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附件I. 课文注释与疑难解析1. The accent, which is most similar to British English, can be heard on the East Coast of the US. 与英国英语最相似的口音可以在美国东海岸听到。which 引导非限定性定语从句，对先行词accent起补充说明作用。be similar to相像的,相仿的,类似的His problem is similar to yours.他的问题和你的相似。My view is similar to yours.我的看法与你相似。2. A Londoner has more difficulty understanding a Scotsman from Glasgow than understanding a New Yorker. 伦敦人要听懂来自格拉斯哥的苏格兰人比听懂纽约人还要困难。have difficulty in doing做有困难I had no difficulty in getting in touch with him.我和他取得联系没有什么困难。He had much difficulty in finding her house.他费了很大周折才找到她的家。3. For Americans things are a little bit easier, thanks to the work of Noah Webster, a teacher who graduated from Yale University in 1778.对美国人来说情况要稍微容易一些，这多亏了韦伯斯特, 他是一名教师，1778年耶鲁大学毕业。1） a little bit（副词短语）有点;有几分Will you walk a little bit with me?Margot and Mummy are a little better now.2) thanks to幸亏；由于It was thanks to your timely help that we accomplished the task on time.幸亏你及时帮忙，我们才按时完成了任务。The play succeeded thanks to fine acting by all the cast.由于全体演员的出色表演，那出戏才获得了成功。II. 文化背景知识Differences Between American and British EnglishWhile there are certainly many more varieties of English, American and British English are the two varieties that are taught in most ESL / EFL programs. Generally, it is agreed that no one version is “correct”, however, there are certainly preferences in use. The most important rule of thumb is to try to be consistent in your usage. If you decide that you want to use American English spellings then be consistent in your spelling (i.e. The color of the orange is also its flavour color is American spelling and flavour is British), this is of course not always easy or possible. The following guide is meant to point out the principal differences between these two varieties of English. Use of the Present Perfect In British English the present perfect is used to express an action that has occurred in the recent past that has an effect on the present moment. For example: Ive lost my key. Can you help me look for it? In American English the following is also possible: I lost my key. Can you help me look for it? In British English the above would be considered incorrect. However, both forms are generally accepted in standard American English. Other differences involving the use of the present perfect in British English and simple past in American English include already, just and yet. British English: Ive just had lunch.Ive already seen that film.Have you finished your homework yet? American English: I just had lunch. / Ive just had lunch.Ive already seen that film. / I already saw that film.Have your finished your homework yet? / Did you finish your homework yet? Possession There are two forms to express possession in English. Have or Have got.Do you have a car?Have you got a car?He hasnt got any friends.He doesnt have any friends.She has a beautiful new home. Shes got a beautiful new home. While both forms are correct (and accepted in both British and American English), have got (have you got, he hasnt got, etc.) is generally the preferred form in British English while most speakers of American English employ have (do you have, he doesnt have etc.) The Verb Get The past participle of the verb get is gotten in American English. Example: Hes gotten much better at playing tennis. British English Hes got much better at playing tennis. Vocabulary Probably the major differences between British and American English lie in the choice of vocabulary. Some words mean different things in the two varieties. For example: Mean: (American English angry, bad humored, British English not generous, tight fisted) Rubber: (American English condom, British English tool used to erase pencil markings) There are many more examples (too many for me to list here). If there is a difference in usage, your dictionary will note the different meanings in its definition of the term. Many vocabulary items are also used in one form and not in the other. One of the best examples of this is the terminology used for automobiles.American English - hoodBritish English - bonnetAmerican English - trunkBritish English - bootAmerican English - truckBritish English - lorryOnce again, your dictionary should list whether the term is used in British English or American English. For a more complete list of the vocabulary differences between British and American English use this British vs. American English vocabulary tool. Prepositions There are also a few differences in preposition use including the following:American English - on the weekendBritish English - at the weekendAmerican English - on a teamBritish English - in a teamAmerican English - please write me soonBritish English - please write to me soonPast Simple / Past Participles The following verbs have two acceptable forms of the past simple/past participle in both American and British English, however, the irregular form is generally more common in British English (the first form of the two) and the regular form is more common to American English.BurnBurnt / burnedDreamdreamt / dreamedLeanleant / leanedLearnlearnt / learnedSmellsmelt / smelledSpellspelt / spelledSpillspilt / spilledSpoilspoilt / spoiledSpelling Here are some general differences between British and American spellings:Words ending in-or (American)-our (British) color, colour, humor, humour, flavor, flavour etc. Words ending in-ize (American)-ise (British) recognize, recognise, patronize, patronise etc. The best way to make sure that you are being consistent in your spelling is to use the spell check on your word processor (if you are using the computer of course) and choose which variety of English you would like. As you can see, there are really very few differences between standard British English and standard American English. However, the largest difference is probably that of the choice of vocabulary and pronunciation. For further information concerning these areas please refer to the links below. British Vs. American English vocabulary toolCheck British to American English or American to British English with this interactive tool. American-British / British-American DictionaryAn impressive resource for reference information concerning the differences in vocabulary use between American and British English. American vs. British EnglishAn exhaustive study by the University of Tampere on the differences between American and British English and the geopolitical reasons behind these differences. English Around The WorldAn excellent link page to information, recordings, and vocabulary examples of English as it is used in many different countries around the world. United Kingdom English for the American NoviceAn amusing (some might find patronizing) instructive site dedicated to helping Americans understand United Kingdom English.
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