1 . Online, English has become a common language for users from around the world. In the process, the language itself is changing. There are now thought to be some 4.5 billion web pages worldwide. Some language experts predict that within 10 years English will occupy the internet — but in forms very different to what we accept and recognize as English today.

That’s because people who speak English as a second language already outnumber native speakers. And increasingly, they use it to communicate with other non-native speakers, particularly on the internet where less attention is paid to grammar and spelling and users don’t have to worry about their accent (口音).

Users of Facebook already socialize in a number of different “Englishes” including Indian English, Spanish English and Korean English. While these different styles have long existed within their cultures, they’re now expanding and coming online. Technology companies are introducing newly-developed English words with products aimed at enabling users to add words that are not already in the English dictionary. And most large companies have English websites, while smaller businesses are learning that they need a common language — English — to reach global customers.

The increasing popularity of the internet allows more languages to develop quickly. “Most people actually speak several languages — it’s less common to only speak one,” says Mr. Munro. “English has taken its place as the world’s common language, but it’s not pushing out other languages.” Instead, other languages are pushing their way into English, and in the process creating something new.

To show that English is interesting and     1     (create), the author uses many examples that show the crazy     2     (mad) of English.

For example, in fact, there is no egg in eggplant at all and there is no ham in a hamburger. Also, there is neither pine     3     apple in pineapple. While we can sculpt a sculpture and paint a painting, we take    4     photo. And both“ in the car” and“ on the train” are used at the same time, though the ways one is seated are not similar.     5     (struggle) among all these usages, people may feel puzzled about why“carsick”   means“sick in a car”   while“homesick”   means“sick far away from home” . What’s more, it is not easy     6     (understand) why while“ hard”   is the    7     (oppose) of“   soft” ,“hardly” and “softly”   are not an opposing pair. More examples are offered to show how mad English can be. When the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are     8     (visible). In addition, when one winds up his watch, it starts; but when one winds up a passage, it ends.

At last, he comes to the conclusion that the reason     9     English can be so mad is that it was invented by people, and that it    10     (reflect) the creativity of the human race.