2. Reading

3. Read the titles and the first sentences of each paragraph and find four ways in which British and American English are different.

4. Detail reading Read the passage again and finish the Qs in activity 3, then fill in the chart below.

6. American English British English Para. 1 _______________________ vocabulary automobile freeway gas subway cab car motorway petrol underground taxi

7. WordBEAE pieces of hot fried potato chips French fries very thin and are sold in packets crispschips

8. Para. 2 _______________________ expressions American English British English flashlight stand in line chips French fries torch queue up crisps chips

9. The third paragraph: the differences in grammar British English American English Have you got…? My friend just arrived. in the team/ at the weekend write me soon! Do you have … ? My friend has just arrived on the team/ weekend Write to me soon!

10. Para. 3 _______________________ grammar American English British English Do you have …? My friend just arrived. on the team on the weekend Have you got …? My friend has just arrived. in the team at the weekend

11. Para. 4 ______________ spelling American English British English center color program centre colour programme

12. The 5 th paragraph: the differences in pronunciation British English American English pronunciati on centre,colou r center,color

13. Decide whether the following statement true or false. 1.There’re a lot of difference in grammar between British and American English. 2. Spelling is the first and most obvious difference between the two. 3. British people say ”write me” and ”on the team”. 4. There’s not much variation in language within the country. 5. Television and Internet have made it easier for the British and Americans to understand each other. 6. In the future, there’ll be only one kind of English. F F F F F T

14. Practice: 1. There are ______ differences between American and British varieties of English. A. no B. a few C. lots of A. no B. a few C. lots of 2. Americans ____ understand what the British are saying. A. Sometimes B. usually C. never A. Sometimes B. usually C. never 3. There are ______ differences between British and American grammar. A. no B. many C. not many A. no B. many C. not many B B C

15. 4. American spelling is _______ British spelling. A. the same as B. simpler than C. harder than A. the same as B. simpler than C. harder than 5. For a Londoner, an American accent may be easier to understand than _______. A. a Chinese accent B. some British accents A. a Chinese accent B. some British accents C. a CNN newsreader C. a CNN newsreader 6. Television and the Internet have made it _____ for the British and Americans to understand each other. A. harder B. easier C. impossible A. harder B. easier C. impossible B B B

16. Answers to activity 4: 1.Words British people don’t use: automobilesfreeways gassubway cabflashlight

17. Answers to activity 4: 2.Words Americans don’t use: 3.An American expression which British people don’t use cars motorway petrol underground taxi torch Stand in line

18. Answers to activity 4: 4. A word which has a different meaning on the other side of the Atlantic : 5.A difference in grammar: chips Have you got Do you have Have just arrived Just arrived

19. Answers to activity 4: 6.A difference in spilling: centrecenter colour color programmeprogram

20.  Match the British and American words and phrases in the box. flat autumn lift ground floor torch rubbish petrol holiday queue up lorry pavement apartment fall elevator first floor flashlight garbage gas vacation stand in line truck sidewalk

21. Rewrite the sentences using British words. 1. We really like going on vacation in the fall. We really like going on holiday in the autumn. 2. You don’t need to take the elevator. Our apartment is on the first floor. You don’t need to use the lift. Our flat is on the ground floor. 3. Did you see that truck come out of the gas station? Did you see that lorry come out of the petrol station? 4. Pass me a flashlight, Eddie. I’ve lost my wallet. Pass me a torch, Eddie. I’ve lost my wallet.

22. Discussion: Which of the following do you think is the best language in the future? Why?

23. Read and choose the best title. 1.The origin of Chinese 2.What is Chinese? 3.Varieties of Chinese

24. Open work Try to find information about Chinese and prepare a report to introduce the following three aspects of Chinese. 1.The writing system 2.Varieties of Chinese 3.The language today

25. Collect information about the 3 topics and write more paragraphs. 1.The Writing System 2.Varieties of Chinese 3.The language Today About 5000 characters/ most people know about 2000/ elements of meaning and information about pronunciation/ 8 main varieties/ called dialects/ Wenyan and Baihua/ Putonghua-simplified Chinese Pinyin, a writing system since 1958/ help to use Putonghua