y
D. be more aware of the rules of the language usage
2.Choose the appropriate meaning for the word “inflection” used in line 4 of paragraph 2.
A. Changes in the forms of words.
B. Changes in sentence structures.
C. Changes in spelling rules.
D. Words that have similar meanings.
3.Which of the following statements is not mentioned in the passage?
A. It is generally believed that the year 1500 can be set as the beginning of the modern English language.
B. Some other languages had great influence on the English language at some stages of its development.
C. The English language has been and still in a state of relatively constant change.
D. Many classes or groups have contributed to the development of the English language.
4. The author of these paragraphs is probably a(an) .
A. historianB. philosopher
C. anthropologistD. linguist
5.Which of the following can be best used as the title of the passage?
A. The history of the English language.
B. Our changing attitude towards the English language.
C. Our changing language.
D. Some characteristics of modern English.
Vocabulary
1.span n. 跨度，范围，一段时间，期间
2.imperceptible adj. 感觉不到的，觉察不到的，极细微的
3.organism n. 生物体，有机体
4.possession n. 拥有，占有，领土，领地
5.ignorant adj. 无知的
6.folk n. 人们，民族
7.permanence n. 永久，持久
8.Anglo-Saxons n. 盎格鲁—撒克逊语，盎格鲁—撒克逊人，地道的英国人
9.reversal n. 颠倒，反向，逆转
10.inflection n. 词尾变化
11.preposition n. 前置词，介词
12.conjunction n. 联合，关联，连接词
13.in terms of 根据，按照，用……的话，在……方面
长难句解析
①【解析】“who”引导非限制性定语从句，修饰“the common, ignorant folk”。“much as”引导状语从句。“kitchen pots and pans”意为“锅碗瓢盆”。
【译文】一方面它是那些普通人甚至无知民众的财产，他们每天都像使唤他们的牲畜和锅碗瓢盆一样用着语言。
②【解析】 此句为一个复合倒装句。“until”引导一个并列句，前一句的主语是“a tendency”，“to fix the language into patterns not always set in and grew”作“tendency”的定语，第二句的主语也是“a tendency”，“to”后面的句子作“tendency”的定语，“in which”引导的定语从句修饰“ways”。
【译文】例如在18世纪一种产生于各种来源的趋势把语言固定在一个不常使用和不利于语言发展的模式中，而到了当今，主流是要反复研究、评价人们说话、写作中的语言实践。
答案与详解
【短文大意】本文主要讲述英语演变过程的一些特点，指出了古英语与现代英语的不同，以及语言学家对待语言形式的态度的变化。
1.B细节题。根据题干回原文中定位，阅读文章时注意首末段及各段开头的句子，这往往都是考点所在。这篇文章讲的主要是英语语言演变的一些特点，指出了古英语与现代英语的不同，以及语言学家态度的转变。本题问的正是现代语言学家与早期语言学家不同的倾向。根据文章末尾The eighteenth century, for example, produced from various sources a tendency to
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