(课时作业)必修第一册 Unit 2 Exploring English-2023版新高考英语【红对勾】大一轮复习讲与练全新方案(外研版)

Exploring English 答案 P572 (2022·广东省高三模拟) What is the most powerful word in the Eng- lish language? The. It􀆳s everywhere. We use it in English without always noticing or appreciating it. It􀆳s not much to look at. It isn􀆳t descriptive, emotive or inspiring. Technically, it􀆳s meaning- less. And yet this dull and harmless-seeming word could be one of the most powerful words in the English language. “The” tops the lists of most frequently used words in English, accounting for 5% of every 100 words used. But why is this? The answer is two- fold. The principle of least effort plays a major part. So people use it a lot. At the same time, “ the” lies at the heart of English grammar, hav- ing a function rather than a meaning. Words are split into two categories: expressions with a se- mantic (语义的) meaning and functional words like “ the”, “ to”, “ for”, with a job to do. Although “ the” has no meaning in itself, “ it seems to be able to do things in subtle and mirac- ulous ways,” says Michael Rosen, poet and au- thor. Consider the difference between “he scored a goal” and “he scored the goal” . The inclusion of “ the” immediately signals something important about that goal. Perhaps it was the only one of the match? Or maybe it helped a team win the championship? Context very often determines sense. This simplest of words can be used for dra- matic effect. At the start of Hamlet, a guard􀆳s ut- terance of “Long live the King” is soon followed by the ghost: “ Looks it not like the