exciting -  - .
sure -  - , .
challenge -  - .
disparity -  - , , .
threat -  - .
violence and crime -    -   .
perpetuation -  -  
certain -  - .
influential -  - , .
strands of society -    -   .
ridiculous -  - , , .
female -  - .
stereotype -  - . 
imbalance of power -    -  .
truth -  - , .
thanks -  - .
previous -  - , .
brave -  - .
exceptional -  - , .
than ever -       , 
despite -  - .
ever-more -  -  .
competitive and stressful -    -    
opportunities -  -  
drop -  - , .
almost -  - ,  .
actually -  - ,   ,   .
intimidate -  - , , .
bachelor -  - .
date a girl -   -   ,   .
earne -  - ,  .
twice as much as me - w     -    ,   (=   ), 
professionally. -  -   . 
realize -  - ,  .
lower than her -    -  ; ,  .
ladder -  - .
dump -  -  , .
executive -  - , , .
much less -   -  , 
enough -  - .
issue -  - , , .
to ruin -   - t  
relationship -  - , , .
emasculated -  - .
pick up the bill -   -    
insist -  -   -.
treat -  - , ,   .
expect -  - , .
blow -  -  ,  .
meal -  - , .
ego -  - .
intact -  - , .

 29
    ߻
MEN AND WOMEN TODAY
   w 
 ,  
I believe that
  
   
theres never been
   
   
a more exciting time
   
(t)  . 
to be a woman.
 w
,   (= ) 
Sure, there are still
   
   
many challenges 
 
   
the disparity in levels
   
   , 
of pay for men and women,
     w
  
the constant threat
  
  , 
of violence and crime,
   
 
the perpetuation
 
  
by certain influential
  
  
strands of society
  
  
of ridiculous female
  
, 
stereotypes,

 . 
the imbalance of power.
   
   . 
I could go on.
   
,  , 
But, the truth is,
  
()   
thanks to previous
  
  
generations of women,
  w
 . 
times are changing.
  
   
When I talk
 w  
   , 
to other young women,
   w
  () () 
I sense an optimism
  
( ). 
in the air.
  
    
Its there not only
   
,    
because young women
  w
 , 
today are stronger,
  
, 
braver,

 , 
more exceptional
 
     , 
than ever,
 
   , , 
but also because,
  
    
despite the ever-more
  
   
competitive and stressful
  
,    , 
society in which we live,
  w w 
 
the opportunities
 
  . 
for women are there.
 w  
 - 
But something
 
  . 
is happening to men.
   
, () 
They say
  
  
theyre having trouble
  
    
keeping their heads above water 
     w
 ,   
as lovers, as fathers
   
  . 
and as workers.
  w
   
The number of men in work
    w
   () 
has dropped by almost
   
3  
3 million
 
  20 , 
over the last 20 years,
  w 
     
while the number
w 
  
of working women
 w w
  
has actually risen
  
 2 . 
by 2 million.
  
    
en can be xcited
   
 
by powerful,
 
 , 
successful women,
 w
    
but they can
  
  . 
feel intimidated
 
. 
by them, too.
  
 30-  : 
A 30-yers-old bachelor says:
     
  ()  
Four years ago
  
   , 
I dated a girl,
  
  
who earned
 
   ,   (=   ), 
twice as much as me,
w    
    
and was more successful
 w  
  . 
professionally.

   », 
She had a BMW car,
       
 ,   
a big flat and she
   
   -. 
shopped in Bond Street.
    
   ,  
But when she realized that
 w   
 ()  
I was lower than her
  w   
  , 
on the social ladder,
  
  . 
she dumped me.
  
  () 
Though, there are
  
 . 
other cases.
 
 29- 
A 29 years-old
 w   
   : 
sales executive says:
  
  
I earn
 
 , 
much less
 
  . 
than my girl-friend.
  
  , 
I always knew
 w 
()     (), 
she was a high earner
 w   
  , 
even before
 
   . 
we started dating.
w  
   
Its not
 
  , 
a big enough issue
  
t  
to ruin
 
  , 
our relationship,
 
   
but I sometimes
  
  , 
feel emasculated,
 
, ,    
such as when she pays
  w  
   
for our holidays
  
    
or picks up the bill
  
 . 
in a restaurant.
 
   ,     ( )
I insist on treating her
    
   
now and again
  
 , 
with little presents
w  
    , 
when shes not expecting it,
w    
  ,  
or by
 
 -  
blowing some money
  
  . 
on a romantic meal.
   
    , 
I have to do these things
     
t     . 
to keep my ego intact.
   
