PrideandPrejudicefortheModernWomanLetusimaginehowPrideandPrejudice，JaneAusten'smostfamouswork，mightbeupdated，200yearson．Austen'spopularityisrootedinherintelligence．Buttodayshewouldcertainlyhavehadaverydiffe

　　Pride and Prejudice for the Modern Woman

　　Let us imagine how Pride and Prejudice，Jane Austen's most famous work，might be updated，200years on．Austen's popularity is rooted in her intelligence．But today she would certainly have had a very different life，as would her characters．Here's my own suggestion…

　　It is a truth finally and universally acknowledged that a single woman with brains deserves to have equal opportunities to men，however disadvantaged she may feel by sexism（性别歧视）．

　　"My dear husband，"said his hopeful wife one day，"have you heard that the local store，standing empty for so long，is taken over by a bright young businesswoman？"

　　Her dull and indifferent （漠不关心的） husband replied that he had not．"But it is，it is，"she replied excitedly．Mr Dull-Husband made no reply．

　　"Don't you want to know her plans？"she cried with some impatience．

　　"Well，clearly you think it matters to your silly little head…so I'd better listen．"

　　"Well，mydear，therumour（传言）isthatshehasalreadysetupastringofsccessfulbusinessesinnorthernEngland，thoughhowawomancanknowanythingaboutthatisbeyondme．"

　　She will move in herself next month．"

　　"What is her name？"

　　"Bingley．"

　　"Is she married or single？"

　　"What a question!And none of your business．But her coming will be good for our five boys．"

　　"How so？How can it possibly affect them？"

　　"My dear love； those lazy boys need something to wake them up．There are sure to be jobs going．"

　　"Is that her point in settling here？Surely as a woman she has simply taken a fancy to the place．"

　　"Nonsense，my love，how little you've noticed the world has changed．She's got a first-rate degree and some sort of business qualification，I'm told．She surely needs one of our boys!Perhaps you might give her a call．