Do you prefer British English or American English? Here are opinions from our readers. Andy: Well, being in British for 3 years now from New Zealand I've come to realize that a lot of British people pronounce words how Americans do. But in saying that, I guess the more educated British people do not pronounce words the way some Americans do. So, I prefer Educated British English. Bill: Well, I am studying English and I think British sounds funny and I prefer Americans sounds. Although I can tell that everyone else in my class loves British pronunciation and thinks American English is less pretty or even ugly. I don't agree at all, though. Cindy: At first British English accent sounds better and wonderful but then it gets annoying, so I love American English. Dale: I prefer the British accent. It sounds like someone reading a poem. I just like the pronunciation of the British people, very clear and sounds like music! British accent is more musical. Edward: When I listen to the BBC announcers, I notice that they're exploding the letters out, not pronouncing them. And some British people from the North of England or Scotland speak with strange accents. I mean it is difficult to understand their English. Frank: As a matter of fact, English for International Communication is very much like American accent. I love the American accent. How many of the readers said they preferred British English? A) One B) Two C) Three D) Four
B
(Question)
People travel for a lot of reasons. Some tourists go to see battlefields or other historic remains . Others are looking for culture, or simply want to have their pictures taken in front of famous places. Most European tourists are looking for a sunny beach to lie on. Northern Europeans are willing to pay a lot of money for the sun because they have so little of it. People of cities like London, Copenhagen and Amsterdam spend much of their winter in the dark because the days are so short, and much of the rest of the year are in the rain. This is the reason why the Mediterranean has always attracted them. Every summer many people travel to Mediterranean resorts and beaches for their vacation. They all come for the same reason: sun! The huge crowds mean lots of money for the economics of Mediterranean countries. Italy's 30, 000 hotels are booked without a break every summer. And 13 million people camp out on French beaches, parks, and roadsides. Spain's long sandy coastline attracts more people than anywhere else. 37 million tourists visit there yearly, or _ But there are signs that the area is getting more tourism than it can deal with. The Mediterranean is already one of the most polluted seas on earth. None of these, however, is ruining anyone's fun. Obviously, they don't go there for clean water. They allow traffic jams and seem to like crowded beaches. They don't even mind the pollution. No matter how dirty the water is, the coastline still looks beautiful. And as long as the sun shines, it's still better than sitting in the cold, rainy in Berlin, London, or Oslo. According to the passage, which of the following might ruin the tourists' fun at Mediterranean resorts and beaches? A) Polluted water. B) Crowded buses. C) Rainy weather. D) Traffic jams.
(Answer)
C
Ques: Canadian short story writer Alice Munro won the Nobel Prize for Literature. Eighty-two-year-old Munro is only the 13th woman to win the 112-year-old prize. Munro didn't publish her first collection of short stories until she was 37 years old, but her stories have always been well-received. Lots of her stories share similar themes and characters, but each story has its own twists and turns. Even though she's won Canada's most famous literary award, the Giller Prize, twice, winning the Nobel Prize for Literature is the cherry on top of Munro's career. "It brings this incredible recognition, both of her and her career, and of the dedication to the short story," said one person. Along with the well-respected title comes 1.3 million dollars.Munro said everything was "so surprising and wonderful" and that she was "dazed by all the attention and affection that has been coming my way." Munro knew she was in the running-she was named the second-most likely person to win this year's prize, after Haruki Murakami of Japan-but she never thought that she would win. Munro's win also represents the long way Canadian writers have come."When I began writing there was a very small community of Canadian writers and little attention was paid by the world.Now Canadian writers are read, admired and respected around the globe," Munro said on Thursday. She is technically not the first Canadian to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, but many like to think that she is.In 1976 Saul Bellow, who was born in Quebec but moved to Chicago when he was still a child, won the prize.Even though he was born in Canada, he is mostly considered to be an American writer. "This is a win for us all.Canadians, by our very nature, are not very nationalistic," said Geoffrey Taylor."But things like this suddenly make you want to find a flag." She wasn't sure if she would keep writing if she won the prize, saying that it would be "nice to go out with a bang.But this may change my mind." For Munro, the Nobel Prize is an award for _ . A) her love for Canadian culture B) her devotion to the short story C) her special form of writing D) her career of editing short stories
Ans: B
Ques: I lost my left eye just after my first birthday -- I'd fallen seriously ill. My artificial eye was very convincing and I usually wore glasses over it -- even my boyfriend, Mick, didn't really notice. I told him I was blind in one eye just before we got married -- I was 19 at the time. He said he didn't care and that he loved me just the same. The day before we married, I was at my parents' house, when my other eye suddenly went blurry . My dad phoned the doctor, who told him it was probably nerves and I'd be fine by morning. He was right -- when I awoke, I was able to read my good luck cards. The wedding photographer arrived just as I was putting on my dress and I was called into the garden for a pre-ceremony photo. There was no time even to look in a mirror. Afterwards, we drove straight to the church. It was a sunny day, and as we approached I could see all our friends waiting. The service was delightful, and Mick and I went into the minister's office to sign the register -- the last thing I ever wrote with my sight. It was only when we reached the hotel, where the reception was taking place, that I started to feel strange. As we waited to greet our guests, my sight started to become blurry again and I really had to concentrate as our friends and family lined up to congratulate us. Afterwards, we went into the reception room, so the photographer could take our picture as we pretended to cut the cake. That's when the pain started. "Don't let anyone know!"my mum said. She'd always blamed herself for the loss of my other eye, wishing she'd taken me to the doctor earlier. Only a few family members had ever been told -- even my close friends had beennone the wiser. So even as the pain became more severe, I carried on as if nothing was happening. I'd waited so long for this day, and everyone seemed so happy, I didn't want to spoil things. I couldn't make anything out, but I managed tostay calm and made it through the meal and the speeches. I suppose it's normal for the bride and groom to stay close together... We can infer from the passage that the writer . A) never got to see herself as a bride B) signed the register led by Mick C) held the ceremony at Mick's house D) walked to the church with Mick
Ans:
A