Many people believe that you lose the ability to learn new languages as you get older Language experts (语言专家), however, will tell you that you’re never too old to learn a new language. As you get older, it can be more difficult to learn a new language, though.
Children and adults learn new languages in different ways. For children, language is their life. They study for thousands of hours every year, because they need to learn languages to become part of their communities. Adults, on the other hand, are already part of language community. Learning new language means becoming part of another language community, and adults rarely get the chance to practice as much as young children do.
Moreover, children learning a new language are expected to make mistakes. This gives them freedom when learning to be daring and confident. Adults, however, often feel pressured (感到有压力的) to be perfect when learning new language. This can discourage many people and make it even harder to learn a new language.
When young children learn a new language they come to see all kinds of languages as a “normal” part of society. This mindset (思维模式) helps them embrace learning a new language without feeling like they’re doing something unusual or “too hard”.
So if you want to learn a new language, go for it! It’s never too late to learn a new language. If you’re older, it may take more work, but it can be done. If you’re a young child, though, now it is the time to step out and learn a new language!
9. By “language is their life” in Paragraph 2, the author means that children ________.
A.can live without language | B.lead a happy life every day |
C.practice a new language a lot | D.are taken good care of by adults |
10. What may make it hard for adults to learn a new language?
A.They often feel pressured. | B.They usually have too many interests. |
C.They think making mistakes is natural. | D.They always make all kinds of mistakes |
11. Which of the following shows the difference between children and adults in learning a new language?
A.The behavior they have. | B.The learning attitudes. |
C.The future plans they have made. | D.The materials they are using. |
12. According to the author, a new language ________.
A.can never be learned by the old people | B.can be learned by the old people easily |
C.can be understood only by the old people | D.can be learned by both the old and the young |