The rise of English is a remarkable success story.The earliest history of the English language can be traced back to 450C.D when Jutes invaded Britain,the Anglo-Saxons began to conquer the inhabitants Celts.From the year 450C.D to 1150C.D,it is called Old English Period.Then from 1150 to 1450,it is called Middle English Period,with the great historical event Norman Conquest in the year1066 as its starting point.Then comes the third period,Modern English Period,from the year 1450 to the present.The rapid development of the English language has been promoted by two kinds of tendencies:one aims to enrich and refine English; the other attempts to maintain its purity and simplicity.English is one of the most popular languages in the world.Today,English is used by at least one billion people,and about 400 million speak it as a mother tongue,scattered across every continent and surpassed only by the speakers of Mandarin Chinese.For the other 600 million it ’ s either a second language or a foreign language.In countries,like Britain,America,Canada,Australia and New Zealand,English is spoken as a native language.In countries like India,Pakistan,Malaysia and Singapore,English is used as a second language for education,broadcasting,and administration.Then there is English as a foreign language used in countries like Holland,France,Japan and China,where English is used to promote trade and scientific exchanges.Although many people speak English,they don ’ t pronounce it or spell the words they use the same way.People from different cultures have not only added new words to the language,but also updated the language---making it more suitable for their particular needs.At present,people usually speak of two popular varieties of English,namely British English and American English.The differences between American English and British English can be clearly shown from the following aspects.First,in terms of vocabulary,for example,railroad (American English),railway (British English); baggage (American English),luggage (British English); Second,in terms of morphology and syntax,when collective noun is placed in the position of a subject,then American English uses the singular form of the verb,while British English uses the plural form of the verb.For example,The government regards… (American English),The government regard… (British English); to live on a street (American English),to live in a street (British English); Third,in terms of pronunciation; Fourth,in terms of spelling,for example,tire & tyre; check & cheque; color & colour; center & center; defense & defence; traveling & traveling,etc.Regardless of these differences between American English and British English,with the development of English as a common language for international communications,the gap between them two is becoming increasingly narrower.The two varieties both have made extraordinary contributions to the progress of English language as a whole in their respective course of development.
这是我刚做的一篇阅读理解,刚好你问这个
