单选题 As the English language has changed at a fast speed in the last century, so has the use of the English language.
After the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was founded in 1927, the particular style of speech of the BBC announcers was recognized as Standard English or Received Pronunciation (RP) English. Now, most people still consider that the pronunciation and delivery of BBC announcers is the clearest and most understandable spoken English.
English has had a strong association with class and social status. However, since the Second World War there has been a considerable change of attitude towards speech snobbery, and hallmarks of class distinction such as styles of speech have been gradually discarded, especially by the younger generation.
As the need has arisen, new words have been invented or found from other languages and incorporated into English. Similarly, old words and expressions have been discarded as their usefulness has diminished or the fashions have passed. This also happens to styles and modes of speech which became fashionable at a particular time and" in specific circumstances.
By the end of the 1960s it became apparent that it was not necessary to speak Standard English or even correct grammar to become popular, successful and rich. The fashionable speech of the day was no longer the prerogative of a privileged class but rather a defiant expression of classlessness.
The greatest single influence of the shaping of the English language in modern times is the American English. Over the last 25 years the English used by many people, particularly by those in the media, advertising and show business, has become more and more mid-Atlantic in style, delivery and accent.
In the 1970s, fashion favored careless pronunciation and a language full of jargon, slang and "in" words, much of it quite incomprehensible to the outside world. What is considered modern and fashionable in Britain today is often not the kind of English taught in schools and colleges.

单选题 Which one of the following is NOT true?

A、 The use of the English language has not changed much in the last century
B、 The BBC announcers speak Standard English
C、 English has no association with class and social status now
D、 Young people all speak English in the same way

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】[解析] 细节判断题。根据第一段English language, in the last century与选项A重现；但选项A中的has not changed much与原文has changed不一致。故答案为A。

单选题 What does the author imply by saying "there has been a considerable change of attitude towards speech snobbery" (Para. 3)?

A、 People all speak English like BBC announcers
B、 There is a great change of attitude about how English should be spoken
C、 Some people still think their way of speaking is superior
D、 Most people don"t believe their way of speaking is superior

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】[解析] 语义题。根据题干定位到原文第三段尾句。原文中的speech snobbery意为“言语势利”，其深层含义是通过说话方式判断人的社会阶层，也就是说话方式与社会阶层有关。故答案为A。

单选题 According to the author, there was a trend in the U. S. for the young people ______.

A、 to speak Standard English
B、 to speak English without class distinction
C、 to speak English with class distinction
D、 to speak English with grammar mistakes

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[解析] 细节事实题。根据题干关键词young people定位到原文第三段尾句。选项B中的class distinction在原文中重现；选项B中的without与原文discarded对应。故答案为B。

单选题 The word "prerogative" in the passage (Para. 5, Line 3) probably means ______.

A、 preference
B、 exclusive right
C、 expression
D、 inborn ability

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[解析] 语义题。根据题干关键词prerogative定位到原文第五段尾句。根据原文中的of和but rather结构判定，prerogative的意思应与privileged相近，与defiant expression相反。选项B的exclusive right意为“专有权”，符合句意。故答案为B。

单选题 Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A、 Standard English is taught in schools and colleges
B、 The young people are defiant because they refuse to speak Standard English
C、 English language is influenced by American English in the last 25 years
D、 There has been a great change in the English language in the last century

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[解析] 细节判断题。原文第三段尾句只提到styles of speech have been gradually discarded, ...the younger generation，这与选项B提到的refuse to speak Standard English是不一致的。故答案为B。