<?xml version="1.0"?>
<clause number="17" title="Classes">
  <paragraph>A class is a data structure that may contain data members (constants and fields), function members (methods, properties, events, indexers, operators, instance constructors, destructors, and static constructors), and nested types. Class types support inheritance, a mechanism whereby a derived class can extend and specialize a base class. </paragraph>
</clause>
