Some American leaders proposed major1in the language. Benjamin Franklin wanted a whole2system of spelling. His3were not accepted. But his ideas did4others. One was Noah Webster.

Webster5language books for schools. He believed the United States should have a system of its own language as well as government. Webster6a dictionary of the American language in 1828. It established7for speaking and spelling the words8in American English.

Webster wrote that all words should be said in the order of the9that spell them. This is why Americans use the letters "e-r" to10many words instead of the British "r-e." He11the word "center," for example, "c-e-n-t-e-r," instead of the British "c-e-n-t-r-e."

Noah Webster said every part of a word should be12. That is why Americans say "sec-re-ta-ry" instead of "sec-re-try," as the British do. Webster's rule for saying every part of a13to a large extent made American English14for foreign settlers to15. They learned to say "waist-coat," for example, the way it is spelled instead of the British "wes-kit."

The different16of many people who came to the United States also17make American and British English18. Many of their foreign words and19became part of English as Americans20 it today.

The city of Venice，in Italy，is one of a kind. It is built on more than 120 islands，just off arrival. After explaining where my new house was, I told him that I had left the key under the doormat. Since I knew it would be quite late before I could get back, I suggested that be make himself at home and help himself to anything that was kept in the refrigerator (冰箱).

Two hours later my friend phoned me from the house. At the moment, he said，he was listening to some of my records after having had a nice meal. He had found the pan and meat in the refrigerator. Now, he was drinking a cup of tea and hoped that I would join him soon. When I asked him if he bad any difficulty finding the house, he answered that the only problem was that he had not been able to find the key under the doormat, but luckily, the living room window by the apple tree had been left open and he had climbed in through the window. I listened to all this in great surprise. There is no apple tree outside my window, but there is one by the living room window of my next-door neighbor's house!