《2025年通城学典课时作业本八年级英语上册译林版南通专版》

五、阅读理解。
People believe that every word has its correct meaning(s). When we are not sure,we usually check online or turn to our teachers or dictionaries. But do you know how dictionaries were made in the past?
Dictionary writers first read the important books of the period or the subject that the dictionary was about. As they read,they copied necessary information on cards：interesting words,common words—both in their daily uses and unusual uses—and also the sentences in which they were used. That is to say,the words,along with the uses of each word,were collected. For a really big dictionary,millions of such cards were collected. This task could last for years. As the cards were collected,they were put in alphabetical order(A~Z). When this was done,there would be several hundred cards for each single word.
Then,to define a word,the dictionary writer placed hundreds of cards before him. He read the cards closely,threw away some,read the rest again,and divided the cards according to what he thought were the common uses of the word. Finally,he wrote the definitions,following the hard-and-fast rule：each definition must come from an example on a certain card in front of him.
So,the writing of a dictionary was not a task of inventing the meanings of words,but a task of recording their meanings. The writer of a dictionary was a historian,not a lawmaker.
As time goes on,the way of producing dictionaries has greatly changed. Nowadays,we can use online dictionaries too. When choosing our words in speaking or writing,we can be guided by the dictionary. However,we cannot be controlled by it,because new situations,new experiences,new inventions,and new feelings are always pushing us to give new uses to old words.
1. Why did dictionary writers read important books?
A. To know more about the period.
B. To collect words and their uses.
C. To understand different subjects.
D. To learn to use interesting words.
2. Which shows the correct steps of how dictionaries were made in the past?

A. ①—③—④—②
B. ①—②—④—③
C. ③—④—②—①
D. ③—①—④—②
3. What can we learn from the passage about dictionary writing in the past?
A. It should be done by historians.
B. It was a task of inventing and recording words.
C. It was long-time hard work.
D. It had to use the law-making rules.
4. What does the writer advise us to do when we choose words in communication?
A. Be open to the new uses of words.
B. Follow the dictionary strictly.
C. Use online dictionaries instead.
D. Try to create new words.

答案： 1. B 2. D 3. C 4. A