhave started out poor,but they could become rich.Successful people also foundthat they had greater geographic mobility.In other words,they found

themselves moving toand living in a variety of places.

The middle classcollectively holds several values and principles.One strong value is the needto earn enough money to feel that one can determine one's own economic

fate.Inaddition,middle class morality embraces principles of individual responsibility,importanceof family,obligations to others,and believing in something outside oneself.

But in the l990sthose in the middle class found that there was a price for success.A US News&World Report survey in 1994 indicated that 75 percent of Americans believed

that middle classfamilies could no longer make ends meet. Both spouses now worked,as did some ofthe children; long commutes became routine;the need for child care put

strains on（给······带来压力）the family;and publicschools were not as good as they once were.Members of the middle class were nolonger financing their lifestyles

through earnings butwere using credit to stay afloat. The understanding of just what middle classmeant was changing.The information inthis passage deals with_________.

A.an individual

B.a social andeconomic group

C.a politicalorganization

D.government