Reading SVIP

Attention all students,

We would like (1) _______ you that there will be an English speaking test.

✔ Date & Time: Monday, December 10th, 9:00 AM

✔ (2) _______: School Library

✔ Test Topics: topics you have learned in (3) _______ 1st semester.

Make sure you are (4) _______ and ready to speak for about 3 minutes on each topic.

We wish you the best of luck!

Best regards,

The English Department

The United States does not have an official language, but English is the most commonly spoken language, with more than 300 million people using it as their (1) _______ language. This makes the U.S. the country with the most native English speakers.

American English also changes depending (2) _______ where you are. For example, people in the South speak slowly (3) _______ those in New York often speak quickly and with a sharp accent. These differences show the (4) _______ of cultures and backgrounds in the U.S.

In addition, some U.S. states have (5) _______ official languages. For example, Alaska has native languages like Inupiaq and Siberian Yupik, and Hawaii has both English and Hawaiian as official languages.

Australian English combines British and American English but also includes unique words. For example, "outback" describes a remote area, and "barbie" (1) _______ "barbecue." A special Australian word is "doona," (2) _______ is used instead of "duvet."

Like British English, Australians say "aluminium" instead of "aluminum" and "mobile phone" instead of "cell phone." (3) _______ use "anti-clockwise" rather than "counter-clockwise" and "petrol" instead of "gasoline." The front cover of a car is called a "bonnet," and they say "holiday" instead of "vacation."

Australians also (4) _______ words from American English. For example, they use "soccer" instead of "football" and "pants" instead of "trousers." Words (5) _______ "abroad" and "village" are (6) _______ in Australian English; instead, they say "overseas" and "towns." These features make Australian English distinctive and interesting.

1. When I first arrived in Sydney, I was learning English at high school. One day I had a headache and told my teacher: "I am a headache." She looked at me and said “I know! You are all headaches.” As she laughed, she taught me to say that “I have a headache." Looking back, it makes me laugh, but at the time I was so embarrassed that I'd called myself “a headache."

2. Another time that same teacher was talking about hot dogs. I immediately exclaimed: "Yuck!" and made a surprised face. The teacher said, "It's not that you catch a dog, kill it, cut it into pieces, cook it and eat it hot."

3. At the time, this is exactly what I thought a hot dog was, and even now as I write this it still makes me laugh. So don't be discouraged if someone laughs or makes fun of you because one day you too will be laughing as you remember it all.

1. English is spoken by millions of people across the world, and the way people speak can differ greatly depending on where they are from. There are important differences between American and British English, especially in terms of pronunciation, spelling, and vocabulary.

2. Pronunciation is one of the most noticeable differences. In American English, speakers often place more stress on vowels, while in British English, the stress is usually on consonants. Americans pronounce "tomato" with a long "a," while in Britain, it is pronounced with a short "a."

3. Another difference is in spelling. American English uses simpler spellings, such as "color" and "flavor," while British English uses "colour" and "flavour," including an extra "u." Additionally, some common words are different. For instance, in American English, people use "truck," while in British English, it's called a "lorry." Americans also say "apartment," but in the UK, people refer to it as a "flat." There are different terms for things like "movies" in the U.S. versus "cinema" in the UK.

4. While these differences might seem small, understanding them is important for clearer communication. Learning these differences helps people appreciate the diversity of the English language.