【问】 The Random House Handbook 说： “Verbal means in words whether or not the words arespoken. Oral means by mouth. (verbal表示“言辞的”，不管是否说出来。Oral则表示“口头的”。)但是，按照上面说法，我无法解释和翻译下面的句子：

Dad didn’t write; he sent a verbal message. (Neal)

【答】 该书作者把verbal(He has great verbal skill as a speaker and as a writer. )与 oral(In an o-ral exam，you don't write the answers; you say them.)加以严格区分，用以指导写作，是无可指摘的。但是，利用他的观点来考察英语实际使用情况就有点儿行不通了。实际上，许多写作者都把verbal用作oral的含义(things that are spoken rather than written)：

1. …a succession of verbal attacks on the chairman

对主席一连串的口头攻击

2. We’ll accept a verbal report. (McArthur)

我们将接受口头报告。

请做下面的英语试题：

Sequoya，a native American who was born about 1770，formed an alphabet of eighty-sixletters that enabled him to put the oral Cherokee language into writing.

A. secret B. complex

C.spoken D. ancient(TOEFL，85. 5)