Different Countries Have Different Kinds of English

Voyages of people from England play an important part in{#blank#}1{#/blank#}spread) the English language.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}present, English is frequently spoken as an official or common language in many countries, such as America, Singapore, Malaysia and some African countries, all of{#blank#}3{#/blank#} are based on British English. The English spoken in these countries can{#blank#}4{#/blank#} (understand) well by native English speakers. But actually, these English have been changing gradually in accents, spellings, expressions and the usage of vocabulary. Because of this fact, you can make use of the differences {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(tell) which country the foreigners of your block are from. For example, if a boss{#blank#}6{#/blank#}fluent) commands his driver, “Come up straight to my apartment{#blank#}7{#/blank#}elevator and take some gas for my trucks and cabs”, instead of requesting, “Please come to my flat by lift and take some petrol for my{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(lorry) and taxis”, you can recognize{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(he) American identity while the latter{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(suggest)that he is British.

    If you visit a supermarket in the UK in March or April, you will notice a strange thing: Shelf after shelf is filled with large, brightly-colored eggs.

    Look a little {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (close) and you will discover something else. These eggs aren't real. In fact, they {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (make) of chocolate. And that can mean only one thing—it's Easter time again.

    Easter is a festival {#blank#}3{#/blank#} has been celebrated in Britain for thousands of years. These days we mark the occasion (场合) by {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (give) each other chocolate eggs, or Easter eggs. But what are the roots of this {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (tradition) event?

    For Christian people Easter is a religious festival. According {#blank#}6{#/blank#} the Bible, Jesus Christ was killed by the Romans {#blank#}7{#/blank#} came back to life three days later. That is {#blank#}8{#/blank#} Easter is seen as a time of rebirth.

    However, some people suggest that Easter has its origins in pre-Christian times. They say that the very earliest societies celebrated the end of winter and the beginning of spring—the time {#blank#}9{#/blank#} life returns to the land.

    Whatever its origins, Easter is big business. The UK's biggest retailer (零售商) of Easter eggs sold more than 20 million units last year and some Easter eggs {#blank#}10{#/blank#} cost more than £20!

    A phenomenon known as "in-need-of-praise" has taken Chinese social media by storm. Users can now join a chat group on WeChat or QQ, where they will{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(praise) and gain encouragement from others — for a price. The "in-need-of-praise" chat groups are a reflection of Chinese culture{#blank#}2{#/blank#}values modesty and humility (谦逊), leading many people to often cover their true emotions. In Chinese culture,{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(open) seeking and giving praise is uncommon. The trend seemed to have started with a chat group on the platform Douban four years ago. Since March many other chat groups{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(become) popular, especially among young people. For them, gaining recognition from peers is more important than getting approval from older generations. They can feel{#blank#}5{#/blank#}sense of belonging and gain praise in these chat groups, which is{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(benefit) to their mental health. It's also an outlet for users to show{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(kind) and support each other. Life pressure can be big enough, so we need to be surrounded by warm {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (word), or even some blind confidence. But anyone{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(receive) or giving praise in such groups should be cautious. The biggest risk is the constant focus on the "false self," which makes {#blank#}10{#/blank#}harder to see the "true self".