Around 1,500 endangered and rare languages are at a high risk of being lost in the next century, according to a study published on Thursday in Nature Ecology and Evolution.
The study found that around half of the world’s 7,000 documented languages are endangered. It also found that greater road density was associated with higher risk of endangerment.
“It’s as if roads are helping dominant languages overwhelm other smaller languages,” co-author and professor at the Australian National University Lindell Bromham said in a press release.
Greater endangerment was also associated with higher average years of schooling, suggesting that formal education contributes to loss of language diversity. “Mainstream education in a dominant language can lead to loss of competence in minority languages. We urgently need to invest in bilingual (双语的) education and develop programs that allow communities to bring their heritage language into schools, to make sure the language stays strong and is passed on to future generations,” Bromhall told CBS News.
The study found that unless there is intervention (干预), the world could lose at least one language per month, with language loss three times more in the next 40 years. The authors recommended “urgent investment” in community-based programs like bilingual education programs and language documentation. And some of the recommendations that experts made 20 years ago are still the same: governments should remove bans on languages and adults should encourage children to speak other languages — including their native language.
“Each language is a reflection on the creativity and inventiveness of human minds, a beautiful and fascinating solution to complex communication challenges,” Bromham told CBS News. “Most importantly, for many people, language symbolizes cultural identity and belonging. Many groups mourn (悼念) the decline of unique languages and long for competency in languages no longer spoken.”
1. What was related with higher risk of language endangerment?| A．Less road density. |
| B．Unpopularity among language learners. |
| C．Greater competence of small languages. |
| D．Higher average years of schooling. |
| A．Stop bans on languages. |
| B．Create more language education programs. |
| C．Put more investment in language research. |
| D．Encourage people to speak other languages. |
| A．Investment is needed in bilingual education. |
| B．Language loss results in mainstream education. |
| C．Half of the world’s current languages are lost. |
| D．Dominant languages are symbols of cultural identity. |
| A．The causes of language loss. | B．The high risk of language loss. |
| C．The measures of language protection. | D．The importance of language diversity. |
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【推荐1】Years of research show that when a native English speaker enters a conversation among nonnative speakers, understanding goes down.Communication specialist Heather Hansen tells us that's because the native speaker doesn't know how to do what nonnative speakers do naturally: speak in ways that are understandable to everyone, using simple words and expressions.They unconsciously use unnecessarily confusing vocabulary, which makes language less understandable.
Ting Gong grew up in Shanghai and moved to the U.S.in her 20s. She ran up against this problem of confusing vocabulary at the doctor's one day. "The receptionist(接待员)gave me a form and asked me to write down my complaints,”she said.“I told her that I did not have any complaint，and she looked impatient and then she asked me to write down anything that I could think of.”
“I only realized that‘complaints' here refers to symptoms I have after I spoke to my husband when I got home. At the doctor's I actually wrote down 'the receptionist was not friendly' as one of my complaints."
So what can we do to improve communication between native and nonnative English speakers?
Hansen says the responsibility shouldn't be on nonnative speakers but rather on native English speakers. Take a page out of nonnative speakers' book, says Hansen, by changing your English to be more inclusive.That means no more confusing expressions. Small changes like this might allow native speakers to join in conversations with nonnative speakers.
Joseph Issam Harb, who was raised in the United States and Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates, said,"I am still learning about English from nonnative speakers.
"In emails, I've discovered an expression commonly used by some nonnative speakers 'please do the needful,' "Harb said."For years I have been interested in this expression and its use in formal work environment emails." Discovering it and wondering about the origins of the expression, which means "please do what needs to be done,"has been an enjoyable thing for Harb.
1. What makes communication between native and nonnative speakers less smooth according to Hansen?| A．The speed of native speakers' talk. |
| B．Nonnative speakers' bad pronunciation. |
| C．The difference between speakers' cultures. |
| D．Native speakers' use of confusing expressions. |
| A．She had difficulty expressing herself in English. |
| B．She wanted to get treatment as soon as possible. |
| C．She failed to understand what the receptionist had meant. |
| D．She feared that the receptionist would become impatient. |
| A．Read books by nonnative English writers. |
| B．Join in more nonnative speakers' conversations. |
| C．Make no comment about nonnative speakers' English. |
| D．Use expressions understandable to nonnative speakers. |
| A．It is very interesting. | B．It should be corrected. |
| C．It sounds strange and funny. | D．It can be used in informal situations. |
【推荐2】Millions of people all over the world use the word okay.In fact，some people say the word is used more often than any other word in the world.
