1 . Newborns begin to develop language skills long before they begin speaking. And, compared to adults, they develop these skills more quickly. People have a hard time learning new languages as they grow older, but babies have the ability to learn any language easily.
For a long time, scientists have tried to explain how such young children can learn the complicated (复杂的) grammatical rules and sounds of a language. Now, researchers are getting a better idea of what’s happening in the brains of the tiniest language learners. This new information might help kids with learning problems as well as adults who want to learn new languages. It might even help scientists who are trying to design computers that can communicate like people do.
Most babies go “ma ma” by 6 months of age, and most children speak in full sentences by age 3. For many years, scientists have wondered how the brains of young children figure out how to communicate using language. With the help of new technologies, scientists are now finding that babies begin life with the ability to learn any language. They get into contact with other people, listen to what they say and watch their movements very closely. That is why they quickly master the languages they hear most often.
Studies show that, up to about 6 months of age, babies can recognize all the sounds that make up all the languages in the world. Starting at around 6 months old a baby’s brain focuses on the most common sounds it hears. Then, children begin responding only to the sound s of the language they hear the most.
In a similar way older babies start recognizing the patterns that make up the rules of their native language. For example, English children who are about 18 months old start to figure out that words ending in “-ing” or “-ed” are usually verbs, and that verbs are action words.
1. The new research in the second paragraph can be helpful in ______.| A．finding successful language learners | B．teaching kids with learning problems |
| C．designing human-shaped computers | D．improving babies’ language ability |
| A．repeating the words of other people | B．remembering the full sentences they hear |
| C．hearing and closely watching others behave | D．figuring out the meaning of different sounds |
| A．why babies pay more attention to sounds |
| B．how babies respond to what they hear most often |
| C．why verbs in a language attract the most attention of a baby |
| D．how babies master the grammatical rules of their native language |
| A．discuss | B．educate | C．inform | D．entertain |
2 . Almost all humans acquire at least one language before the age of five. How do young children understand and produce complex sentences with complicated meanings? Do adults learn language differently from children? Most linguistic (语言学的) researchers agree that both nature and nurture (后天) are involved in language acquisition. They disagree, however, about how much linguistic knowledge children have from birth — and thus whether genetics or experience is more important in language acquisition.
For many linguists, biological factors are the most important in language learning. Some argue that some linguistic knowledge must exist in our brains from birth because children cannot possibly experience every feature of their language before the age of five. These linguists point out that nearly all children can produce the same kinds of complex sentence structures by the age of five, even without having heard them before.
Many researchers have theorized what this innate (先天的) linguistic knowledge must look like. One popular theory (理论) is universal grammar. This theory believes that all languages have the same basic structural foundation. That foundation is the innate knowledge universal to all humans. While children are not genetically tending to speak a particular language, a universal grammar gives them certain linguistic information as a starting point, which allows them to readily acquire the rules and patterns of whichever language they are exposed to.
Not all linguists, however, believe that an inborn ability for language is the most important factor in language acquisition. These researchers place greater emphasis on the influence of usage and experience. They argue that children are exposed to a wealth of linguistic structures over the course of five years. They gather data and determine language patterns and structures from what they have observed.
Linguists on both sides of the debate are still working to explain the different language learning abilities of adults and children. Early childhood seems to be an important period for mastering certain aspects of language. Children also tend to have a heightened ability to learn second languages. While adults may have some advantages when studying in a formal classroom， they usually do not learn second languages. While adults may have some advantages when studying in a formal classroom, they usually do not learn as quickly and easily as children. Are these different abilities a result of differences in how adults and children are exposed to a new language? Are they the result of biological changes, or do both biology and experience come into play?
While our understanding of language acquisition is incomplete, this pursuit is well worth the effort. “We still don’t understand how a child learns its first language, why some children have language disorders, or how children and adults learn a second language,” explains Professor Joan Ma ling.
Explaining the process of language acquisition promises not only to help scientists answer these questions, but also to explain fundamental features of learning and the human brain.
1. What does the passage mainly talk about?| A．The control of nurture over nature in language acquisition. |
| B．The influence of universal grammar in language acquisition. |
| C．The best methods for children and adults to acquire language. |
| D．The role of biological and environmental factors in language acquisition. |
| A．Studying language acquisition will help understand language and the brain better. |
| B．Some experts believe innate factors explain children’s language development. |
| C．Some experts focus on the role of environmental factors in language acquisition. |
| D．Acquiring a language is complicated, and it involves both nature and nurture. |
| A．Present a general argument and then explain a specific theory. |
| B．Present a specific theory and then propose a new study to prove it. |
| C．Present a general argument and then disprove an opposite argument. |
| D．Present a scientific debate and then discuss what all linguists agree on. |
| A．To raise open questions that all linguists have. |
| B．To present two different viewpoints on language learning. |
| C．To stress the importance of experience in language learning. |
| D．To introduce adult language acquisition and show why it’s unpopular. |
1.俱乐部主要活动；
2.加入俱乐部的益处；
3.如何加入。
注意：
1.写作词数应为80左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题纸的相应位置作答。
New Members Wanted
Welcome to the English Club!
