True or False

Today,when English is one of the major languages in the world, it requires an effort of the imagination to realize that this is relatively recent thing-that in Shakespeare's time,for example,only a few million people spoke,and the language was not thought to be very important by the other nations of Europe,and was unknown to the rest of the world.

English has become a world language because of its establishment as a mother tongue outside England,in all the continents of the world. This exporting of English began in the seventeenth century,with the first settlements in the United States,assisted by massive immigration in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries,that has given the English language its present standing in the world.

1. English was spoken by a few million people in Shakespeare's time.......

2. It is considered as a mother language outside England.......

3. English was spoken in North America in the seventeenth century.........

4. Most of the immigration in the USA do not speak English.............

In the United States of America, English is(1)...the national language, the language of the (2)... national. Four hundred years ago, some English people (3)... to North America to live(4)... and they (5)... the English language to this new country. After them (6)... people from all the countries of Europe. And they all learned English (7)... they made it a little (8)... from British English. In the USA now people speak American English. Very many words are the(9)... in America and in Btitish English, but the American people do not speak the English language in the same way(10)... people do in England.

Cloze tests

A. Complete the passage with the words in the box

The differences (1) ............ American English and British English are not as (2)........... as the differences in Chinese dialects. Two (3).......... the differences between American English and British English are (4).......... and spelling. In American English we (5)........ elevator, truck, and apartment. The British say lift, lorry and flat. Another difference is (6).......... . In American English we (7)......... honor, meter, and realize. In British English, these (8)......... are honour, metre, and realise

B. Read the passage and choose the best answers

In other words, language is not necessarily the private property of those (1)........ use it, just as French is not the private property of (2)........ , nor English of Englishmen. English is spoken as a first (3).......... in the United States, in Australia, in New Zealand, in most of Canada, in certain nations of Africa, and in other areas of the (4)...... . It is unreasonable to regard any language as the (5)......... of a particular nation, and with no language is more unreasonable (6)......... with English. This is not to say that English is used by a greater number of (7)....... than any other language, for it is easily outnumnered in this respect by Chinese. But it is the most (8)......... of lamguages

1. A. Which B. Who C. Whom D. Whosr

2. A. Americans B. Dutchmen C. Englishmen D. Frenchmen

3. A. Language B. Luggage C. Baggage D. Country

4. A.Worth B. Work C. Word D. World

5. A. Possession B. Possessive C. Importance D. Necessity

6. A. That B. Than C. As D. So

7. A. Speakers B. Speaker C. Writers D. Writer

8. A. National B. International C. Conpulsory D. Official

III. Read the following passage and then answer the questions below it.

In the world today there are 5,000 to 6,000 living languages, of which English is the most widely used. As a mother tongue, it ranks second only to Chinese, which is little used outside China.

English is the most international of languages. It is used as the language of aviation, international sport and pop music. Sixty percent of the world’s radio stations broadcast in English, and more than half of the world’s scientific papers are printed in English.

It is true that a great number of people are involved in the use of English. To people in Africa, Asia, and South America, English is an important foreign language to master. In most countries in the world, the English language is used as the language of business, commerce, and technology. English is now an effective medium of international communication. However, it is the written English which is not systematically phonetic, that causes difficulties to non-native speakers.

1. Which language is used as the language of aviation, international sport and pop music?

__________________________________________________

2. Why is English an important foreign language used in many countries?

__________________________________________________

3. What difficulties may learners of English be confronted with? Why?

__________________________________________________

4. Name three countries in which English is spoken as a first language.

__________________________________________________

5. As a mother tongue, why does English rank second only to Chinese?

__________________________________________________

Ex 9: Read the passage and choose the best answer

In the United States Of America, the national language is ......(1)....... English. Four hundred years old ago, some English people came to North America and they brought ........(2)........ language to this country.

Now in the USA, people speak .......(3)......... English. Most of the words are the ........(4)......... in American and British English, but the American say some English. Most of the words are the ........(5)........ in England. Canada is .......(6).......... to the North of the United States of America. It is larger .........(7).......... the United States. In Canada, many people ..........(8).......... English because they also came from England many years .........(9).......... But in some parts of Canada, people speak ...........(10)............ because they came from France
1. a. also

b.like

c. as

d. not

2. a. French

b. English

c. Chinese

d. Canadian

3. a. British

b. American

c. Russian

d. Chinese

4. a. Various

b. similar

c. same

d. like

5. a. do

b. say

c. talk

d. speak

6. a. lies

b. situated

c. at

d. in

7. a. than

b. as

c. more

d. less

8. a. say

b. tell

c. talk

d. speak

9. a. France

b. French

c. Russian

d. English

Read the following passage and then answer the questions below it.

In the world today there are 5,000 to 6,000 living languages, of which English is the most widely used. As a mother tongue, it ranks second only to Chinese, which is little used outside China.

English is the most international of languages. It is used as the language of aviation, international sport and pop music. Sixty percent of the world‟s radio stations broadcast in English, and more than half of the world‟s scientific papers are printed in English.

It is true that a great number of people are involved in the use of English. To people in Africa, Asia, and South America, English is an important foreign language to master. In most countries in the world, the English language is used as the language of business, commerce,

and technology. English is now an effective medium of international communication. However, it is the written English which is not systematically phonetic, that causes difficulties to non-native speakers.

