Question

A student is learning to speak British English. He wonders: Can I communicate with Americans? Can they understand me? Learners of English often ask: What are the differences between British English and American English? How important are these differences?

Certainly! There are some differences between British and American English. There are a few differences in grammar. For example, speakers of British English say “in hospital” and “have a pen?” Americans say “in the hospital!” and “Do you have a pen?”. Pronunciation is sometimes different. Americans usually sound theirs in words like “bird” and “hurt”. Speakers of British English do not sound theirs in these words. There are differences between British English and American English in spelling and vocabulary. For example, “colour” and “honour” are British English, “color” and “honor” are American.

These differences in grammar, pronunciation, spelling, and vocabulary are not important, however. For the most part, British and American English are the same language.

1.According to the passage, a student who is learning to speak American English might be afraid that___.

A. British English cannot understand him

B. American people cannot understand him

C. the grammar is too hard for him

D. the spelling is too hard for him

2.American English and British English are different in ________.

A. spelling B. pronunciation

C. grammar D. all of the above

3.What is not mentioned (提及) in the passage?

A. Whether there are differences between British English and American English.

B. Whether British and American English are one language or two.

C. How the differences between British English and American English came about.

D. How important the differences are.

4.Most ________ say “ Do you have a watch?”

A. British people B. Americans C. children D. teachers

5.According to this passage, British people and Americans have ________ difficulty in understanding each other.

A. little B. much C. some D. great

Answer 1

1.A

2.D

3.C

4.B

5.A

【解析】

試題分析：本文主要講了一個學生在學習英式英語的時候，思考他是否能夠跟美國人交流。文章介紹了英式英語和美式英語主要在語法、發(fā)音、拼寫和詞匯方面上的差別，然而這些差別并不是很重要，因為大多數(shù)時候，英式英語和美式英語是一樣的。

1. student is learning to speak British English. He wonders: Can I communicate with Americans? Can they understand me意思是：一個學習說英式英語的學生，在思考，他是否能夠跟美國人交流，美國人能不能聽懂他的話。因此，學習說美式英語的學生，可能會擔心英國人可能不理解他。故選A

2. differences in grammar, pronunciation, spelling, and vocabulary …,意思是：這些子啊語法、發(fā)音、拼寫和詞匯方面的不同…故選D。

3.

4. say “in the hospital!” and “Do you have a pen?可知美式英語講“你有筆嗎”會說“Do you have a pen?”，所以“Do you have a watch?”是美式英語的用法，故選B。

5. For the most part, British and American English are the same language. 意思是：然而，在大多數(shù)時候，英式英語和美式英語是相同的語言，所以美國人和英國人在彼此之間的理解上幾乎是沒有困難的。故選A。

考點：考查說明文閱讀。