（二）Declining Interest in Developing Foreign Language Skills
Australia's foreign language skills are declining, Voice of America has reported. New figures show that only 13 percent of high school graduates can speak a foreign language. But four decades ago, 40 percent had foreign language skills.
Professor Elise Tipton, from the University of Sydney, says increasingly students do not feel the need to learn another language to boost their career. She believes that Australia's economic boom, which is driven by red-hot demand for its minerals, is helping mask serious deficiencies in its language skills.
Australia does business very successfully in English with most of its trading partners. But as the world's economic power shifts to emerging regions such as Asia, its language gap could soon be exposed. According to the new figures, less than 6.5 percent of high school graduates are proficient in an Asian language. Academics worry that this means Australia will increasingly be isolated from its economically important Asian neighbors. Dilip Dutta, from the economics and business faculty at Sydney University, says language skills can enhance trading opportunities. If Australians want to trade with Asian countries, it is very important for them to learn the language that will help them to get closer to the culture.
But students have different opinions about Asian language learning. Pippa McCowage, a 22-year-old Australian student, says many young Australians have a half-hearted approach to foreign languages, and the language curriculum is often weak. "While we're encouraged in high school to learn another language, it's not really apparent to me as a realistic expectation that you will have to speak it," said McCowage. "For example, I learned Japanese in high school, when I went on an exchange in Year 10, I found that the Japanese students of my age had a much greater proficiency in English than I did in Japanese. So in that sense, it almost discourages you."
At present, about 70 percent of Australia's major exports go to Asia and the Australian government has been keen on developing closer economic and diplomatic ties with Asia. Academics say that, as Asia becomes one of the world's economic powerhouses, Australia needs to improve its language skills if it is to take full advantage of the business opportunities on its doorstep.
1. What percentage of high school graduates were proficient in foreign language forty years ago?
A. 70 percent.
B. 13 percent.
C. 6.5 percent.
D. 40 percent.
2. What can be inferred from Paragraph 2?
A. Australia is essentially a self-sufficient country.
B. Australia has rich deposits of minerals.
C. Australia has no intention to trade with Asian countries.
D. Australian students are not required to learn a foreign language.
3. What does Dilip Dutta think language skills can do?
A. Improve your relation with your partner.
B. Help settle international conflicts.
C. Increase trading opportunities.
D. Remove barriers in negotiations.
4. Why has the Australian government been keenly interested in strengthening ties with Asia?
A. Because Asia is where Australia's major exports go.
B. Because Asia is where Australia is located.
C. Because Asia is where Australians go and spend their holidays.
D. Because Asia is where Australia can play a big role in international affairs.
5. The word "faculty" in Paragraph 3 can be replaced by________.
A. college
B. building
C. department
D. university
［高频考点］
考点1：涉及对数字细节的考查；
考点2：细节信息的查找；
考点3：推理题；
考点4：涉及原因的细节考查题；
考点5：猜词题。
［主旨大意］
澳大利亚整体的外语技能在滑坡。
悉尼大学的Elise Tipton教授认为由疯狂的矿物需求驱动的澳大利亚经济的繁荣进一步掩盖了该国语言技能方面存在的严重缺陷。
随着世界经济实力转向亚洲等地区，澳大利亚的语言差距迅速暴露。语言技能能够增加贸易机会，故澳大利亚如果想同亚洲国家进行贸易，就必须学习它们的语言，从而在文化上更加融合。
学生持不同观点。22岁的澳洲学生Pippa McCowage认为许多澳大利亚的年轻人不热衷于学习外国语言，而语言课程通常也不实用。
目前澳大利亚出口的产品70％都流向亚洲，故需要提升其语言技能。
［长难句结构解析］
1. She believes that Australia's economic boom, which is driven by red-hot demand for its minerals, is helping mask serious deficiencies in its language skills.
（1）主谓宾结构，主语为she，指悉尼大学的Elise Tipton教授，后接believe引导的宾语从句。
（2）宾语从句中，主语为非限制性定语从句修饰的“Australia's economic boom”。
（3）“red-hot”，表示炽热的，非常激动的，最新的。
（4）参考译文：她相信，由疯狂的矿物需求驱动的澳大利亚经济的繁荣进一步掩盖了该国语言技能方面存在的严重缺陷。
2. Academics say that, as Asia becomes one of the world's economic powerhouses, Australia needs to improve its language skills if it is to take full advantage of the business opportunities on its doorstep.
（1）主谓宾结构，主语为Academics，后接宾语从句。
（2）as Asia becomes one of the world's economic powerhouses...中，as引导时间状语从句。
（3）画线部分中，动词不定式作表语，表示实现计划好、打算好要去做的事。
（4）take full advantage of：充分利用。
（5）参考译文：学术界表示，随着亚洲成为世界经济力量之一，如果澳大利亚想要充分利用在其家门口的商业机遇，就必须提升其语言技能。
［答案解析］
1．D。［解析］涉及数字的细节考查题。题干考查的是40年前高中毕业生精通外语的百分比。文章的第一段指出，根据美国之音的报道，澳大利亚的外语技能在滑坡。新的数字表明，只有13％的高中毕业生能说一种外语，而40年前是40％。故答案为D。
2．B。［解析］推理题。题干考查的是从第二段中可以推断出什么。第二段中悉尼大学的Elise Tipton教授认为由疯狂的矿物需求驱动的澳大利亚经济的繁荣进一步掩盖了该国语言技能方面存在的严重缺陷。这就可以推断出澳大利亚矿藏丰富。选项A：澳大利亚是一个自给自足的国家，文中未体现；选项C：澳大利亚不打算同亚洲国家进行贸易，不符合事实；选项D：澳大利亚学生不要求学习外语，未在文中体现。
3．C。［解析］观点题。题干考查的是Dilip Dutta认为外语技巧能够做什么。根据关键词回到原文第三段定位：Dilip Dutta, from the economics and business faculty at Sydney University, says language skills can enhance trading opportunities. 他认为语言技巧能够增加贸易机会，C项与此符合，故答案为C。
4．A。［解析］细节考查题。题干考查的是澳大利亚政府热衷于增强与亚洲关系的原因。返回原文最后一段定位，第一句话：At present, about 70 percent of Australia's major exports go to Asia and the Australian government has been keen on developing closer economic and diplomatic ties with Asia. 由此可见，正确答案为A。
5．C。［解析］猜词题。题干考查的是第三段中的faculty可由哪个词代替。根据上下文可知，faculty此处的意思：（大学的）系，4个选项中只有C有此意，故答案为C。
