This word “gift” is an example of a false friend--- a word that looks the same in two languages, but which actually has two different meanings. As English is basically a mixture of German, French and Latin, there are many words that are similar in these languages. For example, the English word “education” is “education” in Spanish. And the English words “word, book, nine, house” are “Wort, Buch, Neun, Haus” in german.
These similar-looking words can be very helpful when learning other languages --- they’re our “friends”. However, sometimes they can turn out or be “false friends”. Here are a few examples.
In English, someone who is “sensible” thinks before they act and shows good judgement. For example , “The sensible thing to do would be to consult a lawyer.” However, in Spanish, “sensible ” means “sensitive” (showing understanding of other people’s problems, needs or feelings).
The English word “coin” refers to a piece of money made of metal. For example, “I had a few coins in my pocket.” But the French word “coin” means “corner”.
The English word “library” is a place where you can go to borrow books. For example, “I borrowed six books from the library.” But the Spanish word “libreria” refers to a bookshop (where you buy books).
The English word “actually” means “in fact”. For example, “Actually I’m not Italian, I’m form American.” But the Spanish word “actualmente” means “currently” or “at the moment”.
Finally, the English word “embarrassed” means “ashamed”. For example, “They looked a bit embarrassed.” However, the Spanish term “embarazada” means “pregnant” (with a child).
小题1: We can learn from the first two paragraphs that English _______.
A．is easy to master
B．is simpler than Spanish
C．has a complex background
D．has changed greatly throughout history小题2: Which of the following pairs of words are true friends according to the author?
A．Nine and Neun.
B．Library and libreria.
C．Actually and actualmente.
D．Embarrassed and embarazada.小题3: According to the text, in Spanish ______.
A．“coin” means “corner”
B．“gift” refers to something negative
C．“educacion” simply means “book”
D．“sensible” doesn’t necessarily means “wise”小题4: The author develops the text mainly by ______.
A．following the order of space
B．comparing different ideas
C．providing typical examples
D．analyzing the cause and effect
