A
When studying English, it’s best to focus on the big picture. Trying to improve your speaking? Aim for fluency and “standard” pronunciation. Want to get better at writing? Practice vocabulary and grammar.
But this way of learning, though necessary, misses one big thing: all the differences there are in how different people speak English. For example, people from the US and the UK speak very differently. If a British friend invited me to eat lunch at his apartment, he might say: “Come over to mine ‘round 12 pm’.”
But if I invited him over, I might say: “Be at my place a little after 12.” “My place” is more commonly used in the US; “mine” is more frequently used in the UK – both are informal ways of saying “my house” or “my apartment”.
Even people in different parts of the US speak very differently. For example, imagine that you are talking to a group of people and want to address them all at once. What pronoun do you use? “You”, you should reply — that’s the correct pronoun whether you’re addressing one person or a group.
But using “you” to address multiple people feels strange in conversation, so speakers find ways around it. The most common choice around the US is to say “you guys”. But working class natives of my hometown, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, say “yinz”: as in, “yinz wanna go to the bar later to watch the game?” In eastern Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey, some people say “youse”: as in, “youse are always hanging out in the street”. In the southern US, people say “y’all”: as in, “don’t forget about us, y’all!”
The point is, there’s a lot more to languages than what’s standard and proper. So take a tour around the US, y’all. Yinz will be glad that youse did it.
1. Which aspect of language learning does the author specifically focus on in the article?
A. The reason why we need to practice standard pronunciation.
B. How to learn from native speakers.
C. How to see the big picture when speaking English.
D. The different ways native speakers use the language.
2. The underlined word “addressing” in Paragraph 4 probably means ______.
A. turning to. B. dealing with. C. speaking to. D. sending a letter to.
3. If someone greets you and your family by saying “It’s good seein’ y’all!”, he is likely from ______.
A. the southern US. B. Pennsylvania. C. New York. D. New Jersey.
【答案】1. D 2. C 3. A
【解析】
【分析】这是一篇说明文。文章主要讲述了学习英语时，最好着眼大局，要注意不同的人讲英语的方式存在着差异。
【1题详解】
细节理解题。由第二段中的“But this way of learning, though necessary, misses one big thing: all the differences there are in how different people speak English. (但这种学习方式虽然必要，却忽略了一件大事：不同的人讲英语的方式存在着所有的差异)”可知，本文中作者特别关注以英语为母语的人使用语言的不同方式。故选D项。
【2题详解】
词义猜测题。由第四段中的“For example, imagine that you are talking to a group of people and want to address them all at once. What pronoun do you use? “You”, you should reply — that’s the correct pronoun whether you’re addressing one person or a group. (例如，假设您正在与一群人交谈，并希望同时向他们讲话。“你用什么代词？”“你”，你应该回答——这是正确的代词，无论你addressing一个人或一个群体)”可知，addressing在此和上文talking to的意思相同，即“和……说话/交谈”。故选C项。
【3题详解】
推理判断题。由倒数第二段中的“In the southern US, people say “y’all”: as in, “don’t forget about us, y’all!”(在美国南部，人们说“y’all”：就像“别忘了我们，y’all！”)”可知，如果有人对你和你的家人说“It’s good seein’ y’all!”，他很可能是从美国南部来。故选A项。
