Australia and the United States are about the same in size, and their western lands are both not rich in soil．It was the eastern coast of Australia and American that the English first settled, and both colonies soon began to develop towards the west．However, this westward movement took place more because the English were searching for better land than because the population was in- creasing．Settlements of the western part of both countries developed quickly after gold was discovered in America in 1849 and in Australia two years later.

    Although the development of these two countries has a lot in common, there are some striking differences as well．The United States gained its independence(独立) from England by revolution while Australia won its independence without having to go to war．Australia, unlike the United States, was firstly turned into a colony by English prisoners and its economic (经济) development was in wheat growing an sheep raising．By 1922, for example, Australia had fifteen times more sheep than it had people, or almost half as many sheep as there are people today in the United States．Yet, in spite of these and other main differences, Australia and the United States have more in common with each other than either one has with most of the rest of the world.

1．In the early history of America and Australia, both colonies developed towards the west firstly for the reason that ________ .

A．the population was increasing rapidly in the east

B．the English thought land there might be better

C．gold was discovered there

D．fewer people lived there

2．Australia, unlike the United States, ________.

A．did not discover gold until the late 1840s

B．was the last and biggest continent to be discovered

C．was not rich in gold in its western part

D．won its independence by peaceful means

3．The last sentence in the last paragraph“… Australia and the United States have more in common with each other than either one has with most of the  rest of the world” means ________.

A．The United States and Australia do not have any main differences

B．The United States and Australia have nothing in common with the rest of the world

C．The United States and Australia have much more in common than they have with other countries

D．In common with the rest of the world, the United States and Australia have a lot of differences

    Australia, the last continent, was discovered by ships belonging to European nations in the seventeenth century．These nations were less interested in changing it into a colony (殖民地) than in exploiting it．As in the early history of the United States, it was the English who set up the settlements in Australia．This history and the geography of these two British colonies have some other things in common as well.

    Australia and the United States are about the same in size, and their western lands are both not rich in soil．It was the eastern coast of Australia and American that the English first settled, and both colonies soon began to develop towards the west．However, this westward movement took place more because the English were searching for better land than because the population was in- creasing．Settlements of the western part of both countries developed quickly after gold was discovered in America in 1849 and in Australia two years later.

    Although the development of these two countries has a lot in common, there are some striking differences as well．The United States gained its independence(独立) from England by revolution while Australia won its independence without having to go to war．Australia, unlike the United States, was firstly turned into a colony by English prisoners and its economic (经济) development was in wheat growing an sheep raising．By 1922, for example, Australia had fifteen times more sheep than it had people, or almost half as many sheep as there are people today in the United States．Yet, in spite of these and other main differences, Australia and the United States have more in common with each other than either one has with most of the rest of the world.

1．In the early history of America and Australia, both colonies developed towards the west firstly for the reason that ________ .

A．the population was increasing rapidly in the east

B．the English thought land there might be better

C．gold was discovered there

D．fewer people lived there

2．Australia, unlike the United States, ________.

A．did not discover gold until the late 1840s

B．was the last and biggest continent to be discovered

C．was not rich in gold in its western part

D．won its independence by peaceful means

3．The last sentence in the last paragraph“… Australia and the United States have more in common with each other than either one has with most of the  rest of the world” means ________.

A．The United States and Australia do not have any main differences

B．The United States and Australia have nothing in common with the rest of the world

C．The United States and Australia have much more in common than they have with other countries

D．In common with the rest of the world, the United States and Australia have a lot of differences

There are many differences between British English and American English.I used to teach a course about the differences between the two.We speak English on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean but we have many differences in our common language.We have examples of the same words having very d ifferent meanings，differing spellings of the same words as well as completely different words for the same things.Here are some examples.

A cookie in the US is called a biscuit in the UK.A biscuit in the US is a small cake in the UK.Crisps in the UK，are known as chips，but we British people eat a plate of chips that you call fries in the US.In the UK，a pie can be made from either meat or fruit，while in the US pies are normally made from fruit；pot pies are made from meat.Most things are measured in grams and kilograms in the US，not pounds and ounces.

One very obvious(明显的)difference is the side of the road we each choose to drive on.Petrol in the UK is gas in the US.The place where we fill up our cars，in the UK，is a garage；while in the US，it’s a gas station.The term garage is also used as a place to store your car next to or close by your house.In the UK we call a lorry what is known as a truck in the US.

An elevator in the US is called a lift here，and the first floor in the US，is calle d the ground floor here，so many visitors get off on the wrong floor in British hotels.

I could continue with this. There are countless examples of differences within our one shared language.With so many differences，no wonder it’s hard to understand each other well.

1.The passage is mainly about the differences between British English and American English in________.

A．vocabulary           B．grammar         C．sound         D．spelling

2.It’s implied in the passage that the author may be________.

A．a driver from the US

B．a cook from the US

C．a teacher from the UK

D．a gas station worker from the UK

3.In the author’s opinion，________.

A．language differences don’t affect understanding

B．the same words in the two different types of English may have different spellings

C．there will be fewer differences between American and British English in the future

D．it is impossible that some Americans get off on the wrong floor in British hotels

4.What can we learn from the passage?

A．“Elevator”is commonly used in the UK.

B．Pies mean the same thing in the UK and the US.

C．In the UK，things are measured in pounds and ounces. 

D．British and American people drive on the same side of the road.

阅读理解

　　Australia, the last continent, was discovered by ships belonging to some European nations in the seventeenth century. These nations were less interested in changing it into a colony(殖民地)that in exploring it. As in the early history of the United States, it was the English who set up the settlements in Australia. This history and the geography of these two British colonies have some other things in common as well.

　　Australia and the United States are about the same in size, and their western lands are both not rich in soil. It was the eastern coast of Australia and America that the English first settled, and both colonies soon began to develop towards the west. However, his westward movements took place more because the English were searching for better land than the population was increasing. Settlements of the western part of both countries developed quickly after gold was discovered in America in 1849 and in Australia two years later.

　　Although the development of these two countries has a lot in common, there are some striking differences as well. The United States gained its independence from English by revolution while Australia won its independence without having to go to war. Australia, unlike the United States, was firstly turned into a colony by English prisoners and its economic development was in wheat growing and sheep raising. By 1922 ,for example, Australia had fifteen times more sheep than it had people, or almost half as many sheep as there are people today in the United States. Yet, in spite of these and other main differences, Australia and the United States haw

more in common with each other than either one has with most of the rest of the world.

(1)Who turned Australia into a colony? ________.

[　　]

A．Britain

B．Several European countries

C．The United Stales of America

D．None of the above

(2)In the early history of American and Australia, both colonies developed towards the west firstly for the reason that ________.

[　　]

A．the population was increasing rapidly in the east

B．the English thought there might be richer land there

C．gold was discovered there

D．fewer people lived there

(3)In the early 1920s,________.

[　　]

A．Australia had one fifteenth as many people as sheep

B．there were more sheep in Australia than in the United States

C the population in Australia was greater than that of the United Slates

D．the United States had twice as many sheep as people

(4)Australia, unlike the United States, ________.

[　　]

A．won its independence by peaceful meant

B．was the last and biggest continent to be discovered

C．its economic development was in wheat growing and sheep raising

D．was not rich in gold in its western part

(5)The last sentence in the last paragraph“... Australia and the United Stales have more in common with each other than either one has with most of the rest of the world.”means ________.

[　　]

A．The United States and Australia do not have any main differences

B．The United States and Australia have much more in common than they have with other countries

C．The United States and Australia have nothing in common With the rest of the world

D．In common with the rest of the world, the United States and Australia have a lot of differences