The number of speakers of English in Shakespeare’s time is
estimated (估计) to have been about five million. Today it is estimated that some
260 million people speak it as a native language, mainly in the United States,
Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. In
addition to the standard varieties of English found in these areas, there are a
great many regional and social varieties of the language as well as various
levels of usage that are employed both in its spoken and written
forms.
In fact, it is impossible to estimate the number
of people in the world who have acquired an adequate (足够的) working knowledge of
English in addition to their own languages. The purpose for English learning and
the situations in which such learning takes place are so varied that it is
difficult to explain and still more difficult to judge what forms an adequate
working knowledge for each situation.
The main reason
for the widespread demand for English is its present-day importance as a world
language. Besides serving the indefinite needs of its native speakers, English
is a language in which some of important works in science, technology, and other
fields are being produced, and not always by native speakers. It is widely used
for such purposes as meteorological and airport communications, international
conferences, and the spread of information over the radio and television
networks of many nations. It is a language of wider communication for a number
of developing countries, especially former British colonies. Many of these
countries have multilingual populations and need a language for internal
communication in such matters as government, commerce, industry, law and
education as well as for international communication and for entrance to the
scientific and technological developments in the West.What would be the best title for this passage
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For any Englishman there can never be any discussion as to who is the world's greatest writer. Only one name can possibly suggest itself to him：that of William Shakespeare.
Every Englishman has some knowledge of his work. All of us use words and phrases from Shakespeare's writings that have become a part of the English-speaking people.
Shakespeare, more perhaps than any other writer, made full use of the English language. Most of us use about five thousand words in our normal employment of English; Shakespeare in his works used about twenty-five thousand!
There is probably no better way for a foreigner (or an Englishman!) to appreciate the richness and variety of the English language than by studying the various ways in which Shakespeare uses it. Such a study is well worth the effort (it is not, of course, recommended to beginners), even though some aspects of English usage, and the meaning of many words, have changed since Shakespeare's day.
1). From the first two sentences of the passage we can conclude that ________.
A. it can't be discussed about who is the world's greatest dramatist
B. Shakespeare is regarded as the greatest writer
C. Englishmen like to discuss about who is the world's greatest writer
D. it can't be discussed about who is the world's greatest poet
2). According to the passage many English words and phrases that we use today are from _____.
A. Englishmen
B. English speaking people
C. Shakespeare's works
D. ancient people
3). To learn the richness of the English language, people should ______.
A. write and read more
B. be glad to be a foreigner
C. learn from an English man
D. read Shakespeare's plays
4). The author does not suggest beginners reading Shakespeare's plays probably because _____.
A. only Englishmen can understand his plays
B. some of English usage and the meaning of many words have changed
C. the works are too difficult for a beginner
D. the works are for native speakers
5). In this passage the author wants to _______.
A. tell how great a writer Shakespeare is
B. tell that some aspects of English usage have changed since Shakespeare's day
C. tell that some English words are out of use now
D. show the richness of English language
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第3题：
For any Englishman, there can never be any discussion as to who is the world’s greatest dramatist (剧作家).Only one name can possibly suggest itself to him: that of William Shakespeare.Every Englishman has some knowledge, however slight, of the work of our greatest writer.All of us use words, phrases and quotations from Shakespeare’s writings that have become part of the common property of the English-speaking people.Most of the time we are probably unaware of the source of the words we used, rather like the old lady who was taken to see a performance of Hamlet and complained that it was full of well-known proverbs and quotations.
Shakespeare, more perhaps than any other writer, makes full use of the great resources of the English language.Most of us use about five thousand words in our normal use of English; Shakespeare in his works used about twenty-five thousand.
There is probably no better way for a foreigner to appreciate the richness and variety of the English language than by studying the various ways in which Shakespeare used it.Such a study is well worth the effort (it is not, of course, recommended to beginners) even though some aspects of English usage, and the meaning of many words, have changed since Shakespeare’s day.
1).English people _______.
A.have never discussed who is the world’s greatest dramatist
B.never discuss any issue concerning the world’s greatest dramatist
C.are sure who is the world’s greatest dramatist
D.do not care who is the world’s greatest poet and dramatist
2).Every Englishman knows _______.
A.more or less about Shakespeare
B.Shakespeare, but only slightly
C.all Shakespeare’s writings
D.only the name of the greatest English writer
3).Which of the following is true?
A.We use all the words, phrases and quotations from Shakespeare’s writings.
B.Shakespeare’s writings have become the property of those who are learning to speak English.
C.It is likely to be true that people often do not know the origins of the words they use
D.All the words people use are taken from the writings of Shakespeare.
4).What does the word “proverb” mean?
A.Familiar sayings.
B.Shakespeare’s plays.
C.Complaints.
D.Actors and actresses.
5).Why is it worthwhile to study the various ways in which Shakespeare used English?
A.English words have changed a lot since Shakespeare’s time.
B.By doing so one can be fully aware of the richness of the English language.
C.English words are now being used in the same way as in Shakespeare’s time.
D.Beginners may have difficulty learning some aspects of English usage.
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Interviewer-------- Why is English so important?
David------- Well, English is so important primarily because so many people speak it and use it, so it has now become the lingua franca in the world in a way that we’ve never seen before. We’ve never had a world language of this kind before. So people are learning it not just to be able tocommunicate with native speakers, but also with speakers of other language around world.
Interviewer-------And why has it become that dominant language?
David------I think the reason for that is actually very complicated, although in the twentieth century, we can just see that it’s the rise of the US military and consumer power. I mean the technology, all the big developments in technology largely came from the US. So all of these developments actually were produced within the English language, and people had to learn English in order to understand them, or to benefit from them. The Internet is only one example of that kind. Once a language has got into that position of dominance, it’s actually very different to shift it. So we could be seeing the emergence of other big languages in the world becoming more important than they have been, like Spanish, but it’s unlikely that they’re going to shift the English from its position of dominance.
36. English is important, according to David, __________________________. A). because it has become a world language B). because so many people speak and use it C). because a lot of people are learning it D). because it is the lingua franca
37. English has become the dominant language in the world________________________. A). because it has always been the way B). for a reason that is very complicated C). only in the 20th century D). for no reasons
38. English became the dominant language in the 20th century_________________________. A). in the USA
B). because of the increase in American consumer power
C). because developments in technology came mainly from USA. D). all over the world.
39. People had to learn English______________________.
A). because developments in technology were made by English speakers B). because they needed to understand the new developments in technology C). to use the Internet
D). to speak with native Americans
40. David thinks that__________________________.
A). it will be easy for another language to become dominant B). English will not always be the dominant language
C). it will not be easy for another language to become dominant D). English will be the dominant language
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