共用题干
Few men have influenced the development of American English to the extent that Noah Webster did.After a short career in law,he turned to teaching,but he discovered how inadequate the available schoolbooks were for the children of a new and independent nation.
In response to the need for truly American textbooks,Webster published A Grammatical Institute of the English Language,a three-volume work that consisted of a speller,a grammar,and a reader.The first volume,which was generally known as The American Spelling Book,was so popular that eventually it sold more than 80 million copies and provided him with a considerable income for the rest of his life.Can you imagine that?
Anyway,in 1807,Noah Webster began his greatest work,An American Dictionary of the English Language.In preparing the manuscript,he devoted ten years to the study of English and its relationship to other languages,and seven more years to the writing itself. Published in two volumes in 1828,An American Dictionary of the English Language has become the recognized authority for usage in the United States.Webster's purpose in writing it was to demonstrate that the American language was developing distinct meanings,pronunciations,and spellings from those of British English. He is responsible for advancing many of the simplified spelling forms that distinguish American English from British.
Webster was the first author to gain copyright protection in the United States by being awarded a copyright for The American Spelling Book and he continued to lobby over the next fifty years for the protection of intellectual properties,that is,for author's rights.By the time that Webster brought out the second edition of his dictionary,which included 70,000 entries instead of the original 38,000, the name Webster had become synonymous with American dictionaries.It was this second edition that served as the basis for the many revisions that have been produced by others, ironically,under the uncopyrighted Webster name.
Webster's purpose in writing An American Dictionary of the English Language is to prove that American English was superior to British English.
A:Right
B:Wrong
C:Not mentioned
答案:B
解析:
诺亚·韦伯一直是老师。第一段第二句话:After a short career in law , he turned to teaching…在法律界工作没多久,他就改行教书。因此本句是错误的。
《英语语言文法规则》的出版是为了满足美国国内对于课本的需要。依据是第二段第一句话:In response to the need for truly American textbooks , Webster published A Grammatical Institute of the English Language…为了满足这种对于真正美国化课本的需要,韦伯出版了《英语语言文法规则》。因此该句话是正确的。
1828年出版的《韦氏英语字典》是韦伯最伟大的著作。依据是第三段第一句话:Noah Webster began his greatest work , An American Dictionary of the English Language.1807年,韦伯开始编写他最伟大的著作《韦氏英语词典》。因此该句话是正确的。
韦伯反对奴隶制而且对于废除美国奴隶制作出了很大的贡献。文中对此没有提及。
韦伯编写《韦氏英语字典》的目的是为了证明美式英语优于英式英语。第三段倒数第二句提到:Webster's purpose in writing it was to demonstrate that the American language was developing distinct meanings,pronunciations,and spellings from those of British English.韦伯编写这本字典旨在于证明美国的语言在继承了英式英语后逐渐形成了自己特有的意义、发音和拼写。因此这句话是错误的。
韦伯终其一生积极维护版权。最后一段第一句中提到:Webster was the first author to gain copyright protection in the United States…and he continued to lobby over the next fifty years for the protection of intellectual properties, that is, for author's rights.根据参考译文可以得知这句话是正确的。
对于很多美国人来说,一说起字典就会想到韦伯。最后一段倒数第二句中提到:the name Webster had become synonymous with American dictionaries.韦伯已经成为了美国字典的代名词。因此该句话是正确的。