There are many differences between British English and American English. I used to teach a course about the differences between the two. We speak English on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean but we have many differences in our common language. We have examples of the same words having very different meanings，differing spellings of the same words as well as completely different words for the same things. Here are some examples.
A cookie in the US is called a biscuit in the UK.A biscuit in the US is a small cake in the UK. Crisps in the UK，are known as chips，but we British people eat a plate of chips that you call fries in the US. In the UK，a pie can be made from either meat or fruit，while in the US pies are normally made from fruit；pot pies are made from meat. Most things are measured in grams and kilograms in the US，not pounds and ounces.
One very obvious(明显的)difference is the side of the road we each choose to drive on. Petrol in the UK is gas in the US. The place where we fill up our cars，in the UK，is a garage；while in the US，it’s a gas station. The term garage is also used as a place to store your car next to or close by your house. In the UK we call a lorry what is known as a truck in the US.
An elevator in the US is called a lift here，and the first floor in the US，is called the ground floor here，so many visitors get off on the wrong floor in British hotels.
I could continue with this. There are countless examples of differences within our one shared language. With so many differences，no wonder it’s hard to understand each other well.
1.The passage is mainly about the differences between British English and American English in________.
A.vocabulary B.grammar
C.sound D.spelling
2.It’s implied in the passage that the author may be________.
A.a driver from the US B.a cook from the US
C.a teacher from the UK D.a gas station worker from the UK
3.In the author’s opinion，________.
A.language differences don’t affect understanding
B.the same words in the two different types of English may have different spellings
C.there will be fewer differences between American and British English in the future
D.it is impossible that some Americans get off on the wrong floor in British hotels
4.What can we learn from the passage?
A.“Elevator” is commonly used in the UK.
B.Pies mean the same thing in the UK and the US.
C.In the UK，things are measured in pounds and ounces.
D.British and American people drive on the same side of the road.
Why is pink or purple a color for girls and blue or brown for boys?
The answer depends largely on cultural values as well as personal experiences. To the Egyptians, green was a color that represented the hope and joy of spring, while for Muslims, it means heaven. Red is a symbol (象征) of good luck in many cultures. In China, children are given money in a red envelope to bring good fortune in the New Year. For many nations, blue is a symbol of protection and religious beliefs. Greek people often wear a blue necklace hoping to protect themselves against evils (灾祸).
People’s choice of colors is also influenced by their bodies’ reactions (反应) toward them. Green is said to be the most restful color. It has the ability to reduce pain and relax people both mentally and physically. People who work in green environment have been found to have fewer stomach aches.
Red can cause a person’s blood pressure to rise and increase people’s appetites (食欲). Many decorators will include different shades of red in the restaurant. Similarly, many commercial websites will have a red “Buy Now” button because red is a color that easily catches a person’s eye.
Blue is another calming color. Unlike red, blue can cause people to lose appetite. So if you want to eat less, some suggest that eating from blue plates can help.
The next time you are deciding on what to wear or what color to decorate your room, think about the color carefully.
1.Muslims regard green as a symbol of heaven mainly because of their______.
A.cultural values B.commercial purposes
C.personal experiences D.physical reactions to the color
2.Why will many commercial websites have a red “Buy Now” button?
A.To relax people physically.
B.To increase people’s appetites.
C.To encourage people to make a purchase.
D.To cause a person’s blood pressure to rise.
3.What color might help lose weight according to the text?
A.Red. B.Green. C.Blue. D.Purple.
4.Which of the following would be the most proper title for the text?
A.Colors and Human Beings
B.The Cultural Meaning of Color
C.The Meaning and Function of Color
D.Colors and Personal Experiences
China’s government has been trying all measures to reduce pollution in the past few years. Now people can enjoy a fresh environment everywhere. The following two graphs are adopted from the column of “City Information” on the webpage of Beijing Review.
Graph 1: Olympic Cities Air Quality Report
City | Date | API | Major | Air Quality | Quality |
Beijing | Sep. 8 | 37 | N/A | Ⅰ | Very good |
Qinhuangdao | Sep. 8 | 52 | PM10 | Ⅱ | Good |
Qingdao | Sep. 8 | 68 | PM10 | Ⅱ | Good |
Shanghai | Sep. 8 | 67 | PM10 | Ⅱ | Good |
Shenyang | Sep. 8 | 88 | PM10 | Ⅱ | Good |
Tianjin | Sep. 8 | 54 | PM10 | Ⅱ | Good |
Graph 2: Chinese National Standard
API Values | Levels of health concern | Colors |
When the API is in this range: | ...air quality conditions are: | ...as symbolized by this color: |
0 to 50 | Very good | Blue |
51 to 100 | Good | Green |
101 to 150 | Slight pollution | Yellow |
151 to 200 | Moderate pollution | Orange |
201 to 250 | Medium pollution | Red |
251 to 300 | High pollution | Purple |
301 to 500 | Hazardous | Brown |
Notes:
**API stands for Air Pollution Index(指数).
**Particulate matter (PM10) is a major component of air pollution that threatens both our health and our environment. It consists of very small liquid and solid particles floating in the air.
**Sulfur dioxide(SO2) acts as an acid．Inhalation(吸入) results in labored breathing, coughing, or a sore throat and may cause permanent lung damage.
1.According to Graph 1, which of the following cities has the worst air pollution?
A.Qinhuangdao. B.Tianjin.
C.Qingdao D.Shenyang.
2.If your city is symbolized by either red or purple, the pollution in your city is .
A.Moderate or high. B.Moderate or slight.
C.Medium or high. D.Medium or slight.
3.Which of the following statements is TURE?
A.With API value below 150 the air is free from being polluted.
B.The colors from purple to Yellow indicate the air quality is becoming much worse.
C.When there are floating solid particles and dust in the air, it is dangerous pollution.
D.On September 8th the color-symbol of Beijing City’s air quality is ‘Blue’.
4.When more citizens are beginning to have labored breathing soon after they are in the open air, it suggests that .
A.there is a large amount of sulfur dioxide in the air
B.it is so cold that they may have caught a cold
C.they are starting to cough or have a fever
D.they must be infected with permanent lung disease
In the United States, 30 percent of the people have a “weight problem”. To many people the cause is obvious (明显的): they eat too much. But scientific evidence (证据) does little to support this idea. Going back to America of 1910, we find that people were thinner than today, yet they ate more food. In those days people worked harder physically, walked more, used machines much less, and didn’t watch television.
Several modern studies, moreover, have shown that fatter people don’t eat more on average than thinner people. A 1979 study of 3,545 London office workers showed that fat people eat less than slim (苗条的) people.
Studies also show that slim people are more active than fat people. A study by a research group at Stanford University found the following interesting facts:
The more the man ran, the greater loss of the body fat.
The more they ran, the greater increase in food intake.
Thus, those who ran the most ate the most, yet lost the greatest amount of body fat.
1.Nowadays many Americans have the problem that ______.
A.they are too slim B.they work too hard
C.they are too fat D.they lose too much body fat
2.According to the passage, how many people in 900 Americans have a “weight problem”?
A.150. B.300. C.600. D.270.
3.The Americans in 1910 ________.
A.ate more food and had more physical activities B.ate less food but had more physical activities
C.ate less food and had less physical activities D.had more problems
—Could you please make sure ________?
—OK, I will call him up at once.
A.what does your boss need
B.when your boss would arrive here
C.your boss will leave earlier
D.if your boss will go to the meeting
Mr.Smith told his son _______the football match because of the exam.
A.not to watch B.to not watch C.not watching D.doesn't watch
