问题详情

Slang , informal, nonstandard words and phrases , generally have shorterlives than the expressions of ordinary colloquial speech. The former aretypically formed by creative , often witty juxtapositions of words or images.Slang can be contrasted with jargon (technical language of occupational or othergroups) and with argot or cant (secret vocabulary of underworld groups) , butthe borderlines separating these categories from slang are extremely blurred ,and some writers use the terms cant , argot , and jargon in a general way toinclude all the foregoing meanings.

Slang trends originate in subcultures within a society. Occupational groups(for example , loggers , police , medical professionals , and computerspecialists) are prominent originators of both jargon and slang. Other groupscreating slang include the armed forces , teenagers , racial minorities , ghettoresidents , labor unions , citizen-band radiobroadcasters , sports groups , drugaddicts , criminals , and even religious denominations (Episcopalians , forexample , produced the term ‘spike' , meaning a High Church Anglican). Slangexpressions

often embody attitudes and values of group members. They may thus contributeto a sense of group identity and may convey to the, listener information aboutthe speaker' s background. Before an apt expression becomes slang , however , itmust be widely adopted by members of the subculture. At this point slang andjargon overlap greatly. If the subculture has enough

contact with the mainstream culture , its figures of speech become slangexpressions known to the whole of society. For example , cool cat (aloof ,stylish person) , Mr. Charley (a white man) , The Man (the law) , and Uncle Tom(a meek black) all originated in the predominantly black Harlem district of NewYork City and have traveled far since their inception. Slang is thus generallynot tied to any geographic region within a country.

A slang expression may suddenly become widely used and as quickly dated(skiddoo). It may become accepted as standard speech , either in its originalslang meaning (bus , from omnibus) or with an altered , possibly tamed meaning(jazz , which originally had sexual connotations). Some expressions havepersisted for centuries as slang (booze for alcoholic beverage). In the 20thcentury , mass media and rapid travel have sped up both the circulation and thedemise of slang terms. Television and novels have turned criminal cant intoslang (five grand for $5000). Changing social circumstances may stimulate thespread of slang. Drug-related expressions (such as pot and marijuana) werevirtually a secret jargon in the 1940s; in the 1960s they were adopted byrebe11ious youth; and in the 1970s and '80s they were widely known.

26. The passage mainly discusses ()·

A. the social function of slang and jargon

B. the origins of slang and its social application

C. how jargon differs from slang

D. the relationship between slang and subcultures

27. With reference to the outstanding contributors to the birth of slang ,the author mentions all of the following

except ()

A. athletes

B. clergy

C. doctors

D. philosophers

28. The word They in para. 2 refers to ()

A. slang expressions

B. group members

C. attitudes and values

D. the speakers

29. Slang expressions contribute to

A. the identification of individuals speech patterns

B. the basic lifestyle. of a certain group

C. the identity of people as individuals

D. the identification of a social group

30. Which of the following , according to the passage , contributed toaccelerating the metabolism (新陈代谢) of slang expressions in the 20th century？

A. Newspapers and magazines

B. Rebellious youth

C. Religious denominations

D. Drug--users