It has been said that the British and Americans are «two peoples separated by a 1 common language. However, the differences between British and American English are 2 comparatively small. Although British newspapers occasionally publish letters from angry elderly citizens 3 complaining that they are unable to understand a word of the best American TV series, it is clear that 4 fewer people have serious problems. In fact, people on 5 both sides of the Atlantic might have 6 much more difficulty in understanding the stronger 7 regional dialects of their own country than in understanding an average speaker from the other country. Television, films and music have helped to bridge the Atlantic and those minor difficulties which might occur are probably much 8 fewer than 40 or 50 years ago.
One of the most obvious areas of difference relates to words 9 connected with motoring: This is probably because cars developed separately, in each country. Of course, an American who asked for «gas» in a British «filling station» would get what he wanted, an in the 10 same way an Englishman who asked for «petrol» in a «gas station» would drive with a full tank.
