Towards the end of Middle English, a sudden change in pronunciation started, with vowels being pronounced shorter and shorter. From the 16th century the British had contact with many people from around the world. This meant that lots of new vocabulary entered the language. The invention of printing also meant that there was now a common language in print. Books became cheaper and more people learned to read. Spelling and grammar became fixed, and the dialect of London became the standard. In 1604 the first English dictionary came out. Early Modern English and Late Modern English are mostly different in the number of words. Late Modern English has many more words, mainly because of the following two reasons: First, the Industrial Revolution led to the need for new words. Second, the British Empire covered one quarter of the earth's surface, and the English language took in foreign words from many countries. From around 1600, the English colonization of North America led to American English. Some English pronunciations and words " _ " when they reached America. In some ways, American English is more like the English of Shakespeare than modern British English. Some expressions that are called "American English" are in fact from British expressions. They were kept in the colonies while lost for a time in Britain. Spanish also had an influence on American English. For example, words like canyon, ranch, stampede and vigilante are from Spanish. They entered English by the people of Spain who settled in the American West. French words and West African words also influenced American English. Today, American English has a greater influence, because of the USA's movies, television, popular music, trade and technology. From the passage, we can learn the word "canyon" is from _ . A) American dialect B) African dialect C) Spanish D) French
C
You are enjoying the beautiful scenery in a quiet place, but suddenly the peace and quiet is interrupted by the noisy sound of a cellphone ! Cellphones are everywhere, and some people don't know what the limits of cellphone use are. For me, it's just a matter of education, good manners, and common sense. If I go to a beautiful place, it is because I want to enjoy nature. I can do it, but without bothering other people. Nowadays, that's the biggest problem. People disturb other people, first with the ringing of their cellphones and then with their conversations because they usually speak very loudly. Not everybody in a public place should have to listen to private conversations . Even more annoying, you hear just one part of the conversation. People need to learn how to use cellphones correctly. If there is an emergency ,cellphones are acceptable, but remember that just a few years ago few people had cellphones and the whole society survived! But again, not everybody wants to listen to other people's private conversations. It's like smoking. _ . Our society has to learn to respect other people. Sometimes when you are talking to someone, that person interrupts the conversation because of a cellphone call, without saying "I'm sorry." That is bad manners. They don't know how to respect other people. It's just common sense! But our society is sometimes so "common senseless!" So, we have to write some rules to prohibit cellphone use in some places. By saying "People don't want to be bothered by smokers" (Para. 5), the author really means _ . A) smoking also does harm to other people's health B) people don't want to listen to others talk C) people don't want to be bothered by cellphone talkers D) some people don't want others to smoke
C
Q: I'm often told how I have a dream job, that I work for a great company, getting to deal with the leaders in social media every day, and especially that I get to work from my home. Usually the people who tell me that working from home is wonderful have never worked fromhome. They spend most of their career working from an office and hate it. In fact, I love being able to work from home and make my own hours. I truly appreciate beingable to drop what I'm doing to attend kids or go shopping, but there's a side to it we don't often talk about, the hard side. No one wants to believe people like me, working from home, have anything tocomplain about. Really, I'm not going to complain, but I do want to share a few things about telecommuting that few home-based people want to tell you, because working from home doesn't look so wonderful. One of the reasons I love my job is the flexibility . I know that I can volunteer for school projects,meet friends for lunch and work out for an hour as long as I get my work done. But did you know telecommuters have to make up the time if they wish to fill their days with fun items? Sowhile my husband and kids are watching a movie, I'm working until midnight. Besides, when youwork from home, you're held to your phone and Skype in case someone wants to talk toyou during business hours. So it's not so easy to be flexible! The writer probably agrees that _ . A) get work done, or you'll have no freedom B) east or west, home working is the best C) freedom should always come before work D) all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
A: A
Question: The Guidance Department at Burrville High School has a staff of eleven. Most of their work is done with the students. But the staff sees a lot of parents, too. "Parent meetings form a clear monthly pattern," says Mildred Foreman, Guidance Director. "This pattern stays much the same from year to year. The busy months are October, March and May." September starts rather slowly. Few parents come in. Most of them want to discuss the schedules. October brings many behaviour problems. Some parents are called in. Others come by themselves. Things quiet down in November. December is a quiet month. "It's the holiday," Ms. Foreman says. "People want to come in, I know, but they decide to wait until after New Year's Day." Report cards go home just before Christmas holidays. Bad marks bring parents in as school reopens. This happens again in March, another report card month. May is always the year's busiest month. That's when parents realize that their children might be held back . They come in to see if anything can be done before things are decided in June. May is always the busiest month because the parents want to _ . A) discuss schedules with the staff B) have something done to help their children's promotion C) know how their children are getting on with their lessons D) do something good for the school or the staff
Answer: B
(Q).
A Brooklyn man who was quarreling with his girlfriend yesterday threw a dog off the balcony of her 23rd-story apartment in TriBeCa, killing it, the police said. The man, John Jefferson, 43, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, has been charged with robbery, criminal possession of a weapon and animal cruelty, the police said. He was taken to Bellevue Hospital Center yesterday for psychiatric evaluation , they said. The incident began shortly before 11 a.m., the police said, when Mr. Jefferson went to visit his girlfriend, Eugenia Miller, 41, at her apartment on 80 North Moore Street. She had filed a police report on Friday accusing Mr. Jefferson of stealing from her, but yesterday she allowed him in and they began arguing, the police said. Mr. Jefferson threatened Ms. Miller with a knife, and she called 911, the police said. When officers arrived at her door, she ran into the hallway and Mr. Jefferson stayed in the apartment, they said. Mr. Jefferson began throwing Ms. Miller's things off the balcony, first the television, the air-conditioner and clothes, then her dog, Ribsy, the police and witnesses said. The dog had lived in the neighborhood for more than a decade and was well liked by children. "He was like a person and he would hang out with us guys or go visit kids at the basketball court," said neighbors. The man was taken to hospital because _ . A) he killed a pet dog B) he was badly injured C) his girlfriend asked to do so D) he needed a psychiatric evaluation
(A).
D