Passage Four
In 1807 Noah Webster began his greatest work, An American Dictionary of the English Language. In preparing the work, 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 (权威) for usage in the United States. Webster’s purpose in writing it was to show that the American language was developing distinct meanings, pronunciations, and spellings from those of British English. He is responsible for advancing simplified spelling forms: "develop" instead of the British form "develope"; "theater" and "center" instead of "theatre" and "centre"; "color" and "honor" instead of "colour" and "honour".
Passage Four
In 1807 Noah Webster began his greatest work, An American Dictionary of the English Language. In preparing the work, 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 (权威) for usage in the United States. Webster’s purpose in writing it was to show that the American language was developing distinct meanings, pronunciations, and spellings from those of British English. He is responsible for advancing simplified spelling forms: "develop" instead of the British form "develope"; "theater" and "center" instead of "theatre" and "centre"; "color" and "honor" instead of "colour" and "honour".
Passage Four
As he closed his service station at 1:20 one Sunday morning, Tony Payseur set on the ground a metal cash box containing $7000. At home a short while later, he reached in the back of his car for the box. It was missing.
Realizing that he must have left it outside the station, Payseur speeded back. The box was gone. Sunday morning; although he felt iii, Payseur went to work with his two sons. Then, in the middle of the afternoon, a man named Wayne came and told his story. Passing the station minutes after Payseur left the previous night, Brazzell had spotted the metal box. Thinking it was a tool-box someone had left accidentally, he stopped and picked it up. About 3 p. m. Sunday, Brazzell opened the box. Finding it filled with cash, he rushed to the station.
"I couldn’ t believe someone would be so honest," Payseur said it when he got back his box.
Passage Four
When I began reading Catch -22, I thought it was a farcical satire on life in the United States Army Air Force. Later I believed that Mr. Heller’s target was modern war and all those who are responsible for waging it. Still later it seemed that he was attacking social organization and anyone who derives power from it. But by the end of the book it had become plain to me that it is——no other phrase will do——the human condition itself which is the object of Mr. Heller’s outraged fury and disgust.
A reviewer must always keep an anxious eye on the state of his currency. If he announces too many masterpieces he risks inflation (though it is sometimes forgotten by some of us that the cowardice of perpetual crabbing (挑剔) receives its own kind of punishment). It does not seem many weeks since I was proclaiming that Malcolm Lowry’s Under the Volcano is one of the great English novels of the century; and
A. take care not to be over-critical in his writing
B. watch carefully to see that nobody else takes his job
C. be careful to ensure that his comments retain their value
D. be sure that his salary keeps pace with inflation
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