B
Although English is not as old as Chinese, it is spoken by many people around the world every day. English speakers are always creating new words, and we should be able to know where most words come from.
Sometimes, however, no one may really tell where a word comes from. Did you ever think about why hamburgers are called hamburgers, especially when they are not made with ham? About a hundred years ago, some men went to America from Europe. They came from a big city of Germany called Hamburg. They did not speak good English, but they ate good food. When some Americans saw them eating round pieces of beef, they asked the Germans what they were. The Germans did not understand the question and answered, “We came from Hamburg.” One of these Americans owned a restaurant and had an idea. He cooked some round pieces of beef like what the men from Hamburg ate. Then he put them between two pieces of bread and started selling them. Today “hamburgers” are sold in many countries around the world.Whether this story is true or not, it is certainly interesting. Knowing why any word has a certain meaning is interesting, too. The reason may be found in any large English dictionaries.
Choose the best answer according to the passage.
( )1. According to the writer, English ________.
A. is as old as Chinese
B. is not so old as Chinese
C. is very difficult to learn
D. is older than German
( )2. Hamburg is ________.
A. a city of Germany B. the name of a village
C. a round piece of beef D. a kind of bread
( )3. According to the story, ________.
A. hamburgers are made with ham
B. hamburgers were sold all over the world about a century ago
C. few Americans like hamburgers
D. hamburgers are made with beef
( )4. According to the writer, which of the following can be found in any large English dictionaries?
A. Where all the new words come from.
B. Where those Germans came from.
C. The reason why any word has a certain meaning.
D. The reason why English is spoken around the world.
( )5. The word “hamburger” comes from ________.
A. China because it has a long history
B. the round pieces of beef those people from Hamburg brought to America
C. English speakers because they always create new words
D. England because Germans don’t speak good English
Key: A 1-5 CBCAB
B 1-5 BADCB