Lesson 2

Varieties of English

Lesson 2

Varieties of English

1. How many countries can you name where

English is the native language? Do all these

English speakers sound the same?

Canada, the USA, Ireland, New Zealand,

Australia, Britain.

No, The English language has different

varieties.

2. Do you know any differences

between British English and

American English?

American English

British English Chinese

mail

movie

subway 地铁

garbage 垃圾

holiday

apartment

automobile 汽车

1. Different words to express the same meaning

post

film

underground

rubbish

vacation

flat

Motor (car)

American English

British English Chinese

pants 裤子

gas 汽油

store

candy

fall 秋天

sidewalk 人行道

congress 议会

freshman 大学一年级新生

corn 玉米

trousers

petrol

shop

sweets

autumn

pavement

parliamentThe first year student

maize

British English

American English

Colour color

Neighbour neighbor

Labour labor

Analyse analyze

Memorise memorize

Modernise modernize

Realise realize

Dialogue dialog

Catalogue catalog

Monologue monolog

Centre center

Metre meter

Theatre theater

2. The same word with different spellings.

American English British English

On the weekend at the weekend

On a team in a team

Please write me soon

Please write to me soon

On the street in the street

3. Different prepositions in the same phrase.

Word British English

American English

burn burnt burned

dream dreamt dreamed

learn learnt leaned

lean leant leaned

smell smelt smelled

spell spelt spelled

spill spilt spilled

spoil spoilt spoilled

4. Different forms of irregular verbs

5. Different pronunciations

Examples?

1. Pam is American.

2. Robert comes from Australia.

3. Richard has an Australian English accent.4.Pam and Robert say “classroom” the same way.5. The more different accents you hear , the more confused you get.

Listen to the dialogue and decide if these

statements are true (T) or false (F).

T

F

F

T

F

England

in different ways

the easier it is to catch on

Why do you think Liang Weimin thought all English s

peakers sounded like BBC World Service reports?

Liang Weimin didn’t know people have different Englis

h accents depending on where they come from .

He probably learns English by listening to

BBC Service broadcasting and has never

heard any other English accents.

The more you hear different accents, the easier it is

to catch on. （ 1 ） understand

I didn’t quite catch on to what you said.

我没有弄懂你说的话

一段时间后你就会熟悉这个工作

You’ll catch on to the job after you have been here for a

while.

（ 2 ） Catch on ---become popular or fashionable

The film, Assembly, has caught on .

集结号受到欢迎．

你认为这种式样或流行起来吗？

Do you think this fashion will catch on?

Listen to the sentences and decide whether

they are spoken in an American accent (A)

or a British accent (B).

1.Would you like a glass of water?

2. She’s dancing in the classroom.

3. Let me give you an example.

4. I like to eat tomatoes.

B

AA

B

Listen to these sentences and decide whether they are spoken

in an Australian accent or a British accent.

1. Did you say you’re going sailing this weekend?

2. I’m going to make a cream this Saturday!

3. How much did you pay for the razor?

4. The mail always comes on Tuesdays.

5. What did you say when he was late? 6. Sorry I’m late. I had to pay my bills.

Australian

British

British

Australian

BritishAustralian

Listen to the conversation and decide

which speaker is American, which is

British and which is Australian.

American Australian British

Jan

Pattie

Shane

American

Australian

British

Listen again and use these expressions

to complete the Function File.

Would it be possible, Could you, I’m

sorry but, I was wondering if, Do you

think I could, Will you be, I’d prefer

not, I’m afraid, Is it all right if, If you’d

like, Could you possibly, I wonder if

1. ___________ to fill in this form here,

please.

2. I know this is unusual, but after the

long flight ____________ to go on with

the group.

3. _____________ I just go off on my own

a bit later?

If you’d like

I’d prefer not

Is it all right if

4. _________ she won’t be here till about ten

o’clock.

5. __________ having lunch in the hotel, sir?

6. _________________ give me a map of the city,

please?

Will you be

Could you possibly

I’m afraid

7. ________________ you could give me

information about visits to some of the buildings

in Toronto, please?

8. ______________ ____ have something about

the modern buildings, please?

I was wondering if

Do you think I could

9. _________ ask someone else, please?

10. __________ I could ask you

something?

11. _________________ to stay over an

extra night in New York?

12. ____________ we have to keep to

the timetable, sir.

Could you

I wonder if

Would it be possible

I’m sorry but

You see I am helping out here.

Mr Smith often helps out with housework at home.

Jane is helping out by taking care of her sister.

Having finished her own work, Jane went to help

May out with hers.

帮忙（做事／克服困难）

史密斯先生常在家帮忙做家务

简在帮忙照顾她妹妹

做完自己的作业后，简去帮助玫做她的作业

I’m sorry, but we have to keep to the timetable.

Ensure that you always keep to your promise.

遵循，　按… .. ．行事，遵守

务必信守你的诺言

Once a plan is made, it should be strictly kept to.

一旦计划制定了，就应该严格执行

I have relations( who) I’d like to look up there.

（ 1 ） Visit or make contact with sb 看望，拜访 我希望亲人来看望我

I hope a relative will come to look me up.

（ 2 ） 查阅，

Please look up tomorrow’s flight to Beijing.

（ 3 ）钦佩，仰慕， look up to sb

All of us look up to some excellent athletes.

你帮忙查一下明天到北京的航班

我们都很仰慕一些优秀运动员

Pronunciation. Listen and think about

language and intonation. Which requests

are:a) polite and indirect?

b) too direct and possibly

rude?

1.

2.

I want a seat by the window.

Could you possibly give me a seat

by the window?

b

)a

)

3.

4.

5.

6.Is it all right if I pay by credit cark?

I’ll pay by credit card.

a)

b)

If you’d like to wait a moment, please.

Could you just wait a moment,

please?

a)

a)

7

.

8

.

b)

a)

Help me with my bags, will

you?I was wondering if you could help me

with my bags.

Now listen and repeat six polite requests.

1. Could you possibly give me a hand with my

bags, please?

2. Is it all right if I leave my bags here?

3. I was wondering if I could have breakfast

earlier?4. Could you tell me where the restaurant is,

please? 5. Do you think I could have a menu, please? 6. I wonder if I could have another egg, please?

Take turns to be the tourist and the hotel receptionist. Manage to use the function file in your dialogue. ( P 103.)

Speaking pracitice