单选题 What are the students mainly discussing?
A.Languages that connect speakers of diverse languages
B.The evolution of the world's major languages
C.Why it is important to learn a second language
D.Similarities between linguistics and anthropology
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】[解析] 18-22
W: My linguistics class is really getting good. Today the lecture was about the social aspects of language, like slang and accents, and stuff. But the thing that really intrigues me is something called a lingua franca.
M: Lingua franca?
W: Yeah. A lingua franca is sort of common language used by people who speak different languages. There are a lot of places in the world where everybody's first language is different, and the people need to communicate with other groups, so everybody starts using one language for social or commercial relationships. That language that connects them all is a lingua franca.
M: That makes sense—kind of a universal business language. Where did the name "lingua franca" come from?
W: From the name of one of the first languages like that. It was like, in the Middle Ages, countries with ports on the Mediterranean needed a common trade language. So a new language sort of evolved. It was basically Italian, mixed with French, Spanish, and other languages. It was called Lingua Franca, which meant "Frankish language." After that, "lingua franca" came to mean all languages used that way. So, any language can be a lingua franca if it connects tots of people who speak different languages. Most of the time lingua francas have been trade languages.
M: That means English is a lingua franca because English is an international business language.
W: Yeah. You're right about that. English is definitely a lingua franca. In East Africa, Swahili is a lingua franca that's understood in every marketplace. It's because there are hundreds of tribes in East Africa, and each tribe speaks a different language. So most of the people there learn at least some Swahili as a second language.
M: interesting. And... uh... isn't there some other language like that... I think it's called something like "pigeon"... you know, like the birds, like the pigeons that carry messages.
W: It's not "pigeon" like the birds! It's a different word—here, let me show you—it has the same pronunciation, but a different spelling. A "pidgin" is a type of language. It's a simplified language that's a mixture of two or more languages. It has words from both languages.
M: Oh, yeah. Now I remember. We studied pidgins in anthropology.
W: My professor said there are lots of different pidgins based on English that developed in different parts of the world. It was because people from English speaking countries had to communicate with the local people. Pidgins have a simple grammar and vocabulary, so they're easy to learn.
M: That's cool. Your class sounds interesting.
W: Yeah, we're learning some pretty amazing stuff.
The students mainly discuss languages that connect speakers of diverse languages. The students say A lingua franca is sort of common language used by people who speak different languages; That language that connects them all is a lingua franca; That makes sense—kind of a universal business language;...any language can be a lingua franca if it connects lots of people who speak different languages. (2.1)
单选题 What is the woman's attitude toward her linguistics class?
A.She thinks there is too much homework.
B.She is confused most of the time.
C.She thinks her professor is very nice.
D.She finds the lecture topics interesting.
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】The woman finds the lecture topics interesting. She says My linguistics class is really getting good. Today the lecture was about the social aspects of language, like slang and accents, and stuff. But the thing that really intrigues me is something called a lingua franca. (2.3)
多选题 According to the conversation, which languages are lingua francas?
Click on two answers.
A.Italian
B.English
C.Polish
D.Swahili
【正确答案】
【答案解析】English and Swahili are lingua francas. The speakers say...English is a lingua franca because English is an international business language; English is definitely a lingua franca. In East Africa, Swahili is a lingua franca that's understood in every marketplace. (2.2)
单选题 Why does the woman say this:
A.To express amusement at the man's pronunciation
B.To give another word that has the same meaning
C.To correct the man's misunderstanding of aword
D.To help the man with a spelling problem
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】[解析]
Why does the woman say this:
"It's not 'pigeon' like the birds! It's a different word—here, let me show you—it has the same pronunciation, but a different spelling."
The woman's purpose is to correct the man's misunderstanding of a word. The man thinks that the word for a type of language is "pigeon, " like the bird of that name. The woman corrects his misunderstanding by showing him the correct word, "pidgin." (2.3)
填空题 Based on the conversation,indicate whether each sentence below describes a lingua franca or a pidgin.
For each sentence, click in the correct box.
Lingua franca

Pidgin

It usually develops as a universal business language.

It is a simplified language that blends two or more languages.

It is the common language of many people who speak various languages.

It is easy to learn because its grammar and vocabulary are simple.