The death of languages is not a new phenomenon. Languages usually have a relatively short life span as well as a very high death rate. Only a few, including Egyptian, Chinese, Greek, Latin, have lasted more than 2,000 years.
What is new, however, is the speed at which they are dying out. Europe’s colonial conquests caused a sharp decline in linguistic diversity, eliminating at least 15 percent of all languages spoken at the time. Over the last 300 years, Europe has lost a dozen, and Australia has only 20 left of the 250 spoken at the end of the 18th century.
The rise of nation-states has also been decisive in selecting and consolidating national languages and sidelining others. By making great efforts to establish an official language in education, the media and the civil service, national governments have deliberately tried to eliminate minority languages.
This process of linguistic standardization has been boosted by industrialization and scientific progress, which have imposed new methods of communication that are swift, straightforward and practical. Language diversity came to be seen as an obstacle to trade and the spread of knowledge. Monolingualism became an ideal.
More recently, the internationalization of financial markets, the spread of information by electronic media and other aspects of globalization have intensified the threat to “small” languages. A language not on the Internet is a language that “no longer exists” in the modern world. It is out of the game.
The serious effects of the death of languages are evident. First of all, it is possible that if we all ended up speaking the same language, our brains would lose some of their natural capacity for linguistic inventiveness. We would never be able to figure out the origins of human language or resolve the mystery of “the first language”. As each language dies, a chapter of human history closes.
Multilingualism is the most accurate reflection of multiculturalism. The destruction of the first will inevitably lead to the loss of the second. Imposing a language without any links to a people’s culture and way of life stifles the expression of their collective genius. A language is not only used for the main instrument of human communication. It also expresses the world vision of those who speak it, their ways of using knowledge. To safeguard languages is an urgent matter.
1.Which of the following does not contribute to the death of languages?
A. Colonial conquests of Europe
B. The boom of human population
C. Advances in science and industrialization
D. The rise of nation-states
2.The underlined word “ stifles” in the last paragraph probably means “_____”.
A. boosts B. fuels C. imposes D. kills
3.The serious effects of the death of languages include all except that_______.
A. People would fail to understand how languages originated
B. Language diversity would become an obstacle to globalization
C. Monolingualism would lead to the loss of multiculturalism
D. Human brains would become less creative linguistically
4.What is the author’s purpose of writing this passage?
A. To explain the reasons why languages are dying out.
B. To warn people of the negative aspects of globalization.
C. To call people’s attention to the urgency of language preservation.
D. To argue how important it is for people to speak more languages.
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冲刺100分单元优化练考卷系列答案科目：高中英语 来源：辽宁省葫芦岛市2016-2017学年高二下学期期中考试英语试卷 题型：完形填空
My son Joe was born with clubfeet(畸形足). The doctors told us that with treatment he would be able to walk normally ______ would never run very well. The first three years of his life were spent in ______. By the time he was eight, you ______ he had a problem when you saw him walk.
The children in our neighborhood ran around as most children do during play, and Joey would ______ and play, too. We ______ told him that he probably wouldn’t be able to ______ as well as the other children. So he didn’t know.
In seventh grade he decided to go out for the cross country ______. Every day he trained with the team. He worked harder and ran more than any of the others. Perhaps he ______that the abilities that seemed to come ______ to so many others did not come naturally to him. Although the ______ team runs, only the top seven runners have the potential to ______ points for the school. We didn’t tell him he probably would never ______ the team, so he didn’t know.
He ______ to run four to five miles a day, even the day he had a 103 fever. I was ______, so I went to look for him after school. I found him running all alone. I asked him how he felt, “______,” he said．He had two more miles to go. The sweat ______ his face and his eyes were glassy from his fever. Yet he ______ straight ahead and kept running. We never told him he couldn’t run four miles with a 103 degree fever. So he didn’t know.
Two weeks later, the name of the team runners were ______. Joey was number six on the list. Joey had made the team. He was only in seventh while the other six team members were all ______.
We never told him he shouldn’t ______ to make the team. We never told him he couldn’t do it, so he didn’t know. He just did it.
1.A. However B. Or C. But D. though
2.A. attention B. development C. circulation D. treatment
3.A. wouldn’t know B. didn’t imagine C. shouldn’t find D. couldn’t identify
4.A. keep just out B. jump right in C. stand only behind D. sit still away
5.A. never B. generally C. often D. sincerely
6.A. live B. Jump C. Run D. hope
7.A. competition B. class C. game D. team
8.A. meant B. sensed C. showed D. noticed
9.A. eventually B. suddenly C. safely D. naturally
10.A. entire B. same C. other D. all
11.A. score B. collect C. pay D. catch
12.A. join B. enter C. make D. keep
13.A. liked B. continued C. hoped D. aimed
14.A. moved B. excited C. encouraged D. worried
15.A. Never mind B. Okay C. Don’t worry D. Sorry
16.A. ran down B. came from C. dropped off D. came down
17.A. stood B. looked C. faced D. glanced
18.A. made B. called C. designed D. checked
19.A. sixth-graders B. seventh-graders C. eighth-graders D. fifth-graders
20.A. expect B. fight C. avoid D. refuse
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科目：高中英语 来源：2017届河北省高三下学期第四周周测英语试卷（解析版） 题型：阅读理解
Have your parents ever inspected your room to see if you cleaned it properly? Imagine having your entire houses, garage, and yard inspected at any time — with no warning. Inspections were a regular part of lighthouse (灯塔) living, and a keeper's reputation depended on results. A few times each year, an inspector arrived to look over the entire light station. The inspections were supposed to be a surprise, but keeper sometimes had advance notice.
