the general public ♦︎ the masses ♦︎ the working class ♦︎ the proletariat ♦︎ the populace ♦︎ the crowd ♦︎ riff-raffThese are all words for the ordinary people in a society or country.这些词均表示普通百姓、群众、公众。PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS 句型和搭配◆the French / Russian, etc. masses / working class / proletariat / populace◆the rural / urban masses / working class / proletariat■the ˌgeneral ˈpublic [singular + singular or plural verb] ordinary people, especially when contrasted with members of a particular group or organization who have greater knowledge of or involvement in a particular situation普通百姓；公众◆At that time, the general public was not aware of the health risks.当时，公众对各种危及健康的因素尚不了解。◆The exhibition is not open to the general public.这次展览不对公众开放。 see also the public ⇨ community■the masses [plural] (ratherformal) ordinary people in society who are not leaders or who are not considered to be very well educated群众；平民百姓◆The railways provided cheap transport for the masses.铁路为老百姓提供了便宜的交通方式。◆This is yet another bid to introduce opera to the masses.这是向群众介绍歌剧的又一努力。■the ˌworking ˈclass [singular + singular or plural verb] ( the working classes [plural]) the social class of people who do not have much money or power and are usually employed to do manual work(= physical work with their hands)工人阶级；劳工阶层◆His films were the first to address the real issues of the working class.他的那些电影最先触及工人阶级的真实问题。◆Boxing was seen as a sport for the working classes.当时拳击被认为是劳工阶层的运动。 see also the middle class ⇨ the middle classnoun, the upper class ⇨ elitenoun, working class ⇨ working classadj., class ⇨ classnoun4■the proletariat /ˌprəʊləˈteəriət; NAmEˌproʊləˈteriət/ [singular + singular or plural verb] (technical术语) (used especially when talking about the past) ordinary people who earn money by working, especially those who do not own any property（尤用于指过去的）无产阶级◆Marx wrote of the class struggle between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat.马克思描写了资产阶级和无产阶级之间的阶级斗争。◆There was a rapid growth of the industrial proletariat.工业无产阶级迅速壮大。OPPthe bourgeoisie ⇨ the middle classnoun see also proletarian ⇨ working class■the populace /ˈpɒpjələs; NAmEˈpɑːpjələs/ [singular + singular or plural verb] (formal) all the ordinary people of a particular area or country（某地区或国家的）平民百姓，民众◆He recorded the effects of the war on the local populace.他记录了战争对当地民众的影响。■the crowd [singular] (sometimesdisapproving) ordinary people who are not special or unusual in any way群众；老百姓；凡夫俗子◆We all like to think we stand out from the crowd(= are different from other people).我们都喜欢自认为高人一等。◆He prefers to be one of the crowd(= not noticed as different or unusual).他宁愿做个凡夫俗子。◆She's quite happy to follow the crowd(= to do the same as other people).她挺愿意随大溜。■ˈriff-raff [uncountable + singular or plural verb] (disapproving, oftenhumorous) an insulting way of referring to people of low social class or people who are not considered socially acceptable贱民；草民；下等人◆We don't want to let all the riff-raff in.我们不想让下等人进来。