新编实用英语第四册unit1reading B

Unit 1 Maintaining a Sharp Eye

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Intensive Study Practice

New Practical English

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Differences Between American and British EnglishWhile there are certainly many more varieties of English, American and British English are the two varieties that are taught in most ESL / EFL programs. Generally, it is agreed that no one version is ―correct‖. However, there are certainly preferences in use. The most important rule of thumb is to try to be consistent in your usage. If you decide that you want to use American English spellings then be consistent in your spelling (i.e. The color of the orange is also its flavour – color is American spelling and flavour is British), this is of course not always easy – or possible. The following guide is meant to point out the principal differences between these two varieties of English.New Practical English

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Use of the Present Perfect In British English the present perfect is used to express an action that has occurred in the recent past that has an effect on the present moment. For example: I’ve lost my key. Can you help me look for it? In American English the following is also possible: I lost my key. Can you help me look for it? In British English the above would be considered incorrect. However, both forms are generally accepted in standard American English. Other differences involving the use of the present perfect in British English and simple past in American English include already, just and yet.New Practical English

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British English: I’ve just had lunch. I’ve already seen that film.

Have you finished your homework yet?American English: I just had lunch / I’ve just had lunch. I’ve already seen that film / I already saw that film. Have you finished your homework yet? / Did you finish your homework yet?New Practical English

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Possession There are two forms to express possession in English. Have / Have got Do you have a car? / Have you got a car? He hasn’t got any friends. / He doesn’t have any friends. She has a beautiful new home. / She’s got a beautiful new home.

While both forms are correct (and accepted in both British and American English), have got (have you got, he hasn’t got, etc.) is generally the preferred form in British English while most speakers of American English employ the have (do you have, he doesn’t have, etc.).New Practical English

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The Verb GetThe past participle of the verb get is

gotten in American English. Example: He’sgotten much better at playing tennis.

British English: He’s got much better atplaying tennis.New Practical English

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Vocabulary Probably the major differences between British and American English lie in the choice of vocabulary. Some words mean different things in the two varieties, for example: Mean: (American English – angry, bad h

umored, British English – not generous, tight fisted) Rubber: (American English – condom, British English – tool used to erase pencil markings) There are many more examples (too many to be listed here). If there is a difference in usage, your dictionary will note the different meanings in its definition of the term.New Practical English

Unit 1 Related InformationSome examples of the food vocabulary differences between American and British EnglishSBE chips crisps SAE French fries potato chips

fish fingerspudding afters

fish sticksdessert dessert

cookiecracker ice

biscuitbiscuit ice-creamNew Practical English

Unit 1 Related InformationSome examples of the food vocabulary differences between American and British EnglishSBE skimmed milk jam jelly minerals spirits tin (of beans) SAE non-fat milk jelly gelatin soft drinks liquor can

fruiter’s

fruit storeNew Practical English

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Text

Difficult Sentences Important Words & PhrasesNew Practical English

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Guess Who’s Not Coming to Dinner?

1 It was raining steadily in London. The autumn – Jake would call it ―fall‖ – had been gray and cold. The school-uniforms weren’t warm enough for the children, and even the pigeons on Trafalgar Square seemed to be losing some of their usual arrogance. As I am from Finland, the weather conditions didn’t bother me, but Jake who came from Panama City, Florida, complained bitterly about the gloom of the English cityscape.New Practical English

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2 Even if it rained, it was one of my duties as

an au pair to take the children out for their daily walk, just as if they were two small and talkative dogs. When we finally managed to get back home and I started hanging up their raincoats (or ―mackintoshes‖ as they were called in Britain), we saw that Mrs. Dunn had already returned from her shopping expedition. I asked her if Jake had called yet since he had promised to do so.New Practical English

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3 ―No, not yet,‖ replied Ann Dunn. ―But I hope he’ll stay for dinner this time.‖ For a Briton my question implied that Jake was going to pay me a visit. However, Jake and I had been talking about a mere telephone call. If Jake had been a British boy called Bertie he probably would have promised to ―give me a ring‖ – and that would have had nothing to do with a marriage vow.New Practical English

Unit 1 Intensive Study

4 Later that same week Jake did in fact come over and agreed to join us for dinner. He got reluctant only after Ann had told him more about the English ―feast‖ that lay ahead of him. ―Fish fingers and chips,‖ he whispered to me with a worried look in his eyes. For my American friend ―chips‖ were plain potato chips (known as ―crisps‖ in Standard British English, SBE). …… 此处隐藏：5272字，全部文档内容请下载后查看。喜欢就下载吧 ……