Once lighthouses had telephones, keepers would call each other to warn that the inspector was approaching. After boats began flying special flags noting the inspector aboard, the keeper's family made it a game to see who could notice the boat first. As soon as someone spotted the boat, everyone would do last-minute tidying and change into fancy clothes. The keeper then scurried to put on his dress uniform and cap. Children of keepers remember inspectors wearing white gloves to run their fingers over door frames and windowsills looking for dust.
Despite the serious nature of inspections, they resulted in some funny moments. Betty Byrnes remembered when her mother did not have time to wash all the dishes before an inspection. At the time, people did not have dishwashers in their homes. In an effort to clean up quickly, Mrs. Byrnes tossed all the dishes into a big bread pan, covered them with a cloth and stuck them in the oven. If the inspector opened the oven door, it would look like bread was baking. He never did.
One day, Glenn Furst's mother put oil on the kitchen floor just before the inspector entered their house. Like floor wax, the oil made the floors shiny and helped protect the wood. This time, though, she used a little too much oil. When the inspector extended his hand to greet Glenn's mother, he slipped on the freshly oiled surface. "He came across that floor waving his arms like a young bird attempting its first flight," Glenn late wrote. After he steadied himself, he shook Glenn's mother's hand, and the inspection continued as though nothing had happened.
1.What does Paragraph I tell us about the inspection at the light station?
A. It was carried out once a year.
B. It was often announced in advance.
C. It was important for the keeper's fame.
D. It was focused on the garage and yard.
2.The family began making preparations immediately after ________.
A. one of the members saw the boat
B. a warning call reached the lighthouse
C. the keeper put on the dress uniform and cap
D. the inspector flew special flags in the distance
3.Mrs. Byrnes put the dishes in the oven because this would ________.
A. result in some fun
B. speed up washing them
C. make her home look tidy
D. be a demand from the inspector
4.The inspector waved his arms ________.
A. to try his best to keep steady
B. to show his satisfaction with the floor
C. to extend a warm greeting to Glenn's mother
D. to express his intention to continue the inspection
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科目：高中英语 来源：山东省济宁市2017届高三第二次模拟考试英语试卷 题型：完形填空
I’ve started driving again, just small journeys until I gain my confidence. Tonight I drove along a road ______about 12 years ago. As I drove along it I_______Kelly.
Kelly was a ______when this road was constructed. Her mother _______when Kelly was very young. She and her brother were _______by her father and she herself admitted that she was a(an)______child, climbing out windows, staying out drinking etc. The year after I taught her, a ______thing happened. Kelly’s dad was about to turn onto the new road ______he met with a fatal(致命的)accident.
At that stage I didn’t teach Kelly but had______taught on her learning programme. I wrote to tell her that I would help her with one of the six_______she still had to complete on her second and final year of her programme.
I brought Kelly to my home where I _____and supported her through the whole unit. I got her to complete all the assignments at my home so that she would stay_______. Kelly got a better performance in the unit I taught her, and this helped raise her overall______. My support also helped her focus on her studies at such a ______time in her life. Kelly’s lecturer was so______ with her assignments that she got Kelly to______the higher level parts of the assignments to the rest of the class! This was so good for her self-esteem(自尊心). Kelly _____her course. I was so glad she didn’t ______.
A few yeas ago I met Kelly in the town centre. She was ______a pram(婴儿车), her newly born son sleeping contentedly. I was glad to see life had brought a new family member into Kelly’s life for her to love. It’s the______ she deserved.
1.A. created B. ruined C. flooded D. blocked
2.A. met B. hit C. remembered D. recognized
3.A. worker B. student C. teacher D. volunteer
4.A. passed away B. backed up C. helped out D. took over
5.A. forgiven B. affected C. rescued D. raised
6.A. active B. wild C. optimistic D. curious
7.A. strange B. mysterious C. terrible D. delightful
8.A. when B. because C. once D. though
9.A. seldom B. later C. eventually D. previously
10.A. books B. units C. courses D. subjects
11.A. admired B. knew C. tutored D. hired
12.A. interested B. focused C. awake D. happy
13.A. grades B. looks C. health D. weight
14.A. good B. happy C. sad D. pleasant
15.A. impressed B. puzzled C. disappointed D. embarrassed
16.A. show B. give C. pass D. explain
17.A. quit B. completed C. failed D. chose
18.A. stand up B. move out C. drop out D. set out
19.A. selling B. pushing C. making D. riding
20.A. last B. most C. worst D. least
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科目：高中英语 来源：四川省2016-2017学年高二5月月考英语试卷 题型：短文改错
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文,请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误,每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加:在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧),并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除:把多余的词用斜线(划掉。
修改:在错的词下画一横线,并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意:1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词;
2.只允许修改10处,多者(从第11处起)不计分。
短文改错：
In autumn of 1935,when I was a young man, I was traveling in the north of Indian. One evening, after hunt in the forest all day, I was returning to the place that I had put up my tent. It was getting dark, but I was walking along a road. Suddenly I saw two eye glaring at me from among the trees. What can I do? Should I jump into the river to save my life? Then I looked at the right. In the river there had a big crocodile waiting to welcome me with its mouth was wide open.
