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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapter 1, An English-Speaking World.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Who is listed as the Executive Producer of the television series The Story of English?
(a) Anderson Williams.
(b) William Cran.
(c) Robert McCrum.
(d) Robert MacNeil.

2. For what newspaper is Robert McCrum listed as Literary Editor in the Introduction?
(a) The London Times.
(b) The San Francisco Chronicle.
(c) The New York Times.
(d) The Observer.

3. The establishment of what was an important moment for English as word choices had to be made for standard broadcasting?
(a) BBC.
(b) NBC.
(c) PBS.
(d) CBS.

4. Approximately how many people speak English as their first language today?
(a) 654 million.
(b) 375 million.
(c) 230 million.
(d) 800 million.

5. Who is the author of the novel Oscar and Lucinda?
(a) Jonathan Swift.
(b) Danielle Steele.
(c) Peter Carey.
(d) Mark Twain.

Short Answer Questions

1. What committee was formed to make decisions regarding standard English pronunciation for broadcasting in England?

2. What does "RP" stand for?

3. What is the name of the dialect generally associated with the British working class?

4. What television entertainer does Robert McCrum claim is the lineal descendant of Amos and Andy?

5. Robert McCrum describes the modulation of British RP to what in the Introduction?

(see the answer key)

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