Question

What season is it in October? If you ask people from the UK, they will tell you it’s “autumn”. But if you go to the US, you will find that people use both “autumn” and “fall”. Why does this season have two names in English?

According to a Dictionary.com, both words have been around for a long time, but neither of them was the first to describe this season. During this season, crops(庄稼) would become ripe and farmers would have a big harvest(丰收). So in old English, this season was simple called “harvest”.

Then, in the 1600s, more people left their farms and moved to cities. Wish fewer people farming, the word “harvest” become less useful English speakers needed a different name for the season. They knew leaves fell from trees during the season, so people started calling it “the fall of the leaf” or “fall” for short.

But at the end of the 1600s, autumn from the French word “autompne” and the Latin “autumns”, came to England. It gradually replaced(替代) “fall” as the word for this season.

At the same time, British people were making their first trips to North America. They brought both the words “fall” and “autumn” with them. That’s why today’s Americans have two names for one season.

1.You may read this article in______.

A.a music magazine B.geography newspaper

C.a culture and history magazine D.a novel for teens

2.Why do Americans have two names for one season?

A.Because British people were making their first trips to North America.

B.Because British people brought them to North America at the end of 1600s.

C.Because the words “autumn” came to North America in 1600s.

D.Because this season was called “harvest” in old English.

3.Which of the following is TRUE?

A.Both“autumn” and “fall” have been around for a long time according to a dictionary.

B.More people left their farms and moved to cities at the end of 1600s.

C.Autumn was from the French word “autumns” and the German word “autompne”.

D.Before 1600s you could not meet British people in North America.

4.This passage mainly tells us that______.

A.it is autumn or fall in October in North America

B.both autumn and fall were the first words to describe the season

C.how British people came to North America

D.people in North America have two names for one season

Answer 1