The Vieira family moved to the United States in 1981. At that time, they decided to stop speaking Spanish at home and only communicate in English. This was because they were now living in an English-speaking country.

     Now the Vieira children are adults, and they sometimes travel to Spain to visit their family and friends. But they cannot communicate with them. Unfortunately this is common. When people move to new countries, they often leave their own customs and mother language behind. This is a mistake because there are many benefits to knowing more than one language.

     One advantage of speaking more than one language is that you can communicate directly with more people around the world. You do not have to depend on others to talk for you, so you’re more independent. People who know only one language must use others to help them communicate.

     Furthermore, speaking a second language also allows people to experience other cultures and customs more effectively. Local expressions, vocabulary, and even jokes can have a powerful effect on a person’s understanding of another culture. So, knowing more than one language increases your knowledge of other cultures.

     Finally, having more multi-language speakers improves relationships between countries. If people from different countries can communicate well, the world can become closer. Countries will then have more respect for each other and better understand each other’s problems.

     The benefits of knowing more than one language are clear. In fact, there are no disadvantages. It is very sad that many people don’t try to learn another language. It is even worse when people let themselves forget their mother language and become silenced.

1.What is the passage mainly about?

A. The benefits of learning other languages.

B. The reasons why people come to America.

C. The importance of learning English.

D. How to learn another language.

2.The passage begins with the experience of the Vieira family in order to_______.

A. discuss the need for teaching a new language

B. introduce the passage’s main characters to the readers

C. describe the advantages of moving to another country

D. show the problems of speaking only one language

3.The underlined phrase “multi-language speakers” (Paragraph 5) means “people who know ______.”

A. their mother language          B. a new language

C. more than one language        D. body language

4.According to the passage, if you can speak more than one language, you can____.

A. find a better job

B. make more friends

C. better understand history

D. communicate more independently

5.Based on the last paragraph, which of the following is the worst?

A. Not knowing another language.

B. Forgetting one’s mother language.

C. Refusing to learn another language.

D. Failing to communicate with others.

A Program Helps African Children Get Farming Skills

A program supported  by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization（FAO：联合国粮农组织）is helping more and more African Children get farming skills important for their life，the UN said．

The program was carried out（执行）in 2004 in four schools of Bondo District in Nyanza Province in Kenya．There many children lost their parents because of AIDS so they couldn’t get farming skills from their parents．At first，the program wanted to reduce hunger among young people in the country．And then the FAO thought teaching those children without parents farming skills was als0．very important．So the program began to do so．

The program，named Junior Farmer Field and Life School，uses a “Living classroom” method，①他们用这种方法鼓励孩了们练习农业技能，such as planting in schoolyards and exchanging ideas with classmates．

The UN report says the method（方法）of the program has not only been passed to over 20 other schools in the district, but another 11 African countries．Over 17，000 children have got farming skills under the program.

“We think the program is good．It can help those children without parents to learn farming skills．②We are happy that many children have got farming skills with the help of our program．We will work harder to pass the program to more and more countries to help more children．”a UN official（官员）said．

1．将①处翻译成英语。

2．将②处翻译成汉语。

3．What’s the purpose（目的）of the program at first?

4．What method does the program use?

5．Why do you think this is a good program?

The Vieira family moved to the United States in 1981. At that time, they decided to stop speaking Spanish at home and only communicate in English. This was because they were now living in an English-speaking country.
Now the Vieira children are adults, and they sometimes travel to Spain to visit their family and friends. But they cannot communicate with them. Unfortunately this is common. When people move to new countries, they often leave their own customs and mother language behind. This is a mistake because there are many benefits to knowing more than one language.
One advantage of speaking more than one language is that you can communicate directly with more people around the world. You do not have to depend on others to talk for you, so you’re more independent. People who know only one language must use others to help them communicate.
Furthermore, speaking a second language also allows people to experience other cultures and customs more effectively. Local expressions, vocabulary, and even jokes can have a powerful effect on a person’s understanding of another culture. So, knowing more than one language increases your knowledge of other cultures.
Finally, having more multi-language speakers improves relationships between countries. If people from different countries can communicate well, the world can become closer. Countries will then have more respect for each other and better understand each other’s problems.
The benefits of knowing more than one language are clear. In fact, there are no disadvantages. It is very sad that many people don’t try to learn another language. It is even worse when people let themselves forget their mother language and become silenced

1. 1.

   What is the passage mainly about?

   1. A.
      The benefits of learning other languages
   2. B.
      The reasons why people come to America
   3. C.
      The importance of learning English
   4. D.
      How to learn another language
2. 2.

   The passage begins with the experience of the Vieira family in order to_______

   1. A.
      discuss the need for teaching a new language
   2. B.
      introduce the passage’s main characters to the readers
   3. C.
      describe the advantages of moving to another country
   4. D.
      show the problems of speaking only one language
3. 3.

   The underlined phrase “multi-language speakers” (Paragraph 5) means “people who know ______.”

   1. A.
      their mother language
   2. B.
      a new language
   3. C.
      more than one language
   4. D.
      body language
4. 4.

   According to the passage, if you can speak more than one language, you can____

   1. A.
      find a better job
   2. B.
      make more friends
   3. C.
      better understand history
   4. D.
      communicate more independently
5. 5.

   Based on the last paragraph, which of the following is the worst?

   1. A.
      Not knowing another language
   2. B.
      Forgetting one’s mother language
   3. C.
      Refusing to learn another language
   4. D.
      Failing to communicate with others

     The Vieira family moved to the United States in 1981. At that time, they decided to stop speaking Spanish at home and only communicate in English. This was because they were now living in an English-speaking country.

     Now the Vieira children are adults, and they sometimes travel to Spain to visit their family and friends. But they cannot communicate with them. Unfortunately this is common. When people move to new countries, they often leave their own customs and mother language behind. This is a mistake because there are many benefits to knowing more than one language.

     One advantage of speaking more than one language is that you can communicate directly with more people around the world. You do not have to depend on others to talk for you, so you’re more independent. People who know only one language must use others to help them communicate.

     Furthermore, speaking a second language also allows people to experience other cultures and customs more effectively. Local expressions, vocabulary, and even jokes can have a powerful effect on a person’s understanding of another culture. So, knowing more than one language increases your knowledge of other cultures.

     Finally, having more multi-language speakers improves relationships between countries. If people from different countries can communicate well, the world can become closer. Countries will then have more respect for each other and better understand each other’s problems.

     The benefits of knowing more than one language are clear. In fact, there are no disadvantages. It is very sad that many people don’t try to learn another language. It is even worse when people let themselves forget their mother language and become silenced.

56. What is the passage mainly about?

   A. The benefits of learning other languages.

   B. The reasons why people come to America.

   C. The importance of learning English.

   D. How to learn another language.

57. The passage begins with the experience of the Vieira family in order to_______.

   A. discuss the need for teaching a new language

   B. introduce the passage’s main characters to the readers

   C. describe the advantages of moving to another country

   D. show the problems of speaking only one language

58. The underlined phrase “multi-language speakers” (Paragraph 5) means “people who know ______.”

   A. their mother language          B. a new language

   C. more than one language        D. body language

59. According to the passage, if you can speak more than one language, you can____.

   A. find a better job

   B. make more friends

   C. better understand history

   D. communicate more independently

60. Based on the last paragraph, which of the following is the worst?

   A. Not knowing another language.

   B. Forgetting one’s mother language.

   C. Refusing to learn another language.

   D. Failing to communicate with others.