FewmenhaveinfluencedthedevelopmentofAmericanEnglishtotheextentthatNoahWebsterdid.BorninWestHartfordConnecticutin1758hisnamehasbecomesynonymous（与……同义）withAmericandictionaries.Graduated

Question

Few men have influenced the development of American English to the extent that Noah Webster did. Born in West Hartford Connecticut in 1758 his name has become synonymous （与 …… 同义） with American dictionaries. Graduated from Yale in 1778 he was admitted to the bar in 1781 and thereafter began to practise law in Hartford. Later when he turned to teaching he discovered how inadequate the available schoolbooks were for the children of a new and independent nation.

In response to the need for truly American textbooks Webster published A Grammatical Institute of the English Language a three-volume work that consisted of a speller a grammar and a reader. The first volume which was generally known as The American Spelling Book was so popular that eventually it sold more than 80 million copies and provided him with a considerable income for the rest of his life. While teaching Webster began work on the Compendious Dictionary of the English Language which was published in 1806.

In 1807 Noah Webster began his greatest work An American Dictionary of the English Language. In preparing the manuscript （手稿） he devoted ten years to the study of English and its relationship to other languages and seven more years to the writing itself. Published in two volumes in 1828 An American Dictionary of the English Language has become the recognized authority for usage in the United States. Webster’s purpose in writing it was to demonstrate that the American language was developing distinct meanings pronunciations and spellings from those of British English. He is responsible for advancing simplified spelling forms: develop instead of the British form develope;theater and center instead of theatre and centre; color and honor instead of color and honor.

In 1840 Webster brought out a second edition of his dictionary which included 70 000 entries instead of the original 38 000. This edition has served as the basis for the many revisions that have been produced under the Webster’s name.

1. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

A. Webster’s Work

B. Webster’s Dictionaries

C. Webster’s School

D. Webster’s Life

2. The word “distinct” is closest in meaning to______.

A. new

B. simple

C. different

D. exact

3. According to this passage which one of the following spellings would Webster have approved in his dictionaries?

A. Develope.

B. Theatre.

C. Color.

D. Honor.

 

Answer 1

答案：A;C;C
提示：
1题文章主要讲述的是A. 2题distinct的意思是“不同的”，故2题选C。Webster在他的字典中会阐述color的问题，故3题选C。