There was a time when, if a lady got onto a crowded bus or train, a gentleman would immedi

ately stand up and offer her his seat. Today a gentleman will probably look out of the window or hide behind his newspaper. Either way, the lady will have to stand until someone gets off.

You can' t entirely blame men for this change in manners. The days are gone when women could be treated as the weaker sex. A whole generation of women has grown up demanding equality with men; not just equality in jobs or education, but in social attitudes. Hold a door open for some women and you're likely to get an angry lecture on treating women as inferiors, unable to open doors for themselves. Take a girl out for a meal and she'll probably insist on paying her share of the bill.

It' s no wonder, then, that men have given up some of the gestures of politeness and consideration which they used to show towards women. On the other hand, man' s politeness is perhaps slowly being replaced by true consideration for the needs and feelings of women, so that men can see women as equal human beings.

What do gentlemen now do when a lady gets on a crowded bus or train？

A．They will stand up reluctantly.

B．They will offer her their seats after a while.

C．They will pretend not to see her.

D．They will get off the bus.