2. 外语
  3. Of the estimated 10,000 and 20,000 words that make up the average American’s vocabulary, slang constitutes about 10 percent, acc

Of the estimated 10,000 and 20,000 words that make up the average American’s vocabulary, slang constitutes about 10 percent, acc

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问题     Of the estimated 10,000 and 20,000 words that make up the average American’s vocabulary, slang constitutes about 10 percent, according to the authors of the Dictionary of American Slang. Although slang words represent a rather small segment of our English language, they are often the liveliest, most innovative and most colorful words we use.
     There is something sensual and tactile about many slang words, which borrow heavily from the vocabularies associated with food. Hands are called meat hooks; loved ones are called honey, sweet pie or sugar; someone whose intellect is suspect is a fruitcake, cabbage head or just plain nuts.
     "The primary function of slang is to adorn your speech, to be lively, witty and new. Newness is the essence of slang," says David Pharies, professor of linguistics at the University of Florida. One of the main purpose of using slang is to solidify one’s identification with a group. Slang is most prevalent among the young and among such groups as blacks, teenagers, drug users, criminals, carnival workers, hobos and the uneducated. Often, slang is used as a code language to fortify the group and to exclude outsiders. Some criminal slang, called cant, is so highly developed that pickpockets, for example, can carry on a conversation in front of a victim without the person’s realizing that they are discussing which pocket to pick.
     Americans, in general, use more slang than other nationalities because of our diversity, emphasis on free speech, immigrant heritage and lack of a formal, national language academy. The mobility of American bas further spread regional expressions that have become general slang.
According to the passage, most of the slang words
选项 A、have little to do with the words of food.
B、make up the average American’s vocabulary.
C、are in themselves related to the sense of touch.
D、represent 10 percent of the Dictionary of American Slang.
答案C
解析 本题考查细节理解。文章第二段第一句“There is something sensual and tactile about many slang words，which borrow heavily from the vocabularies associated with food(许多俚语都与人的感觉和触觉相关，大量借用了与食物有关的词汇)”。由此可以排除选项A ，并确定选项C 为正确答案。根据文章第一段第一句“Of the estimated 10,000 and 20,000 words that make up the average American’s vocabulary，slang constitutes about 10 percent(美语一般性词汇估计有10,000到20,000，其中，俚语约占百分之十)”，可以排除选项B 和D 。
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