Question

I came across quite a few language problems while on holiday with my family last summer. The most embarrassing was when my Mom apologized to the people we were staying with because her “pants were dirty”. They looked at her in amazement, not knowing how to react. You see, Mom had fallen over and gotten mud on her jeans. But in Britain, “pants” means underpants, not trousers as it does back home.

Katie — From America

When I asked for the “restroom” in a big department store, people kept directing me to a room with seats where I could sit and “rest”. It took me years to get through to someone that I only wanted the toilet!

Tom — From America

Last summer we went on a two-week family touring holiday, so Dad hired a car over the Internet. This was an old vehicle and there turned out to be lots of things wrong with it. When he phoned the hire company and tried to explain that the lock on the boot(汽車行李箱) was broken, they thought he was talking about footwear! He had no idea their word for “boot” was “trunk”. In the end we went to a garage and just solved the problem.

Mary — From Britain

Last summer, I went to stay with a friend on the west coast. Her flat was on the first floor of a high-rise building so I got the lift up. Then I wandered round for ages looking for her flat but couldn’t find it. Fed up and tired, I finally had to go out to find a phone box. She explained that her flat was on the first floor, which for me meant the ground floor.

David — From Britain

1.Hearing Katie’s mother’s words, Katie’s friends were in amazement because ____________.

A．they mistook “pants” in American for underpants

B．Katie’s mother’s underpants were dirty

C．Katie’s mother got mud on her jeans

D．they didn’t know any English

2.David went out to find a phone box to ____________.

A．phone the police for help                 B．apologize for his being late

C．tell his friends he couldn’t go to visit her    D．phone his friend for help

3. When Tom asked for the “restroom”, the people around him thought _____________.

A．he wanted a chair                       B．he wanted to have a rest

C．he wanted the toilet                     D．He wanted to go to a department store

4.The underlined word “garage” is probably _____________.

A．a parking place     B．a car             C．a place to repair cars D．a gas station

5.Which of the following words is from British English？

A．Pants             B． Restroom         C．Ground floor       D．Trunk

 

Answer 1

【答案】

1.A

2.D

3.B

4.C

5.C

【解析】

試題分析：本文通過幾個例子告訴我們美國英語和英國英語在詞匯方面的諸多差異。

1.A 細節題。根據文章第一段最后2行But in Britain, “pants” means underpants, not trousers as it does back home.可知雙方對于“pants”的理解不同。故A正確。

2.D 推理題。根據文章最后3行Fed up and tired, I finally had to go out to find a phone box. She explained that her flat was on the first floor, which for me meant the ground floor. 可知我沒有找到對方的家，所以找了一個電話亭，打電話進行聯系。

3.B 推理題。根據第二段1,2行When I asked for the “restroom” in a big department store, people kept directing me to a room with seats where I could sit and “rest”.可知我說的restroom是指上廁所。對方理解成我要去休息。故B正確。

4.C 推理題。根據第三段最后2行He had no idea their word for “boot” was “trunk”. In the end we went to a garage and just solved the problem.可知我們是到修理廠去把車修好的，故C項正確。

5.C 推理題。根據文章最后2行. She explained that her flat was on the first floor, which for me meant the ground floor.可知the ground floor是來自英國英語的詞匯，在美國英語中就是the first floor。故C正確。

考點：考查文化類短文閱讀

點評：本文通過幾個例子告訴我們美國英語和英國英語在詞匯方面的諸多差異。本文細節題居多，答題時在文章找到對應的地方，用筆進行標記，這有利于后期有時間檢查時可以立刻找到答案的位置。仔細理解作者所講的意思，再結合選項，通過排除法和自己對全文的把握，選出正確答案。