湖北省2016届高三(上)第一次八校联考英语试题(含MP3).docx

湖北省2016届高三（上）第一次八校联考英语试题二、阅读理解（共15小题；共30分）A We do not usually think about how our language works. Talking is such a natural, everyday activity that we do not often stop to consider how it actually works. When we do study our language, though, we are often surprised that we are able to understand our conversations. Words can mean so many different things. However, it turns out that the speaking situation helps a lot in making language work. First, the speaking situation helps make words more particular. For example, the word dog can describe a dog that a speaker saw in a dream. It can also be used to discuss a neighbors dog. No language has a separate word for the idea dog that I saw yesterday and another word for the idea dog that I saw in a dream. This is because the speaking situation makes it clear what speakers mean when they use words. So, when you have a conversation with your neighbor, the knowledge that you have a dog tells your neighbor what the word dog probably means in that situation. The speaking situation also helps make language clearer. For example, the word bank has two possible meanings. It can mean a place where people keep money, but it can also mean the side of a river. So the sentence I went to the bank is not clear. It could mean I went to the side of the river or it could mean I went to the place where my money is kept. However, if the speaker is talking about fishing or going to the mountains, others probably know that bank means the side of a river. The things that speakers say may not always be clear. Sometimes the words are not very particular, but the speaking situation can provide the meaning. Other times words may have many meanings. Then the speaking situation limits the right meaning. This extra knowledge from the situation is very important to understand language.21. The passage is mainly about ?.A. the best time and place to talk to othersB. how speaking situation helps language workC. wha