The Road to Modern English

　　At the end of the 16th century，about five to seven million people spoke English.Nearly all of them lived in England.In the next century，people from England started moving to other parts of the world，so English began to be spoken in many other countries.

　　All languages change when cultures communicate with one another.The English spoken between about AD 450 and 1150 was very different from the English spoken today.Actually，it was based more on German than present-day English.Then from about AD 800 to 1150 English changed even more.It became less like German，and more like French because those who ruled England at that time spoke French.It became closer to the language you are learning now.In the 1600s，Shakespeare made use of a wider vocabulary than ever before.One big change in English usage happened when Noah Webster wrote The American Dictionary of the English Language，giving American English its own identity.Later，when some British people went to Australia，English began to be spoken there.Now Austral-ian English has its own identity，too.

　　English is also spoken as a foreign or second language in Asia and Africa.India has a very large number of English speakers.This is because Britain ruled India from 1765 to 1947.In China，English has been used in Hong Kong since about 1842.Today the number of people learning English in China is increasing rapidly.China may have the largest number of English speakers.Will Chinese English become one of the world Englishes？Only time will tell.

根据上文判断正(T)误(F)

1.In the 17th century，English began to be spoken in many other countries.(T)

2.From AD 450 to 1150，English sounded more like French.(F)

3.From AD 800 to 1150，English sounded less like German.(T)

Period One　Warm-up & Lesson 1　Language Learning