Question

Language changes all the time. The words used by young people in the UK can be very different to those used by adults. These extremely informal words and expressions are known as “slang”. Here are a few examples:

·Instead of using different tag question like isn’t it? Can’t you or don’t they? People use “innit”.e.g. It’s hot here, isn’t it?=It’s hot here, innit!

·Instead of saying very, really or completely, they use “well”. e.g. I’m well tired.

· “Whatever” means “I don’t care”. e.g. A: But the teacher says we can’t leave until we’ve finished. B:Whatever. I’m going.

Nobody uses slang and not everybody likes it. A school in Sheffield, in the north of England, recently instructed its pupils to stop using slang words. The head teacher says that if young people learn to speak ‘correctly’ this will help them get a good job.

When British people use slang, it’s no surprise that some students say they can’t understand native speakers. But perhaps learners don’t need to worry about communicating with native speakers so much. Research shows that most of the English spoken in the world today is spoken between non-native speakers of the language. In fact, when we think about “International English”, there is no such thing as a native or non-native speaker.

How important is it to understand these slang words and expressions? If you watch films or TV, chat online in English, then understanding slang can be very useful. But you probably won’t see much slang in your English exam though. With over seven billion people living on our planet today, it’s easy to think one person’s actions won’t make a difference, however, from personal experience, I can say: each of us is capable of making a difference, however small, to someone’s life.

1.Based on the slang mentioned above, what is the meaning of “I think you got me well wrong.”?

A. I think you really hurt my feelings

B. I think you totally misunderstood me

C. I think you found the completely wrong person

D. I think you completely brought the wrong thing

2.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. It is essential to learn all the British slang

B. Native English speakers cannot understand each other well

C. English is used more between non-native speakers currently

D. Young people in Britain often use the same slang words as their parents

3.In the author’s opinion, why shouldn’t English learners be concerned about slangs?

A. British slangs can hardly come across to English learners

B. English learners won’t speak with the native speakers

C. English learners can make a difference in the world

D. There are more people who don’t use native slang to communicate

4.The author may agree to the opinion that _______.

A. individuals can play a part in others’ life

B. slang learning is an important part of language learning

C. one may express his doubt and disbelief by saying “Whatever”

D. English learners may feel difficult to communicate without slang

Answer 1