Question

 Language experts say that spoken English was almost the same in the American colonies and Britain. Americans began to change the sound of their speech after the Revolutionary War in 1776.They wanted to separate them?selves from the British in language as they had separated themselves from the British government. Webster published The American Dictionary of the Eng?lish Language in 1828. It established rules for speaking and spelling the words used in American English.

  The different languages of the immigrants who came to the United States also helped make American English different from British English. Many foreign words and expressions became part of English as Americans speak it.

  Sometimes Americans and British people do not understand each other because of different word meanings. For example,a "wastebasket" in Ameri?ca is a "dustbin" in Britain. French fried potatoes in the United States are called "chips" in Britain. All these differences led British writer George Ber?nard Shaw to joke that Britain and America are two countries separated by the same language.

1.Why did Americans want their language to differ from British English?

   A.Because they found British English hard to speak.

   B.Because they found British English hard to spell.

   C.Because they wanted to have their own language.

   D.Because foreign settlers wanted them to change their language.

2.When did the languages Americans and British people spoke begin to dif?fer?

   A.After 1776.

   B.Before the Revolutionary War.

   C.After lots of immigrants who came to the United States.

   D.After the publication of The American Dictionary of the English Lan-

3.Why do Americans and British people misunderstand each other some?times?

   A.Their languages have different word spelling.

   B.Their languages have different word meanings.

   C.They speak their own languages at different speeds.

   D.They misunderstand each other on purpose.

4.What does the passage mainly talk about?

   A.Webster's simplifying the spelling of English words.

   B.Differences and similarities between British and American English.

   C.The reasons why American English was formed and its development.

   D.Varieties of English throughout the world.

Answer 1

1.C细节理解题。根据首段中的"…separate themselves from the British in language..."可知C正确。

2.A推理判断题。根据首段中的第二句可知A正确。

3.B细节理解题。根据末段中的"…because of different word meanings.”可知B正确。

4.C主旨大意题。本文主要讲述了美式英语从英式英语中区分开的原因及美式英语的发展。