Module1 Section Ⅰ Introduction & Reading — Pre-reading

Module1 British and American English SectionⅠ Introduction & Reading —Pre-reading

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1.Maybe you have known there are British English andAmerican English. Can you tell us some other kinds of

English?2.Do you know the development of the English language?

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文章主要介绍了英语语言的起源、发展变化、形成原因， 以及它的发展趋势。 At the end of the 16th century, about 5 to 7 million people spoke English. Nearly all of them lived in England.

Later in the next century, people from England madevoyages to take control of other parts of the world and because of that, English began to be spoken in many other

countries. Today, more people speak English as their first,second or a foreign language than ever before. However, native English speakers can understand each other even

though they don't speak the same kind of English.返回

So why has English changed over time? Actually all

languages change and develop when cultures meet andcommunicate with each other. The English spoken in England between about AD 450 and 1150 was very

different from the English spoken today. It was based moreon German than the English we speak at present. Then gradually between about AD 800 and 1150, English became less like German because those who ruled England spoke first Danish and later French. These new settlers

enriched the English language and especially its vocabulary.返回

So by the 1600's Shakespeare was able to make use of a

wider vocabulary than ever before. In 1620 some Britishsettlers moved to America. Later in the 18th century some

British people were taken to Australia too. English began tobe spoken in both countries.

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By the 19th century the language was settled finally.At that time two great changes in English spelling happened: first Samuel Johnson wrote his dictionary and later Noah Webster wrote The American Dictionary of the English Language. The latter gave a separate

identity (特性) to American English spelling.

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English now is spoken as a foreign or secondlanguage in South Asia as well. For example, India has a very large number of fluent English speakers because Britain ruled India from 1765 to 1947. English is also spoken in Singapore and Malaysia and countries in Africa

such as South Africa. In fact, China may have the largestnumber of English learners. Will Chinese English develop its own identity? Only time will tell. 返回

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1.We have learnt English for at least 4 years.Do you knowin which countries people speak English?The following pictures can help you.

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答案： A: England; B: America; C: Canada; D: Australia; E: New Zealand; F: South Africa and so on.

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2.— Are the Englishes in those countries the same?—① .

Which kind of English do the following sentences belong to?

答案：①No

②British Engli

sh

③American English 返回

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1.Skim the passage and find out the main idea of this passage.

答案：The differences between British English and American English, the future of the two varieties of and

the development of English.

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2.Scan the passage and find out the ways in which British English and American English differ.

答案：They are different in vocabulary, grammar,

spelling and pronunciation.

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Read the passage carefully and do the following tasks.

Task 1: Fill in the blanks according to the passage.1. Differences between AmE.and BrE. American English automobiles

Ways

British English5. cars

voc different wordsabu lary 2. same word (chips)

6. gassubway 7. stand in line French fries

petrolunderground queue up crisps 返回

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