1. Which language is used as the language of aviation, international sport and pop music?

_______________________________________________________________

2. Why is English an important foreign language used in many countries?

_______________________________________________________________

3. What difficulties may learners of English be confronted with? Why?

_______________________________________________________________

4. Name three countries in which English is spoken as a first language.

_______________________________________________________________

5. As a mother tongue, why does English rank second only to Chinese?

_______________________________________________________________

Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer of the questions from 13 to 22.

Few men have influenced the development of American English to the extent that Noah Webster did. Born in West Hartford, Connecticut, in 1758, his name has become synonymous with American dictionaries. Graduated from Yale in 1778, he was admitted to the bar in 1781 and thereafter began to practice law in Hartford. Later, when he turned to teaching, he discovered how  inadequate the available schoolbooks were for the children of a new and independent nation.

In response to the need for truly American textbooks, Webster published A Grammatical Institute of the English Language, a three-volume work that consisted of a speller, a grammar, and a reader. The first volume, which was generally known as The American Spelling Book, was so popular that eventually it sold more than 80 million copies and provided him with a considerable income for the rest of his life. While teaching, Webster began work on the Compendious Dictionary of the English Language, which was published in 1806.

In 1807 Noah Webster began his greatest work, An American Dictionary of the English Language. In preparing the manuscript, he devoted ten years to the study of English and its relationship to other languages and seven more years to the writing itself. Published in two volumes in 1828, An American Dictionary of the English Language has become the recognized authority for usage in the United States. Webster‟s purpose in writing it was to demonstrate that the American language was developing distinct meanings, pronunciation, and spellings from those of British English. He is responsible for advancing simplified spelling forms: develop instead of the British form develope; theater and center instead of theatre and centre; color and honor instead of colour and honour.

In 1840 Webster brought out a second edition of his dictionary, which included 70,000 entries instead of the original 38,000. This edition has served as the basis for many revisions that have been produced under the Webster name.

According to author, what was Webster‟s aim in writing An American Dictionary of the English Language? 

A. To demonstrate the distinct development of the English language in America

B. To influence the pronunciation of English language. 

C. To respond to the need for new schoolbooks. 

D. To promote spelling forms based upon British models. 

Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer of the questions from 13 to 22.

Few men have influenced the development of American English to the extent that Noah Webster did. Born in West Hartford, Connecticut, in 1758, his name has become synonymous with American dictionaries. Graduated from Yale in 1778, he was admitted to the bar in 1781 and thereafter began to practice law in Hartford. Later, when he turned to teaching, he discovered how  inadequate the available schoolbooks were for the children of a new and independent nation.

In response to the need for truly American textbooks, Webster published A Grammatical Institute of the English Language, a three-volume work that consisted of a speller, a grammar, and a reader. The first volume, which was generally known as The American Spelling Book, was so popular that eventually it sold more than 80 million copies and provided him with a considerable income for the rest of his life. While teaching, Webster began work on the Compendious Dictionary of the English Language, which was published in 1806.

In 1807 Noah Webster began his greatest work, An American Dictionary of the English Language. In preparing the manuscript, he devoted ten years to the study of English and its relationship to other languages and seven more years to the writing itself. Published in two volumes in 1828, An American Dictionary of the English Language has become the recognized authority for usage in the United States. Webster‟s purpose in writing it was to demonstrate that the American language was developing distinct meanings, pronunciation, and spellings from those of British English. He is responsible for advancing simplified spelling forms: develop instead of the British form develope; theater and center instead of theatre and centre; color and honor instead of colour and honour.

In 1840 Webster brought out a second edition of his dictionary, which included 70,000 entries instead of the original 38,000. This edition has served as the basis for many revisions that have been produced under the Webster name.

In how many volumes was An American Dictionary of the English Language published?

A. Four volumes 

B. Three volumes 

C. Two volumes 

D. One volumes 

Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer of the questions from 13 to 22.

Few men have influenced the development of American English to the extent that Noah Webster did. Born in West Hartford, Connecticut, in 1758, his name has become synonymous with American dictionaries. Graduated from Yale in 1778, he was admitted to the bar in 1781 and thereafter began to practice law in Hartford. Later, when he turned to teaching, he discovered how  inadequate the available schoolbooks were for the children of a new and independent nation.

In response to the need for truly American textbooks, Webster published A Grammatical Institute of the English Language, a three-volume work that consisted of a speller, a grammar, and a reader. The first volume, which was generally known as The American Spelling Book, was so popular that eventually it sold more than 80 million copies and provided him with a considerable income for the rest of his life. While teaching, Webster began work on the Compendious Dictionary of the English Language, which was published in 1806.

In 1807 Noah Webster began his greatest work, An American Dictionary of the English Language. In preparing the manuscript, he devoted ten years to the study of English and its relationship to other languages and seven more years to the writing itself. Published in two volumes in 1828, An American Dictionary of the English Language has become the recognized authority for usage in the United States. Webster‟s purpose in writing it was to demonstrate that the American language was developing distinct meanings, pronunciation, and spellings from those of British English. He is responsible for advancing simplified spelling forms: develop instead of the British form develope; theater and center instead of theatre and centre; color and honor instead of colour and honour.

In 1840 Webster brought out a second edition of his dictionary, which included 70,000 entries instead of the original 38,000. This edition has served as the basis for many revisions that have been produced under the Webster name.

When was An American Dictionary of the English Language published?

A. 1828 

B. 1817 

C. 1824 

D. 1807