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  3. One of the interesting things about languages is the way they change over time. In English, everything from spelling to vocabula

One of the interesting things about languages is the way they change over time. In English, everything from spelling to vocabula

admin2019-03-27  71
问题
    One of the interesting things about languages is the way they change over time. In English, everything from spelling to vocabulary has gone through major changes over the years. In fact, to a modem speaker, the English of 1, 000 years ago looks like a foreign language!
    The history of English dates back around 1, 500 years. At that time, groups of Europeans invaded in England, bringing their language with them. It developed into Old English. Later, in 1066, England was invaded by the Normans from France. The language went through an important shift, leading to what we now call Middle English. Over the next 500 years, the language underwent further shifts, leading to Modern English. As the language has developed over time, many things about it have changed.
    Pronunciation is one of the most obvious areas. For example, in Old English, people said "hus" and "mus". Now, we say "house" and "mouse". These days, there are many differences in the way English is pronounced in the U. S. , India, and elsewhere. When people live in groups separated by great distances, the pace of change can be fast.
    Spelling has also gone through interesting changes. For example, in Old English, one wrote "riht". A "g" was added in Middle English, making the spelling "right". Also, in the distant past, people did not always follow standards of spelling. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, scholars like Noah Webster wrote dictionaries which made the spelling more consistent. However, different standards were decided on in England and the U. S. So, some differences remain—for example, color vs. colour .
    Vocabulary changes happen even more quickly. English has grown by borrowing words from languages such as French, Spanish, and Arabic, to name a few. This often happens with types of food—for example, "tofu". Then there is slang which enters and leaves the language every year! Thirty years ago, one often heard people saying "groovy", meaning "great". These days, you’ll rarely hear the word except on old TV shows and movies.
    Because English is spoken by so many people worldwide, it really is an exciting time for the language. Just as American and British versions are always changing, so are versions spoken in Canada, Singapore, and elsewhere. At the same time, an entirely new version of English is appearing on the Internet with whole new slang and writing style. In a way, learning English is a never-ending process, even for native speakers!
Questions 66—70
Answer the following questions according to the passage.
Why does the English of 1,000 years ago seem a foreign language to modern speakers?
选项
答案Because in English，everything from spelling to vocabulary has gone through major changes overthe years．
解析 (由文章第一段中的“In English，everything from spelling to vocabulary has gone through ma—jor changes over the years”可知，因为英语在过去经历了许多大的变化，所以对现在说英语的人来讲，一千年前的英语就像是一门外语。因此原文中的句子即为答案。)
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本试题收录于： C类竞赛（非英语专业本科）题库大学生英语竞赛（NECCS）分类
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C类竞赛（非英语专业本科）

大学生英语竞赛（NECCS）

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