Question

    English is the most widely used language in the history of our planet. One in every seven human beings can speak it. More than half of the world’s books and three quarters of international mail are in English. Of all languages, English has the largest vocabulary — perhaps as many as two million words.

However, let’s face it: English is a crazy language. There is no egg in an eggplant, neither pine nor apple in a pineapple and no ham in a hamburger. Sweet-meats are candy, while sweetbreads, which aren’t sweet, are meat.

We take English for granted. But when we explore its paradoxes (探讨它的矛盾), we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, public bathrooms have no baths in them.

And why is it that a writer writes, but fingers don’t fing, grocers don’t groce, and hammers don’t ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, shouldn’t the plural of booth be beeth? One goose, two geese — so one moose, two meese?

How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? How can overlook and oversee be opposites, while quite a lot and quite a few are alike? How can the weather be hot as hell one day and cold as hell the next?

English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects (反映) the creativity of human beings. That’s why, when stars are out, they are visible (能看见的); but when the lights are out, they are invisible. And why, when I wind up my watch, I start it; but when I wind up this essay, I end it.

1.According to the passage ______.

A. sweet-meats and sweetbreads are different things B. there should be egg in an eggplant

C. pineapples are the apples on the pine tree D. boxing rings should be round

2.Which of the following is the correct plural(复数)?

A. Beeth. B. Geese.

C. Meese. D. Tooth.

3.Which of the following includes two items which have the similar meaning?

A. A wise man and a wise guy. B. Overlook and oversee.

C. Quite a lot and quite a few. D. Hot as hell and cold as hell.

4.The underlined words “wind up” in the last paragraph probably mean “______”.

A. blow B. roll up

C. get hurt D. finish

Answer

1.A

2.B

3.C

4.D

【解析】

本文属于说明文，介绍英语不仅是使用最广泛的语言，也是很疯狂的语言，作者列举了一些英语中有趣的例子。

1.细节理解题。根据短文第二段Sweet-meats are candy, while sweetbreads, which aren’t sweet, are meat.描述，Sweet-meats是一种糖果而sweetbreads是一种肉，可知这两种是不同的东西。故选A。

2.细节理解题。根据第四段If the plural of tooth is teeth, shouldn’t the plural of booth be beeth? One goose, two geese — so one moose, two meese?可知， teeth是tooth的复数形式，geese是goose的复数形式，故选B。

3.细节理解题。根据倒数第二段How can overlook and oversee be opposites, while quite a lot and quite a few are alike?可知，overlook和oversee意思相反，而quite a lot和quite a few意思一样，故选C。

4.词义猜测题。根据本段后文I end it.可知，wind up在此处的含义是结束，故选D。