光盘阅读理解2.docVIP

Ⅶ. 阅读理解，根据短文内容选择最佳答案 A Though American English and British English are born from the same root, the two languages do have their differences. Similarly, the slang(俚语), or casual language, spoken only between schoolmates and friends is different among American and British children. Furthermore, students from the public schools of England use different slang expressions from those in the private schools. The following introduces a few slang expressions popular among British school children(both now and in the past), along with their meanings and the schools where the expressions are most likely to be heard. Take the word “beard” for example. Of course, a beard is the hair on a man’s face, especially on his chin, but classmates at The Leys, a private school at Cambridge, use it to show surprise. For example, if a boy were to open his locker, and a book came jumping out, he might shout, “Beards!” Here’s another funny example: in regular language, “a good egg” means an edible(可食用的) and delicious chicken egg. But at Eton, a famous public school in England, “a good egg” refers to a trustworthy classmate. This “good egg” might not be very popular and might not be your best friend. But he or she is basically a pleasant and obedient (顺从) classmate. At Winchester School, however, you might never hear the phrase “good egg”, but you are likely to hear the phrase “bad egg”. In this case, “a bad egg” is someone who disobeys in class, does not respect his friends or causes trouble in the classroom. Such a “bad egg” might receive a “brushing” at Christ’s Hospital School. This doesn’t mean that the student must brush his or her hair! This “brushing” is much more painful, as it refers to punishment. If the headmaster or principal “brushes” a student, he or she has struck the bad student on the backside. Young learners at St Paul’s School might choose to escape “bad eggs” and potential “brushings” by retreating into a carrel in the school library. A carrel is a very small room, often t