words used by their elders. They adapted their words to create an expressive language. In this way complex grammar systems which come from pidgins were invented.

　　Further evidence can be seen in studying sign languages for the deaf. Sign languages are not simply a group of gestures; they use the same grammatical machinery that is found in spoken languages. The creation of one such language was documented quite recently in Nicaragua. Previously, although deaf children were taught speech and lip reading in the classrooms, in the playgrounds they began to invent their own sign system, using the gestures they used at home. It was basically a pidgin and there was no consistent grammar. However, a new system was born when children who joined the school later developed a quite different sign language. It was based on the signs of the older children, but it was shorter and easier to understand, and it had a large range of special use of grammar to clarify the meaning. What's more, they all used the signs in the same way. So the original pidgin was greatly improved.

　　Most experts believe that many of the languages were pidgins at first. They were initially used in different groups of people without standardization and gradually evolved into a widely accepted system. The English past tense-"ed" ending- may have evolved from the verb "do". "It ended" may once have been "It end-did". It seems that children have grammatical machinery in their brains. Their minds can serve to create logical and complex structures, even when there is no grammar present for them to copy.

28. What can be inferred about the slaves' pidgin language?

A. It contained highly complex grammar. B. It came from different languages.

C. It was created by the landowners. D. It was difficult to understand.

29. What is the characteristic of the new Nicaraguan sign language?

　A. No consistent signs were used for communication.

　B. The meaning was clearer than the previous sign language.

　C. The hand movements were smoother and more attractive.

　D. Most of the gestures were made for everyday activities.

30. Which idea does the author present in the last paragraph?

　A. The thought that English was once a pidgin is acceptable.

B. Children say English past tense differently from adults.

C. English grammar of past tense system is inaccurate.

D. Experts have proven that English was created by children.

31. What is the best title for the passage?

　A. Why Pidgins Came into Being B. The History of Languages

　C. The Creators of Grammar D. How Grammar Systems Are Used

　D

　　NEW YORK－A massive winter storm paralyzed much of the US East Coast on Thursday and Friday, dumping as much as 46 centimeters of snow from the Carolinas to Maine. It also caused flooding on the streets of Boston due to swelling storm tides, forced the cancellation of nearly 5,000 flights and closed businesses, offices and schools.

　　Some meteorologists (气象学家) classified the storm as a "bomb cyclone" for its sharp drop in atmospheric pressure would be followed immediately by a blast of cold air that could break records in more than two dozen cities and bring wind chills as low as -40℃ during the weekend.

　　From Baltimore, Maryland, to Caribou in Maine, efforts were underway to clear roadways of ice and snow as wind chill temperatures were to plunge during the day, reaching -40℃ in some parts after sundown, according to the National Weather Service.

　　Utility companies across the East worked to repair downed power lines early on Friday as about 21,000 customers remained without electricity, down from almost 80,000 the day before, and issued warnings that temperatures may become dangerously low.

"If the temperature in your home begins to fall, we recommend taking shelter elsewhere until