39

Prior to the 20th century, many languages with small numbers of speakers survived for centuries. The increasingly interconnected modern world makes it much more difficult for small language communities to live in relative isolation, a key factor in language maintenance and preservation. It remains to be seen whether the world can maintain its linguistic and cultural diversity in the centuries ahead. Many powerful forces appear to work against it: population growth, which pushes migrant populations into the world's last isolated locations; mass tourism; global telecommunications and mass media; and the spread of gigantic global corporations. All of these forces appear to signify a future in which the language of advertising, popular culture, and consumer products become similar. Already English and a few other major tongues have emerged as global languages of commerce and communication. For many of the world's peoples, learning one of these languages is viewed as the key to education, economic opportunity, and a better way of life. Only about 3,000 languages now in use are expected to survive the coming century. Are most of the rest doomed in the century after that?

Whether most of these languages survive will probably depend on how strongly cultural groups wish to keep their identity alive through a native language. To do so will require an emphasis on bilingualism(mastery of two languages). Bilingual speakers could use their own language in smaller spheres—at home, among friends, in community settings—and a global language at work, in dealings with government, and in commercial spheres. In this way, many small languages could sustain their cultural and linguistic integrity alongside global languages, rather than yield to the homogenizing forces of globalization. Ironically, the trend of technological innovation that threatened minority languages could also help save them. For example, some experts predict that computer software translation tools will one day permit minority language speakers to browse the Internet using their native tongues. Linguists are currently using computer-aided learning tools to teach a variety of threatened languages.

For many endangered languages, the line between revival and death is extremely thin. Language is remarkably resilient（有活力的）, however. It is not just a tool for communicating, hut also a powerful way of separating different groups, or of demonstrating group identity. Many indigenous communities have shown that it is possible to live in the modern world while reclaiming their unique identities through language.

1.Minority languages can be best preserved in_______.

A.an increasingly interconnected world　　B.maintaining small numbers of speakers

C.relatively isolated language communities　D.following the tradition of the 20th century

2.According to Para. 2, that the world can maintain its linguistic diversity in the future is_______.

A.uncertain　B.unrealistic　C.foreseeable　D.definite

3.According to the author, bilingualism can help _______.

A.small languages become acceptable in work places

B.homogenize the world's languages and cultures

C.global languages reach home and community settings

D.speakers maintain their linguistic and cultural identity

4.Computer technology is helpful for preserving minority languages in that it _______.

A.makes learning a global language unnecessary

B.facilitates the learning and using of those languages

C.raises public awareness of saving those languages

D.makes it easier for linguists to study those languages

5.In the author's view, many endangered languages are _______.

A.remarkable well-kept in this modern world

B.exceptionally powerful tools of communication

C.quite possible to be revived instead of dying out

D.a unique way of bringing different groups together

39

1.【答案】C。

【解析】从文章第一段第二句“The increasingly interconnected modern world makes it much difficult for small language communities to live in relative isolation, a key factor in language maintenance and preservation.”可以看出：小语种能延续的最好条件就是语言的维持。看四个选项中A、B、D都不能充当其条件，所以应该选C。

2.【答案】A。

【解析】文章第一段第三句 “It remains to be seen whether the world can maintain its linguistic and cultural diversity in the centuries ahead.（接下来的几个世纪，世界能否维持它的语言和文化多样性还有待观察。）”从这句话可以看出作者对于这个问题也持有的是一种不确定的态度，应该用uncertain，表示“不确定，不可预测”，所以应该选A。

3.【答案】D。

【解析】本题的线索在第二段，首先通过括号里的解释了解单词bilingualism意思是掌握两种语言，紧接着讲到了它的用处，具体讲它能帮助什么要看“In this way, many small languages could sustain their cultural and linguistic integrity alongside global languages, rather than yield to the homogenizing forces of globalization.（这样，许多小语种就能够保持它们在文化和语言上的完整，和全球化的语言共存，而不是屈服于全球化语言的同化压力。）”依照作者的观点掌握两种语言能够帮助保持许多小语种在文化和语言上的完整性。只有D项符合文章的意思，所以应该选D。

4.【答案】B。

【解析】本题的答案在文章的第二段后半部分，即叙述计算机技术的这一部分。首先总结说它能够挽救小语种，即保护小语种。然后举了两个例子来说明它的好处——“...some experts predict that computer software translation tools will one day permit minority language speakers to browse the Internet using their native tongues.（许多专家预言，计算机的翻译软件将使得讲小语种的人能够用他们的本土语言来浏览因特网。）”“Linguists are currently using computer-aided learning tools to teach a variety of threatened languages.（语言学家现在利用计算机辅助学习工具，讲授面临被同化威胁的各种语言。）”可见：总结这两点可知计算机分别在学习和使用上帮助保护小语种，B项符合文章的意思，所以应该选B。

5.【答案】C。

【解析】根据题目首先确定答案在最后一段，最后一段首先讲到“the line between revival and death is extremely thin”（复兴和灭亡之间的距离很近）。紧接着说：但是“language is remarkably resilient”（语言是非常有活力的），再看最后：“Many indigenous communities have shown that it is possible to live in the modern world while reclaiming their unique identities through language.”可见，作者认为，许多有灭绝危险的语言，将可能起死回生。C项符合文章的意思，所以应该选C。