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________English Club
1. What’s the best language study method according to the man?
| A．Speaking with local people. | B．Listening to news. | C．Using an app. |
| A．Touring the country. | B．Exploring local cafes. | C．Getting involved in culture. |
| A．How to use a dictionary. |
| B．Reading English newspapers. |
| C．Studying English with a teacher. |
6 . In February 2022, I began learning Chinese. Almost a year later, I found myself in Beijing, the capital of China. Before coming here, I had attended Chinese classes, and I could sense my progress in the language, albeit modest. As you might expect, studying for just one year wasn’t sufficient to claim fluency, and to be honest, I’m not there yet. But full proficiency in the language is not necessary to immerse yourself in and enjoy many attractions of life in China.
The one thing that truly makes me feel comfortable and alleviates loneliness is making friends and engaging in conversation. At Tsinghua University, where I pursued my studies in China, I made friends with many Chinese young people and relished spending time with them, be it for meals or leisure activities. I’ve been delighted to sing Chinese songs, for example, those by the famous Chinese singer Jay Chou, with my friends. I would also sing well-known Japanese songs, such as Lemon, which, as it turns out, is very popular in China. I felt that connecting with my Chinese peers through a shared passion, such as singing, was incredibly enjoyable and beautiful. It transcended language barriers and fostered a sense of unity and joy that was truly special.
During breaks from study, I frequently embarked on solo journeys across China. Although I have experienced traveling on overnight trains for over 12 hours several times and explored unfamiliar cities, I never felt fearful or unwelcome as a foreigner. Chinese people are consistently warm and welcome to foreigners, and eager to engage in conversation.
I once participated in community activities in Northwest China’s Gansu province to gain a deeper understanding of China’s rural areas and contribute to the development of local communities and education. As a volunteer teacher at a local school, I shared contemporary and traditional Japanese culture such as anime, architecture, pop music and languages with the students. Since Japanese kanji originated in China, there are many similarities between the Japanese and Chinese languages.
1. What is necessary for the author to enjoy attractions of life in China?| A．Having proficiency in Chinese. | B．Befriending with foreign tourists. |
| C．Setting out on solo journeys alone. | D．Communicating with Chinese locals. |
| A．Advocated. | B．Enjoyed. | C．Postponed. | D．Avoided. |
| A．By listing numbers. | B．By giving examples. |
| C．By making comparison. | D．By setting questions. |
| A．Hospitable. | B．Cautious. | C．Punctual. | D．Smart. |
7 . One year ago, I paid no attention to English idioms (习语), though my teacher told me about them again and again. But soon, the
One day, I
| A．effect | B．difference | C．importance | D．source |
| A．used | B．expected | C．happened | D．refused |
| A．foreigner | B．teacher | C．student | D．partner |
| A．hand | B．arm | C．head | D．body |
| A．worried | B．uneasy | C．curious | D．confused |
| A．style | B．topic | C．opinion | D．task |
| A．laugh at | B．ran after | C．rely on | D．refer to |
| A．works | B．wonders | C．choices | D．examples |
| A．help | B．admit | C．regret | D．allow |
| A．naturally | B．purposely | C．hardly | D．greatly |
| A．Finding | B．Feeling | C．Hearing | D．Noticing |
| A．request | B．explain | C．complain | D．determine |
| A．problem | B．expression | C．goal | D．recognition |
| A．sense | B．sign | C．mess | D．fool |
| A．satisfied | B．annoyed | C．anxious | D．careful |
1. What’s the relationship between the speakers?
| A．Teacher and student. | B．TV host and guest. | C．Classmates. |
| A．Spanish. | B．French. | C．English. |
| A．Listening to the radio. | B．Studying in the university. | C．Traveling in these countries. |
| A．She is learning Chinese. | B．She’ll give a performance. | C．She hopes to become a singer. |
10 . While high school does not generally encourage students to explore new aspects of life, college sets the stage for that exploration. I myself went through this
I never felt an urge(冲动)to
The story began during my first week at college. I watched as the ASL Club
After that, feeling the need to explore further, I decided to drop in on one of ASL Club's meetings. I only learned how to
The following term, I registered an ASL class. The professor was deaf and any talking was
| A．searching | B．planning | C．natural | D．formal |
| A．progress | B．experience | C．advance | D．potential |
| A．choose | B．read | C．learn | D．create |
| A．official | B．non-verbal | C．body | D．spoken |
| A．love | B．concern | C．aim | D．request |
| A．recorded | B．detected | C．performed | D．assessed |
| A．flooded | B．supported | C．attracted | D．embarrassed |
| A．process | B．end | C．distance | D．past |
| A．showing | B．desiring | C．claiming | D．acting |
| A．print | B．write | C．sign | D．count |
| A．obvious | B．regular | C．relevant | D．slow |
| A．chair | B．sponsor | C．attend | D．organize |
| A．welcomed | B．available | C．repeated | D．impossible |
| A．Hence | B．Instead | C．Nevertheless | D．Lastly |
| A．new | B．quick | C．popular | D．easy |
