It is one of the most annoying words in the English language and it seems there is no escaping it. The word “huh?” is in worldwide use, a study found.

Researchers discovered that languages spoken in countries from Ghana and Laos to Iceland and Italy all include “huh?”, or something that sounds very like it. They said that while the study may sound silly, the word is an absolutely necessary part of speech. Without it and similar words, it would be impossible to show that we haven’t heard or understood what had been said and this would lead to constant misunderstandings.

But while other words used in the same context, such as “sorry” or “what”, vary widely across languages, “huh?” remains unchanged.

The Dutch researchers carefully studied ten languages from around the world, including Siwu, which is spoken in Ghana, and an Australian Aboriginal language, as well as Italian, Spanish, Dutch and Mandarin Chinese.

They analysed tapes of recorded conversations for words that sounded like “huh?” and were used to request that whatever had just been said be repeated. All contained a version of “huh?”. The word was also found in another 21 languages. While there were subtle differences in each country, all sounded basically the same.

This is surprising because normally unrelated languages will use very different words to describe the same thing. For instance, the Japanese for “dog” is “inu”, while the French is “chien”. It is thought that languages around the world have developed their own version of “huh?” because the sound is quick and simple to form, as well as being easily understood.

The researchers, said that it might seem unimportant to carry out scientific research into a word like “huh?” but in fact this little word is an essential tool in human communication. They also have an answer for those who claim that “huh?” isn’t a word. They say that it qualifies because of the small differences in its pronunciation in different languages. It also can be considered a word because it’s something we learn to say, rather than a grunt or cry that we are born knowing how to make.

1. According to researchers, the word “huh?” is very important in speech because of ________.

A. its stable meaning in language development

B. its important function in communication

C. its simple and easy sound and spelling

D. its popularity in every language

2.What is the natural response if you hear the lady you’re speaking to say “huh?”?

A. You should ask her to repeat what she says before that.

B. You should apologize to her for speaking in a low voice.

C. You should invite her to share her different views politely.

D. You should try to repeat what you’ve just said in a clearer way.

3.The main method used in the research of “huh?” was ________.

A. interviewing language experts in universities

B. talking with people from ten different countries

C. analyzing the recorded conversations in different languages

D. comparing different words with the same meaning in different languages

4.According to researchers, “huh?” should be considered a word rather than a sound because ________.

A. it is listed in most dictionaries

B. it is something humans learn to say

C. there is a clear and consistent spelling of the word

D. there is a big difference in the way it pronounces in different languages

5.What is the purpose of the passage?

A. To inform readers about research on the worldwide used word “huh?”.

B. To argue that “huh?” is the most important word in every language.

C. To entertain readers by relating similar idioms in different languages.

D. To instruct readers of the differences of “huh?” in different languages.

 

 When I woke next morning, I was dying of _36__. I seemed to have a hole instead of a _37__.  I dressed quickly and hurried down to the dinning-room. It was a big room with six tall windows and the ugliest wallpaper I had ever seen! _38_, I had been told the hotel was not beautiful but that you were better __39__ there than in any other hotel; and that was _40__ I wanted just then.

   The waiter came hurrying up. Before I came downstairs I had prepared __41__ carefully for what I must __42_. I had looked three times in my dictionary to make sure __43__ “breakfast” really meant “breakfast”. I had tried to get the right _44_ and I had stood in the front of a mirror and twisted my mouth until it ached.

   The waiter asked me _45__ I could not understand, but I spoke only my one prepared word “breakfast”. He looked at me in a _46 way. so I repeated it. Still he did not understand. It was _47_ that English people didn’t understand their language.. The waiter _48__ his head and went away, but he came back in a minute and brought a tray with tea, bread and butter--- enough to feed a small army--- and went away. But I was hungry, and I left __49__. When the waiter came back I thought his face showed a little __50__, but you can never __51_. What a waiter’s face really shows. In another minute he brought _52__ tray with some bacon(熏肉) and some eggs. He _53_ have misunderstood me, but I thought it was no use explaining to people who don’t understand their own language, so I just set to work on the bacon and eggs, wondering whether I could possibly clear that plate.

   Well, I finished the bacon and eggs. I got up and made my way slowly to my room- at least five pound __54_. I never believed until then that any meal could _55__ me, but on that day I met my Waterloo(滑铁卢).

36. A hunger             B. cold            C.. anger                D. illness

37. A. stone             B. head            C. breast                D. stomach

38. A. Therefore         B. Otherwise       C. So                    D. However

39. A. received          B. fed            C. cared                 D. eating

40. A. just              B. what          C. that                   D. why

41. A. English           B. meal           C. questions              D. myself

42. A. speak          B. answer         C. say                   D. explain

43. A. that              B. about         C. of                    D. to

44. A. pronunciation      B. meaning        C. form                  D. spelling

45. A. whether        B. something      C. when                 D. what

46. A. surprised          B. friendly       C. puzzled                  D. touched

47. A. unbelievable    B. true             C. thought                D. a pity

48. A waved            B. shook         C. bowed                D. patted

49. A. much          B. a little         C. nothing                D. empty

50. A. pleasure        B. surprise       C. pride                  D. satisfaction

51. A. tell               B. guess          C. design                D. express

52. A. other            B. another        C. more                  D. me

53. A. should            B. might          C. would                D. must

54. A. lighter         B. heavier         C. weightier              D. more

55.A. hurt              B. fat             C. defeat           D. please

完形填空（每空1分，共20分）

When I woke next morning, I was dying of _1__. I seemed to have a hole instead of a _2__.  I dressed quickly and hurried down to the dinning-room. It was a big room with six tall windows and the ugliest wallpaper I had ever seen! _3_, I had been told the hotel was not beautiful but that you were better __4_ there than in any other hotel; and that was _5__ I wanted just then.