It may be common，but no one can seem to agree on how the“OK”came to be.
Okay means“all right”or“acceptable”.It expresses agreement or approval.You might ask your brother，“Is it okay if I borrow your car?”Or if someone asks you to do something，you might say，“Okay，I will.”Still，language experts do not agree about where the word came from.
Some people say it came from the Native American Indian tribe known as the Choctaw.The Choctaw word“okeh”means the same as the American word okay.Experts say early explorers in the American West spoke the Choctaw language in the nineteenth century.The language spread across the country.
But many people dispute(不同意)this.
Language expert Allen Walker Read wrote about the word okay in reports published in the 1960s.He said the word began being used in the 1830s.It was a short way of writing a different spelling of the words“all correct.”Some foreign-born people wrote“all correct”as“o-l-l k-o-r-r-e-c-t.”and used the letters O.K.
Other people say a railroad worker named Obadiah Kelly invented the word long ago.They said he put the first letters of his names—O and K—on each object people gave him to send on the train.
Still others say a political organization invented the word.The organization supported Martin Van Buren for president in 1840.They called their group，the O.K.Club.The letters were taken from the name of the town where Martin Van Buren was born—Old Kinderhook，New York.
Not everyone agrees with this explanation，either.But experts do agree that the word is purely American.And it has spread to almost every country on Earth.
1. What is the text mainly about?| A．How the word Okay came into being. |
| B．The different meanings of the word Okay. |
| C．The dispute of the origin of the word Okay. |
| D．How widely the word Okay is used. |
| A．Promise. | B．Admission. | C．Permission. | D．Correctness. |
| A．3. | B．4. | C．5. | D．6. |
| A．Okay is the most widely-used word. |
| B．It came from some Indian dialect. |
| C．It was invented by a politician. |
| D．It is first used by Americans. |
【推荐3】When you go to the US, someone often says to you, “Give me five.” What should you do? Do not get five dollars from your pocket! It will make others laugh! The person is not asking for your money, but your fingers.
In the US, “give me five” or “give me the high five” is a popular gesture (手势). You can see it often in films or on TV. It means hitting each other’s right hands together.
People do it when they meet for the first time or something happy happens. For example, a student has good marks in exams. If a football team wins a game, the players will give high fives to everyone around to celebrate.
This gesture may come from the old Roman gesture of raising the right arm for the emperor (皇帝). This showed the person raising his arm did not have a sword (剑) in his hand.
Why not try to give the high five to your friends?
1. You need to use your __________ to make the gesture “give me five”.| A．arms | B．heads | C．hands | D．legs |
| A．make people laugh | B．show happiness |
| C．ask for money | D．ask for help |
| A．lose your money | B．start your lesson |
| C．win a football game | D．find a difficult word |
| A．old Rome | B．America | C．China | D．English |
| A．Because they were the first time to see the emperor. |
| B．Because they were happy to see the emperor. |
| C．Because they wanted to give the emperor a welcome. |
| D．Because they wanted to show there were no swords in their hands. |
【推荐1】ARLANDA, Sweden (Reuters Life!) – Many people hate the idea of having to sleep on a plane. But Swedish entrepreneur Oscar Dios thinks they can be persuaded otherwise and he has created a new kind of hostel to prove it.
Dios says it is the world’s first jumbo (unusually large) jet hostel, an actual jet-plane at Sweden’s main airport outside Stockholm which has been changed into a 25- room guesthouse that sleeps as many as 72 people.
“I learned about this plane that was standing deserted at Arlanda airport and I’ve been trying the concept of hostels in many different houses and buildings,” he told Reuters. “I thought, ‘Why not a plane?’”
Jumbo Hostels opened for business on Thursday, giving customers the chance to check in and sleep in a room that can best be described as comfortable.”
“The most challenging part with this project is trying to build something inside a metal hull(壳) – it’s just really, really tight.”
The jet, which was originally produced for Singapore Airlines, was taken out of service in 2002. It is held on a concrete foundation with the landing gear secured in steel cradles.
One feature of the hostel is its price – a room starts at 350 Swedish crowns (about $ 41), which is a lot less than hotel rooms outside of major airports.
Another feature is that customers can get married on the wing of the plane and stay in the plane’s more luxurious honeymoon suite (套房).
