题目内容
Many people have tried to simplify (简化) the spelling of English words.Unlike other languages,English sometimes spells the same sounds in very different ways.For example,there is “light” but “white”,“loan” but “phone”,and there are at least seven different ways of pronouncing “ough”:“though”,“through”,“bough”,“cough”,“enough”,“ought” and “thorough”.
The American President Theodore Roosevelt almost succeeded in simplifying English spelling.In 1906,Andrew Carnegie started the Simplified Spelling Board.He was one of the richest men in the United States of America.The board’s plan was to make the spelling of words nearer to the way they sound.For example,the word “though” would be spelt “tho” and “through” would become “thru”.Other people on the board were Melvil Dewey,the head of the New York libraries,and Professor Brander Matthews of Columbia University.They explained their idea to President Roosevelt,who thought that it was indeed logical.He immediately asked the government printer to use simplified spelling in all government letters.
But people didn’t like the change,even if it made life easier.So the new simpler spelling was not popular.More importantly,when the American politicians (政客) discussed the plan,they did not like it either.Because Roosevelt did not want to have any problems with the politicians,he changed his mind and told the printer to go back to the old way of spelling.
Since then no one in any government has dared to simplify English spelling.However,people do simplify some words,mainly in advertisements.For example,we often see “tonite” instead of “tonight” and “thru” instead of “through”.
58.Many people have tried to simplify English spelling because________.
A.English words are too long to remember
B.there are many mistakes in English words
C.lots of words are spelt in many different ways
D.sometimes the same sounds have different spellings
59.Who is NOT a member of the Simplified Spelling Board?
A.Andrew Carnegie. B.Melvil Dewey.
C.Theodore Roosevelt. D.Brander Matthews.
60.What was Theodore Roosevelt’s attitude towards simplified spelling?
A.Worried. B.Supportive.
C.Uncertain. D.Doubtful.
【语篇解读】 一直以来,有很多人致力于简化英语拼写。美国总统西奥多·罗斯福和钢铁大王安德鲁·卡内基就曾一起进行过拼写改革。
58.D 细节理解题。根据第一段Unlike other languages,English sometimes spells the same sounds in very different ways可知,人们试图简化英语拼写是因为英语单词有时候同样的发音会有不同的拼写。
59.C 细节理解题。根据第二段Andrew Carnegie started the Simplified Spelling Board和Other people on the board were Melvil Dewey...Brander Matthews可知他们三人是简化拼写委员会成员,而美国总统Theodore Roosevelt并不是这个组织的成员。
60.B 推理判断题。根据第二段They explained their idea to President Roosevelt,who thought that it was indeed logical.He immediately...可知,Roosevelt对简化英语拼写持支持态度。