   The waiter came hurrying up. Before I came downstairs I had prepared __6__ carefully for what I must __7__. I had looked three times in my dictionary to make sure __8__ “breakfast” really meant “breakfast”. I had tried to get the right __9_ and I had stood in the front of a mirror and twisted my mouth until it ached.

   The waiter asked me _10__ I could not understand, but I spoke only my one prepared word “breakfast”. He looked at me in a   11  way. So I repeated it. Still he did not understand. It was  12  that English people didn’t understand their language. The waiter   13   his head and went away, but he came back in a minute and brought a tray with tea, bread and butter — enough to feed a small army — and went away. But I was hungry, and I left   14  . When the waiter came back I thought his face showed a little   15  , but you can never __16_. What a waiter’s face really shows! In another minute he brought _17__ tray with some bacon(熏肉) and some eggs. He   18   have misunderstood me, but I thought it was no use explaining to people who don’t understand their own language, so I just set to work on the bacon and eggs, wondering whether I could possibly clear that plate.

   Well, I finished the bacon and eggs. I got up and made my way slowly to my room — at least five pound   19  . I never believed until then that any meal could   20   me, but on that day I met my Waterloo(滑铁卢).

1. A. hunger             B. cold                   C. anger                 D. illness

2. A. stone       B. head                  C. breast                 D. stomach

3. A. Therefore          B. Otherwise              C. So                    D. However

4. A. received            B. fed                   C. cared                 D. eating

5. A. just               B. what                 C. that                   D. why

6. A. English            B. meal                 C. questions              D. myself

7. A. speak             B. answer                C. say                   D. explain

8. A. that               B. about                       C. of                    D. to

9. A. pronunciation      B. meaning              C. form                  D. spelling

10. A. whether          B. something            C. when                  D. what

11. A. surprised         B. friendly              C. puzzled                D. touched

12. A. unbelievable      B. true                 C. thought                D. a pity

13. A waved            B. shook                C. bowed                D. patted

14. A. much            B. a little               C. nothing                D. empty

15. A. pleasure         B. surprise               C. pride                  D. satisfaction

16. A. tell             B. guess                C. design                 D. express

17. A. other           B. another              C. more                  D. me

18. A. should           B. might               C. would                  D. must

19. A. lighter           B. heavier              C. weightier               D. more

20. A. hurt             B. fat                 C. defeat                 D. please

When I woke next morning, I was dying of   1   ．I seemed to have a hole instead of a   2   .I dressed quickly and hurried down to the dining-room．It was a big room with six tall windows and the ugliest wallpaper I had ever seen．  3   , I had been told that the hotel was not beautiful but that you were better   4   there than in any other hotel; and that was   5   I wanted just then.

    The waiter came hurrying up．Before I came downstairs I had prepared   6   carefully for what I must   7   ．I had looked three times in my dictionary to make sure   8   “breakfast” really meant “breakfast”．I had tried to get the right   9   and I had stood in front of a mirror and twisted my mouth until it ached.

    The waiter asked me   10   I could not understand, but I spoke only my one prepared word “BREAKFAST”．He looked at me in a   11   way, so I repeated it．Still he did not understand．It was   12   that English people didn’t understand their own language．The waiter   13   his head and went away, but he came back in a minute and brought a tray with tea, bread and butter—enough to feed a small army—and went away．But I was hungry, and I left   14   When the waiter came back I thought his face showed a little   15   , but you can never  16 what a waiter’s face really shows．In another  minute he brought   17   tray with some bacon(熏肉) and some eggs．He   18   have misunderstood me, but I thought it was no use explaining to people who don’t understand their own language, so I just set to work on the bacon and eggs, wondering whether I could possibly clear that plate.

    Well, I finished the bacon and eggs．I got up and made my way slowly to my room—at least five pounds   19   .I never believed until then that any meal could   20   me, but on that day I met my Waterloo (滑铁卢).

1．A．hunger

B．cold

C．anger

D．illness

2．A．stone

B．head

C．breast

D．stomach

3．A．Therefore

B．Otherwise

C．So

D．However

4．A．received

B．fed

C．eared

D．eating

5．A．just

B．what

C．that

D．why

6．A．English

B．meal

C．questions

D．myself

7．A．speak

B．answer

C．say

D．explain

8．A．that

B．about

C．of

D．to

9．A．pronunciation

B．meaning

C．form

D．spelling

10．A．whether

B．something

C．when

D．what

11．A．surprised

B．friendly

C．puzzled

D．touched

12．A．unbelievable

B．true

C．thought

D．a pity

13．A．waved

B．shook

C．bowed

D．patted

14．A．much

B．a little

C．nothing

D．empty

15.A．pleasure

B．surprise

C．pride

D．satisfaction

16．A．tell

B．guess

C．design

D．express

17．A．other

B．another

C．more

D．me

18．A．should

B．might

C．would

D．must

19．A．lighter

B．heavier

C．weightier

D．more

20．A．hurt

B．fat

C．defeat

D．please