Instead of walking down the aisle in the church, lovebirds can take what Jumbo Hostels calls the “wing walk,” where they can be joined in great happiness at the wing tip. The hostel has someone ready to perform the ceremony.
But in some respects this hostel remains a plane – most customers have to share the jet’s nine bathrooms and the staff only wear air host and hostess outfits. The only room that has its own bathroom is the honeymoon suite.
1. One of the features of the plane hostel is that______.| A．customers can sleep in comfortable rooms | B．air hostesses can offer good service |
| C．a wedding ceremony can be held on the wing | D．the staff can have a “wing walk” |
| A．the hostel lies at Arlanda airport in Stockholm | B．the jet plane was out of use in 2002 |
| C．the hostel provides nine bathrooms for customers | D．every hostel room is $ 41 per night |
| A．crowded | B．tense | C．small | D．full |
| A．introduce a new kind of hostel | B．describe a wonderful place for weddings |
| C．prove people can sleep on a plane | D．call on people to make use of the deserted things |
【推荐2】Women facing breast cancer (乳腺癌) report that their cats rank among the most important supporters, alongside parents and siblings (兄弟姐妹) they rely on to help them through their treatment.
Fish, a breast cancer survivor, relied on the companionship of her two cats, Phoebe and Jack, during her treatments. “They were the perfect companions when I needed them most,” Fish says. “They gave silent strength.” Fish is far from the only breast cancer survivor to show the power of her cat. A recent Purina Cat Chow national survey of breast cancer survivors with cats points out this important relationship.
Dr. Karen Sueda, at the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, says, “Whether pet owners are fighting diseases such as breast cancer or going through a rough period in life such as job loss or some stress, their cats often display intuitive (直觉的) behavior of knowing when they need extra support.”
Hearing countless stories from breast cancer patients and survivors of how they have been emotionally supported by their cats, Purina Cat Chow honors this exceptional relationship and is doing its part to help the fight against breast cancer. This year, in a partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Purina Cat Chow will donate more than $200,000 to the cause and invites consumers to help us raise awareness of breast cancer.
Susan G. Komen for the Cure is the world’s largest network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to find the cures. The organization has invested (投资) $1.3 billion in ending breast cancer, becoming the world’s largest source of non-profit funds (资金) devoted to the fight against breast cancer.
1. To many women with breast cancer, cats can _______.| A．bring strength and support to them. |
| B．teach them how to relax |
| C．know about what they think about. |
| D．help the patients to be optimistic |
| A．often collects cancer patients’ information |
| B．hopes to find more breast cancer patients |
| C．will help spread the knowledge about breast cancer |
| D．aims to find the best treatment for breast cancer |
| A．Unconcerned. | B．Supportive. | C．Doubtful. | D．Surprised. |
【推荐3】A 67-year-old man tried to rescue his dog from a cliff in California and died tragically. Actually,he is not the only pet owner who has risked his life saving an animal. There are many equally brave pet owners whose names are on the same list.
It's a scene from a famous TV series, when at a very important moment the 67-year-old Jack ran back into the family's burning house to save his daughter's dog He later died from cardiac arrest(心脏停搏) caused by taking in too much smoke.
After all that is not real, some might think. But similar stories are not difficult to find, in which the pet owners paid the ultimate price for saving their pets.
Recently, a 61-year-old Florida man was hit by a train with his dog after running out to save it from the railway. One month earlier, a woman in California died in the flames of a wildfire while trying to rescue her dog from a car. And in Texas after a hurricane, a 25-year-old man died from an electric shock after trying to save his sister's cat from her flooded home.
There have been many studies on humans attachment to pets, and there have been results associating health benefits with caring for animals. According to those studies, owning a pet can help lower blood pressure, reduce stress and relieve anxiety or depression.
According to one survey of American Pet Products Association, about 68 percent of the US families own a pet. And of all the pet owners, about 95 percent consider their pets part of the family.
1. What happened to the old man in paragraph 1?| A．He saw a tragedy last week. |
| B．He climbed a cliff. |
| C．He lost his life as a result of saving his dog. |
| D．He joined a growing list of courageous pet owners in an activity. |
| A．comparing | B．giving examples | C．analyzing | D．giving a definition |
| A．Jack's death was a result of heat in the smoke. |
| B．There aren't other pet owners who choose to do the same as Jack in real life. |
| C．Humans shouldn't take the risk of saving their pets. |
| D．There is scientific evidence that having a pet is good for people's health. |