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科目：高中英语 来源：甘肃省兰州市2016-2017学年高一下学期期中考试英语试卷 题型：短文填空
According to a recent survey, violence did exist in schools. Students showed their fear and parents and teachers also expressed their great concern about it. Experts hope the whole1.(social) pay more attention to the mental health of adolescents(青少年).
Nowadays, school violence is a hot issue. I think this is a phenomenon,2. calls for our great concern. We should try every effort3. (prevent) violence happening at school for more and more students would drop out of school4.their personal safety could not 5. (guarantee). In fact, violence can be learned. Children learn violent behavior from adults or from6. they see on television or on7.Internet.
If I meet with school violence, I will not answer violence with violence, for it will result in8. (much) fighting. I will tell my teachers or parents about it. I think they will help me deal with it well and they will protect me 9. the bad guys.
All in all, every student should behave10.(he) and keep away from violence.
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科目：高中英语 来源：黑龙江鹤岗一中2016-2017学年高二下学期期中考试英语试卷 题型：书面表达
假设你是一中学生李华。近日，你的英语笔友John听说你们学校正在开展“建设节约型社会(Construction of an energy-saving society)”主题活动，发来邮件请你介绍一下你对活动的看法和建议。请你结合以下要点，用英语给John回复邮件。
1.不浪费粮食和纸张;
2.尽量不使用方便筷（disposable chopsticks)、塑料袋;
3.毕业生将书赠给低年级同学循环使用;
4.其他建议（如绿色出行等）
5.只有我们共同努力……
注意:
1. 不要逐字翻译，可适当增加细节;
2. 词数：120左右。开头已经为你写好，不计入总词数;
Dear John,
Glad to receive your E-mail.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
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科目：高中英语 来源：内蒙古2017届高三上学期第一次月考英语试卷 题型：阅读理解
“Did you hear what happened to Adam Last Friday?”Lindsey whispers to Tori.
With her eyes shining, Tori brags, “You bet I did, Sean told me two days ago. ”
Who are Lindsey and Tori talking about? It just happened to be yours truly, Adam Freedmam. I can tell you that what they are saying is (a) not nice and (b) not even true. Still, Lindsey and Tori aren’t very different from most students here at Linton High School, including me. Many of our conversations are gossip(闲话). I have noticed three effects of gossip: it can hurt people, it can give gossipers a strange kind of satisfaction, and it can cause social pressures in a group.
An important negative effect of gossip is that it can hurt the person being talked about. Usually, gossip spreads information about a topic- breakups, trouble at home, even dropping out-that a person would rather keep secret. The more embarrassing or shameful the secret is, the juicier the gossip it makes. Probably the worst type of gossip is the absolute lie. People often think of gossipers as harmless, but cruel lies can cause pain.
If we know that gossip can be harmful, then why do so many of us do it? That answer lies in another effect of gossip: the satisfaction it gives us. Sharing the latest rumor(传言)can make a person feel important because he or she knows something that others don’t. Similarly, hearing the latest rumor can make a person feel like part of the “in group.”In other words, gossip is satisfying because it gives people a sense of belonging or even superiority(优越感).
Gossip also can have a third effect: it strengthens unwritten, unspoken rules about how people should act. Professor David Wilson explains that gossip is important in policing behaviors in a group. Translated into high school terms, this means that if everybody you hang around with is laughing at what John wore or what Jane said, then you can bet that wearing or saying something similar will get you the same kind of negative attention. The do’s and don’ts conveyed through gossip will never show up in any student handbook.
The effects of gossip vary depending on the situation. The next time you feel the urge to spread the latest news, think about why you want to gossip and what effects your “juicy story” might have.
1.The author uses a conversation at the beginning of the passage to ______.
A. introduce a topic B. present an argument
C. describe the characters D. clarify his writing purpose
2.In the author’s opinion, many people like to gossip because it ______.
A. gives them a feeling of pleasure
B. help them to make more friends
C. makes them better at telling stories
D. enables them to meet important people
3.Professor David Wilson think that gossip can ______.
A. provide students with written rules
B. help people watch their own behaviors
C. force school to improve student handbooks
D. attract the police’s attention to group behaviors
4.What advice does the author give in the passage?
A. Never become a gossiper B. Stay away from gossipers
C. Don’t let gossip turn into lies D. Think twice before you gossip.
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科目：高中英语 来源：江苏省徐州市2016-2017学年高一下学期期中考试英语试卷 题型：单项填空
We will hear what he must say and observe what he will do for what he says and what he does often _______.
A. don’t agree B. isn’t consistent
C. aren’t consisted D. doesn’t agree
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