Which English do you speak?
English is the first language of several countries. It is also used for ____1____ communication in occupations related to medicine, business, and travel. However, the English language has many variations(变异). British, North American, Australian, and south African English are all spoken ____2___. In many English language courses, the British and north American varieties are taught. One is not more ____3___ than the other, but there are important differences between the two.
Probably the ___4____ difference between North American and British English is the vocabulary. Different words and expressions are ___5____ to talk about the same thing. For example, in the United States, people throw their garbage into the trash can. In England, people throw their rubbish into the dustbin. In Britain, people take a lift to the fifth floor. In North America, people take an elevator.
North American and British English grammar can also vary. For example, ___6____ of British English will ask, “what did you do at the weekend?” but North Americans usually say, “on the weekend.” Some verb tenses also ___7___slightly. In the United States, people usually say, “I’ve just gotten a new car,” but in the U.K. they will say “I’ve just got a new car.”
The pronunciation of many vowel sounds (元音) in North American and British English is also different, even when the ____8____ is the same. The word “tomato”-----pronounced to-mah-to in British English----is a classic example of this. Vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation are three ways English varies in different parts of the ___9____. Learning all these differences would be very difficult, so English language learners should just be __10___ that they exist.
A. correct E. differ I. world
B. aware F. show J. spelling
C. used G. biggest K. speakers
D. differently H. same L. international
1、____.
L
