Page 48 - index

2023 ‫מועד קיץ‬ - 47 - ‫ פרק שני‬- ‫אנגלית‬

Reading Comprehension

This part consists of two passages, each followed by several related questions. For each
question, choose the most appropriate answer based on the text.

Text I (Questions 13-17)

(1) "My trouble and strife is out with the tin lids. I'm on my Pat Malone." This
seemingly nonsensical statement actually makes perfect sense to anyone who knows
Australian rhyming slang. We are all familiar with slang – an informal, often playful,
sometimes puzzling way of speaking – but Australian rhyming slang is especially

(5) complex: a word is replaced by a word or phrase that rhymes with it but seems not to
belong in the sentence. For example, instead of "Answer the phone," an Australian
might say "Answer the dog and bone." In some cases, the rhyming phrase becomes
shortened so that the rhyme no longer exists. Thus, the slang for "I got hit on my head"
is "I got hit on my loaf of bread," which becomes "I got hit on my loaf." Some phrases

(10) are particularly difficult for foreigners to understand because they are based on local
culture and slang. Thus, "Our team had a real shocker" (a really bad game) becomes
"Our team had a real Barry Crocker" (a reference to a popular Australian entertainer),
which is then shortened to "Our team had a real Barry."

It is commonly believed that Australian rhyming slang grew out of Cockney
(15) rhyming slang, which developed in the East End of London in the 1840s, and out of

Irish rhyming slang. In the 1800s, Australia was settled by large numbers of immigrants
from Britain and Ireland, so it is possible that they brought this manner of speaking with
them. However, some people think that it developed independently in Australia. Today,
most young Australians, especially in the large cities, consider rhyming slang old-
(20) fashioned. In many circles, however, it is still alive and well.

Now, back to the opening sentence. Almost any Australian could tell you that "My
trouble and strife is out with the tin lids. I'm on my Pat Malone" means "My wife is out
with the kids. I'm on my own."

Questions

13. The main purpose of the text is to -

(1) discuss the development of Australian English
(2) compare Australian, Cockney, and Irish rhyming slang
(3) present the characteristics of informal language
(4) discuss an unusual form of slang

)‫© כל הזכויות שמורות למרכז ארצי לבחינות ולהערכה (ע"ר‬
.‫ בלא אישור בכתב מהמרכז הארצי לבחינות ולהערכה‬- ‫ כולה או חלקים ממנה‬- ‫ או ללמדה‬,‫אין להעתיק או להפיץ בחינה זו או קטעים ממנה בכל צורה ובכל אמצעי‬