Question

【题目】 English is the most widely used language in the history of our planet. One in every seven human beings can speak it. More than half of the world’s books and three quarters of international mail are in English. Of all languages, English has the largest vocabulary — perhaps as many as two million words.

However, let’s face it: English is a crazy language. There is no egg in an eggplant, neither pine nor apple in a pineapple and no ham in a hamburger. Sweet-meats are candy, while sweetbreads, which aren’t sweet, are meat.

We take English for granted. But when we explore its paradoxes (探讨它的矛盾), we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, public bathrooms have no baths in them.

And why is it that a writer writes, but fingers don’t fing, grocers don’t groce, and hammers don’t ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, shouldn’t the plural of booth be beeth? One goose, two geese — so one moose, two meese?

How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? How can overlook and oversee be opposites, while quite a lot and quite a few are alike? How can the weather be hot as hell one day and cold as hell the next?

English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects (反映) the creativity of human beings. That’s why, when stars are out, they are visible (能看见的); but when the lights are out, they are invisible. And why, when I wind up my watch, I start it; but when I wind up this essay, I end it.

【1】According to the passage ________.

A.boxing rings should be roundB.pineapples are the apples on the pine tree

C.there should be egg in an eggplantD.sweet-meats and sweetbreads are different things

【2】Which of the following is the correct plural (复数形式) form?

A.Beeth.B.Meese.C.Geese.D.Tooth.

【3】Which of the following includes two items which have the similar meaning?

A.Quite a lot and quite a few.B.Overlook and oversee.

C.A wise man and a wise guy.D.Hot as hell and cold as hell.

【4】Through the many paradoxes in the English language, the writer wants to show that human beings are ________.

A.lazyB.crazyC.cleverD.stupid

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】D

【2】C

【3】A

【4】C

【解析】

英语是使用最广泛的语言，每七个人中，就有一个会说英语。世界上一半以上的书籍和四分之三的邮件是用英语写的，英语包含的词汇也是最多的。

【1】细节理解题。根据文中Sweet-meats are candy, while sweetbreads, which aren’t sweet, are meat.蜜饯是糖果，杂碎是肉，但不甜。可知Sweet-meats和sweetbreads两个词的意思不同，故选D。

【2】细节理解题。根据文中If the plural of tooth is teeth, shouldn’t the plural of booth be beeth? One goose, two geese.可知，goose的复数是geese，故选C。

【3】细节理解题。根据文中while quite a lot and quite a few are alike可知，quite a lot与quite a few意思接近，故选A。

【4】推理判断题。根据文中and it reflects (反映) the creativity of human beings可知，英语是被人创造的，它反映了人类的创造性和智慧，故选C。