English is what matters. It has displaced rivals to become the language of diplomacy, of business, of science, of the Internet and of world culture. Many more people speak Chinese—but even they, in vast numbers, are trying to learn English. So how did it happen, and why? Take the beginnings of bilingualism (两种语言) in India, for example, which has stoked (促进) the growth of the biggest English-speaking middle class in the new Anglosphere. That stems from a proposal by an English historian, Thomas Macaulay, in 1835, to train a new class of English speakers: “A class of persons, Indian in blood and colour, but English in taste, in opinion, in morals, and in intellect.” At a stroke, notes Mr. McCrum, English became the “language of government, education and advancement, at once a symbol of imperial rule as well as of self-improvement”. India’s English-speaking middle class is now one of the engines of that country’s development and a big asset in the race to catch up with China. Bit by bit, English displaced French from diplomacy and German from science. The reason for this was America’s rise and the lasting bonds created by the British Empire. But the elastic (灵活的), forgiving nature of the language itself was another. English allows plenty of sub-variants, from Singlish in Singapore to Estglish in Estonia: the main words are familiar, but plenty of new ones dot the lexicon, along with distinctive grammar and syntax. English as spoken by non-natives, however, is different. Listen to a South Korean businessman negotiating with a Pole in English and you will hear the difference: the language is curt, emphatic, stripped-down. Yet within spoken “Globish”, as Mr. McCrum neatly names it, hierarchies (等级) are developing. Those who can make jokes in Globish score over (优于) those who can’t. The big shift is towards a universally useful written Globish. Spellchecking and translation software mean that anyone can communicate in comprehensible (可理解的) written English. The English of e-mail, Twitter (一个社交网络和微博服务网站) and text messaging is becoming far more mutually comprehensible than spoken English, which is fractured (支离破碎的) by differences in pronunciation, politeness and emphasis. Mr. McCrum aptly names the new lingo (语言) “an avenue for all thoughts”. 1 According to the first paragraph, what does “English is what matters” suggest? A English is spoken by most of the people in the world. B More and more Chinese begin to learn English. C English has become the universal language in many fields. D English has won the triumph over other languages. 2 Which one is TRUE about India’s middle class according to Paragraph Two? A English should become India’s middle class’ only language. B India’s middle class learned the English way of living and thinking. C Although India’s middle class learnt English, they were still Indians. D India’s middle class dominated the political world. 3 Why did English displace French in diplomatic field and German in scientific field? A English-speaking countries held greater power in the world. B English was a changeable language. C America and the British Empire held a strong bond. D English’s tolerant towards its sub-variants. 4 What’s the spoken Globish according to the passage? A It is the English spoken by people from different countries. B It is a new-invented language spoken all over the world. C It is a universal language different from English. D It is the English developing into hierarchies. 5 What’s the written Globish’s advantage over the spoken one? A The written one is more convenient. B The written one is more fractured. C The written one belongs to the higher class. D The written one is better for mutual understanding.