A

Although English is not as old as Chinese, it is spoken by many people around the world every day. English speakers are always creating new words, and we are often able to know where most words come from.

Sometimes, however, no one may really know where a word comes from. Did you ever think about why hamburgers are called hamburgers, especially when they are not made with ham? About a hundred years ago, some men went to America from Europe. They came from a big city in Germany called Hamburger. They did not speak good English, but they ate good food. When some Americans saw them eating round pieces of beef, they asked the Germans what it was. The Germans did not understand the question and answered. “We came from Hamburger.” One of these Americans owned a restaurant, and had an idea. He cooked some round pieces of beef like those which the men from Hamburger ate. Then he put each between two pieces of bread and started selling them. Such bread came to be called “ hamburgers”. Today “hamburgers” are sold in many countries around the world.

Whether this story is true or not, it is certainly is interesting. Knowing why any word has a certain meaning is interesting, too. The reason, for most English words, can be found in any large English dictionary.

1.According to the writer, English is ________.

A.as old as Chinese                          B. older than German
C. not so old as Chinese                      D. very difficult to learn

2.Hamburg is _______.

A. a kind of food                            B. around piece of beef
C. the name of a village                       D. a city in Germany

3.We know from the story that _________.

A. few Americans like hamburgers         

B. hamburgers were made by Germans
C. hamburgers are made with ham

D. hamburgers were sold all over the world about a century ago