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Although English is not as old as Chinese, it is spoken by many people around the world every day. English speakers are always creating(创造) new words, and we are often able to know where most words come from.
Sometimes , however, no one may really know where a word comes from. Did you ever think about why hamburgers(汉堡包) are called hamburgers, especially when they are not made with ham(火腿)? About a hundred years ago, some men went to America from Europe. They came from a big city in Germany called Hamburg. They did not speak good English, but they ate good food. When some Americans saw them eating round pieces of beef(牛肉), they asked the Germans what it was. The Germans did not understand the question and answered, "We come from Hamburg." One of these Americans owned a restaurant, and had an idea. He cooked some round pieces of beef like those which the men from Hamburg ate. Then he put each between two pieces of bread and started selling them. Such bread came to be called "hamburgers". Today "hamburgers" are sold in many countries around the world.
Whether this story is true or not, it certainly is interesting. Knowing why any word has a certain meaning is interesting. too. This reason, for most English words, can be found in any large English dictionary.
1. According to the writer, English is_____________.
A. as old as Chinese B. older than German
C. not so old as Chinese D. very difficult to learn
2. Hamburg is __________.
A. a kind of food B. a round piece of beef
C. the name of a village D. a city in Germany
3. According to the story, __________.
A. few Americans like hamburgers B. hamburgers are made with beef
C. hamburgers are made with ham D. hamburgers were first sold about a century ago
4. According to the writer, which of the following can often be found in any large English dictionary?
A. Where all the new words come from
B. Where those Germans came from
C. The reason why a word has a certain meaning
D. The reason why English is spoken around the world
5. According to the story, the word "hamburger" comes from __________.
A. China because it has a long history
B. England because Germans don’t speak good English
C. the round pieces of beef which those people from Hamburg were eating
D. English speakers because they always create new words
