英式英语与美式英语：词汇的区别

英式英语和美式英语最明显的区别之一在于，同一事物的词汇可能有所不同。比如，在表示“由人排成的队”时，英国人说 queue，而美国人则说 line；在英国和美国，“西服背心”或“马甲”的对应说法分别是 waistcoat 和 vest。你能分清特定事物在英式英语和美式英语中的区别吗？

 

1. How would a British English speaker and an American English speaker refer to something moving in the opposite direction to the normal rotation¹ of a clock?

 

a) British English: anticlockwise

American English: counterclockwise

 

b) British English: counterclockwise

American English: anticlockwise

 

c) British English: nonclockwise

American English: circumclockwise

 

d) British English: circumclockwise

American English: nonclockwise

 

2. Which word in British English and American English is a small bag worn on a strap² around the waist – often for holding passports or travel money?

 

a) British English: waist pack

American English: hip³ sack

 

b) British English: hip bag

American English: waist pack

 

c) British English: fanny pack

American English: bumbag

 

d) British English: bumbag

American English: fanny pack

 

3. When flying, American English speakers would take 'an airplane', but what would British English speakers take?

 

a) An aireplane

 

b) An aeroplane

 

c) An heirplane

 

d) An aeiroplane

 

4. Which word means 'a walking route under a road' in British English, but 'an underground train system' in American English?

 

a) Underway

 

b) Subway

 

c) Underwalk

 

d) Subpass

 

5. If for some reason an American English speaker and a British English speaker need to go to court, who will they hire to represent them?

 

a) British English: a lawyer

American English: a solicitor⁴

 

b) British English: an attorney

American English: a lawyer

 

c) British English: a barrister

American English: an attorney

 

d) British English: a solicitor

American English: a barrister

 

6. In American English these tasty potato snacks are known as 'chips' and 'French fries', but what are they called in British English?

 

a) Nachos and crisps

 

b) Chips and hash browns

 

c) Flakes⁵ and frites

 

d) Crisps and chips

 

答案

1) a, 2) d, 3) b, 4) b, 5) c, 6) d.

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