Passage One Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage:
As the English language has changed at a fast speed in this century, so has the use of the English language.
After the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was founded in 1927, the particular style of speech of the BBC announcers was recognized as Standard English or Received Pronunciation (RP) English. Now, most people still consider that the pronunciation and delivery of BBC announcers is the clearest and most understandable spoken English.
English has had a strong association with class and social status. However, since the Second World War there has been a considerable change of attitude towards speech snobbery, and hallmarks of class distinction such as styles of speech have been gradually discarded, especially by the younger generation.
As the need has arisen, new words have been invented or found from other languages and incorporated into English. Similarly, expressions have been discarded as their usefulness has diminished or the fashions have passed. This also happens to styles and modes of speech which became fashionable at a particular time and in specific circumstances.
By the end of the 1960s it became apparent that it was not necessary to speak Standard English or even correct grammar to become popular, successful and rich. The fashionable speech of the day was no longer the prerogative of a privileged class but rather a defiant expression of classlessness.
The greatest single influence of the shaping of the English language in modern times is the American English. Over the last 25 years the English used by many people, particularly by those in the media, advertising and show business, and more midAtlantic in style, delivery and accent.
In the 1970s, fashion favoured stressless pronunciation and a language full of jargon, slang and “in” words, much of it quite incomprehensible to the outside world. What is considered modem and fashionable in Britain today is often not the kind of English taught in schools and colleges.
21.Which one of the following is Not ture? A) The use of the English language has not changed much in this century. B) The BBC announcers speak Standard English. C) English has no association with class and social status now. D) Young people all speak English in the same way.
22.What does the author imply by saying “there has been a considerable change of attitude towards speech snobbery”(Para. 3)? A) People all speak English like BBC announcers. B) There is a great change of attitude about how English should be spoken. C) Some people still think their way of speaking is inferior. D) Most people don’t believe their way of speaking is inferior.
23.According to the author, there was a trend in the U.S. for the young people ____. A) to speak Standard English B) to speak English without class distinction C) to speak English with class distinction D) to speak English with grammar mistakes
24.The word “midAtlantic” in the passage (Para.6) probably means ____. A) American and European B) American and British C) the Atlantic Ocean D) in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean
25.It can be concluded from the passage that ____. A) Standard English is taught in school and colleges B) the young people are defiant because they refuse to speak standard English C) English language is influenced by American English in the last 25 years D) there has been a great change in the English language in this century
Passage One 内容概要:本文讲述了英语在上个世纪的变迁。首先自BBC(英国广播公司)1927年成立以来,其播音员的英语就一直被当作标准英语,直到今天多数人依然认为BBC的发音是最清晰最好理解的口头英语。因此英语发音一直同社会阶层和地位相联系。然而二战后,年轻一代逐渐摒弃发音和阶层相关的观念。新的词汇不断溶入英语,旧词汇和过时的表达被人们渐渐遗忘。至六十年代末,标准英语已不再流行。流行的方式是故意淡化语音中的阶级性。美式英语对英语影响最大。在最近25年,许多人,尤其是传媒、广告、娱乐圈的人讲的英语日益介于美音和英音之间了。七十年代,流行的英语是不重发音,满是行话、俚语和“in”词,外人很难听懂。今天英国的现代流行英语通常不是学校里教授的英语。 21.【答案】A。 【试题分析】细节辨认题。 【详细解答】根据文章第一句话As the English language has changed at a fast speed in this century, so has the use of the English language. 英语在本世纪变化快,其使用亦变化很快。故知A(英语运用变化不大)是错误的,故可选A。选项B可见第二段,是正确的。C见第三段a wnsiderable change, class distinction...have been discarded和第五段,D由第二段和最后一段可知是对的。 22.【答案】D。 【试题分析】细节推断题。 【详细解答】首先要知道题目中“speech snobbery”的含义,字面意思是“言语势利”,其深层含义就是通过人们说话方式判定其社会阶层,显然说话方式同阶层有关。题目问“人们对言语势利有了态度上很大的转变。”这就暗含人们不再看重讲话方式,即多数人不再认为说标准英语有什么了不起的,故选D。 23.【答案】B。 【试题分析】综合推断题。 【详细解答】根据第二段第二句和第五段第二句我们可以推测美国年轻人的趋势必定是不带阶层差别地讲英语,流行英语不再是特权阶层的专利,反倒是阶层消灭的表示。 24.【答案】B。 【试题分析】综合推断题。 【详细解答】“midAtlantic”即大西洋中部,第六段讲美国英语对英语影响很大,前面第二段又讲BBC英国英语一直是标准英语,这样现在的英语就必定是受美式英语很大影响的英式英语。地理上大西洋正好位于英、美之间,故此处midAtlantic 意味着American and British 故选B。 25.【答案】D。 【试题分析】综合理解题。 【详细解答】A(学校里教的是标准英语),标准英语即BBC英语,显然学校不可能都在教BBC英语。B(年轻人因为拒讲标准英语而是叛逆的)年轻人的反叛主要是不想在讲话时显出阶级差别,事实上二战后很多人都这样,不仅是年轻人,因此不能据此一点就说明年青人是对抗的。因为语言的影响是一个长期的过程,只要文化交融就会有影响,而不可能说在特定一段时间影响,故C也不对。D正好说明了全文的主旨,即第一段的那句话。