English has surely become the global language.Whenever we turn on the news to find out what's happening in East Asia，or Africa，or anywhere，people are being interviewed and telling us about it in English.

If people look at the facts about the amazing reach of the English language，many would be surprised.English is used in over 90 countries as an official or semiofficial language.English is the working language of many international institutes(研究所)as well as of most international research scientists.It is also the language that Indian parents and black parents wish their children to learn.It is believed that over one billion people worldwide are now learning English.

One of the most important causes of the spread of English around the world is that Europeans are willing to accept it as their language.English is spreading from northern Europe to the south and is now the second language in countries such as Sweden，Norway，Netherlands and Denmark.If one visits any of them，it would seem that almost everyone there can talk in English.

Recently，a report said that at the beginning of 2001，English was the most widely known foreign language with 43% of Europeans saying they spoke it.The report also said that with over 89% of the population speaking English，Sweden now has the highest percentage of English speakers.What's more，English is the language rated as most useful to know，and over 77% of Europeans who do not speak English as their first language consider it useful.

【语篇解读】　本文是说明文，主要讲述了英语在世界上的广泛使用。

1．By writing this passage，the writer mainly wants to tell us________.

A．why so many people speak English around the world

B．that English has become a language spoken all over the world

C．about the development of English in Europe

D．something about the Englishspeaking countries

B　[主旨大意题。根据本文的第一句“English has surely become the global language.”以及后文的具体描述可知，作者主要想告诉我们，英语是目前世界上的通用语言。]

2．According to the passage，what has played an important role in spreading English around the world?

A．That governments have asked their people to learn it in school.

B．That English is the most beautiful language in the world.

C．That Europeans are willing to accept English as their language.

D．That people have to use English in their work.

C　[细节理解题。根据第三段的“One of the most important causes of the spread of English around the world is that Europeans are willing to accept it as their language.”可知C正确。]

3．What does the underlined word “rated”in the last paragraph mean?

A．Stood.　　　　　　 B．Agreed.

C．Considered. D．Argued.

C　[词义猜测题。根据语境以及最后一句的“consider it useful”可知，rate在这里意为“认为；看作”。]

4．What can we learn from the passage?

A．Black parents don't want their children to learn English.

B．English is used in over 90 countries as an official language.

C．Not all international research scientists speak English at work.

D．English has become the most important language in Sweden.

C　[细节理解题。根据第二段的“English is the working language...as well as of most international research scientists.”可知，并不是所有的国际研究科学人员工作时都使用英语。]

As more Europeans arrived in America 500 years ago，they were in such great need of the land that they and the native American Indians battled constantly.By the end of the 19th century，most Indian tribes(部落)were moved to reservations.A lot of their children were taken away to boarding schools to learn to speak English.By the end of the 20th century，more than half of the Native Americans in the US were living in cities.They gave up speaking their old tribal language and only used English.As a result，many Native American languages disappeared and with that their culture.

Today some American Indian languages are usually spoken by the older members of the tribes who still live on the reservations.In North America there are 150－170 languages that have at least one speaker.One ancient language spoken by the Northern Paiute tribe has over 100 speakers.

But the good news is that some of these people are keeping their culture and language alive.They are also receiving help from the National Geographic Society's Enduring Voices project，whose aim is to help languages around the world which are dying out.The team meets these “last speakers”．The experts interview them and they are recorded with video，pictures and so on.They also tell old stories which are written down in English so people can learn more about the cultures.

Recording the language and culture is only part of the project.The next stage is to pass on the language to the next generation.The Salish tribe is an excellent example of how schools can help.The tribe lives on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana.Their language is spoken by about 50 people aged over 75.So now，the local people have set up a school.It has 30 students aged two to twelve during the day and there are also courses for adults in the evening.

【语篇解读】　本文属于说明文。介绍了美洲印第安人的语言和文化正在逐渐消失，为了传承这些语言和文化，专家们和印第安人部落正在采取措施，比如将印第安人语言录制下来，开办学校教授这些语言等。

5．Why did Europeans fight with the American Indians?

A．To live in American cities.

B．To occupy more living space.

C．To have Indians speak English.

D．To make Indian cultures disappear.

B　[细节理解题。根据第一段中的“As more Europeans...they were in such great need of the land that they and the native American Indians battled constantly”可知，欧洲人是为了获得更多的生存空间，才会不停地与美洲印第安人打仗。]

6．What does the underlined word “They” refer to in Paragraph 3?

A．The experts.

B．The recordings.

C．The Indian cultures.

D．The last speakers.

D　[代词指代题。本句前面谈到能讲美洲当地语言的人很少了，专家们就采访能说这些语言的人，并录像或拍照保存下来；本句是说“这批最后的语言使用者”还讲述自己文化中古老的故事，这些故事被用英语记载下来，以便让更多的人了解他们的文化。可见这里的“They”指代的是前面谈到的“Last speakers”。]

7．What can we know about the Salish tribe?

A．It has its own language school.

B．It has given up speaking English.

C．Its next generation speaks English.

D．Its language is only learnt by adults.

A　[细节理解题。根据最后一段中的“Their language is spoken by about 50 people aged over 75.So now，the local people have set up a school”可知，Salish 部落现在有自己的语言学校，教孩子们学习自己的部落语言，还给成年人提供夜校语言课程，故选A。]

8．What can be suitable title for the text?

A．Learning American Indian Languages

B．Researching on American Indian Languages

C．Saving American Indian Languages

D．Finding Lost American Indian Languages

C　[标题判断题。本文主要谈到了美洲印第安人的语言在逐渐消失，专家们和印第安人部落正在采取措施保护这些语言。故选C。]

Ⅱ.语法填空

阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Many cities have 1.________(interest) nicknames.Nicknames can help tell the identity of 2.________ city.With more than twenty nicknames，New Orleans 3.________(probable) has more nicknames than any other American city.Among all these names，4.________ (famous) one is The Big Easy.It is used to describe the gentle，slow and easygoing way of life in New Orleans.

So how did the city get this nickname？In the early 1900s，there was a dance hall in New Orleans 5.______(call) The Big Easy.But the nickname did not become famous 6.________ the early 1970s when a Louisiana newspaper writer began calling New Orleans by this name.She compared the easygoing way of life there 7.________ the hurried pace of life in New York City.In 1970，James Conaway wrote a crime novel called The Big Easy.The story 8.________(set) in New Orleans.In 1987，that book was made into a film，which made the nickname even 9.________(much)popular.

The city has other nicknames.One of them is Mardi City.It got this name for the wild 10.________(celebrate) and parades that take place there every year.

[答案]　

1．interesting　[修饰事物nicknames，意为“有趣的”，因而应填形容词interesting。]

2．a　[city为单数可数名词，这里泛指“一个城市”，故前面使用不定冠词。]

3．probably　[此处修饰句子作状语，因而用副词形式。]

4．the most famous　[有among.../in the...这种表示范围的状语时，句中的形容词、副词用最高级形式。]

5．called　[此处用过去分词作New Orleans的定语。]

6．until　[由句意可知应填until，not...until...表示“直到……才……”。]

7．with　[compare...with...是固定短语，表示“把……和……对比”。]

8．was set　[be set in是固定短语，意为“以……为背景”，因该短语在句中作谓语动词，故用was set的形式。]

9．more　[由句意可知，此处表示比较意义“更受欢迎”，因而填more。]

10．celebrations　[由句中的名词parades及并列连词and可知，此处要用名词celebration作for的宾语；celebration“庆祝活动”为可数名词，故用其复数形式。]