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2 . Every 40 days a language dies. This “catastrophic” loss is being intensified by the climate crisis, according to linguists. If nothing is done, conservative estimates suggest that half of all the 7,000 languages currently spoken will be extinct by the end of the century.
Speakers of minority languages have experienced a long history of persecution (迫害), with the result that by the 1920s half of all indigenous (土著的) languages in Australia, the US, South Africa and Argentina were extinct. The climate crisis is now considered the “final nail in the coffin” for many indigenous languages and the knowledge they represent.
“Languages are already endangered,” says Anastasia Rachel, director of the Strathy language unit at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. Huge factors are globalization and migration, as communities move to regions where their language is not spoken or valued, according to Rachel. “It seems particularly cruel,” she says, “that most of the world’s languages are in parts of the world that are growing unpleasant to people.” Vanuatu, a South Pacific island nation measuring 12, 189 km2, has 110 languages, the highest density of languages on the planet. It is also one of the countries most at risk of sea level rise. “Marty small language communities are on islands and coastlines easily subject to hurricanes and sea level rise,” she says. Others live on lands where rising temperature threatens traditional farming and fishing practices, leading to migration.
In response to the crisis, the UN launched the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (IDIL) in 2022. Promoting and conserving languages of indigenous communities is “not only important for them, but for all humanity”, said Csaba Korosi, the UN general assembly president, urging countries to allow access to education in indigenous languages.
1. Which statement best describes the facts of languages?| A．Climate change is the only challenge for minority languages. |
| B．Half of all the languages spoken will be extinct in the future. |
| C．Climate crisis is a huge threat to many indigenous languages. |
| D．Poor education is the direct cause of disappearing languages. |
| A．To explain the main reason for language density. |
| B．To show the common features of endangered languages. |
| C．To stress the impact of geographical position on migration. |
| D．To illustrate the situation of minority language communities. |
| A．Support migrants to access local education. |
| B．Discourage people from massive migration. |
| C．Protect the environment to reduce the temperature. |
| D．Preserve the languages of indigenous communities. |
| A．Faced with Disasters: Communities Have to Leave |
| B．Upset at Extinction: UN Urges International Cooperation |
| C．Lost for Words: Climate Crisis Brings Threat of Catastrophe |
| D．Involved in Action: Experts Seek Solutions to Climate Crisis |
3 . When it comes to elite universities like Cambridge and Harvard, students often worry that they are not clever enough to get in. But the truth may not be as simple as that.
According to The Guardian, most applicants to top schools have equally perfect test scores.
When James Keeler, the admissions tutor at Selwyn College, UK, went through a pile of essays for medical school candidates, one of them caught his eyes. “He's been volunteering with St John Ambulance, and also training to be a special policeman.
"Unfortunately, most essays fail to highlight what's unique about each applicant. Students are often obsessed with maintaining a faultless image of themselves and are afraid to show who they really are. They write an essay, and then it gets passed through the English teacher and the parents and the aunt and uncle and the guidance counselor.
| A．We are eager to meet straight A students |
| B．By the time it gets to us, it's just so wonderful that it's hard to really get a sense of that person |
| C．We want them to be as individual as possible |
| D．In terms of extracurricular activities, universities are also looking for "distinguishing excellence" |
| E．Students get rejected largely because they "failed to shine" as a person |
| F．No single student will be admitted unless they are academically top "A" |
| G．That's something I've never seen before |
4 . Children moving from primary to secondary school are ill-quipped to deal with the impact of social media. which is playing an increasingly important role in their lives and exposing them to significant emotional risk, according to a report by the Office of the Children's Commissioner for England.
The report shows that many children in Grade 7-the first year of secondary school, when almost all students will have a phone and be active on social media feel under pressure to be constantly connected.
They worry about their online image, particularly when they start to follow celebrities on Instagram and other platforms. They are also concerned about "sharenting"-when parents post pictures of them on social media without their permission and worry that their parents won't listen if they ask them to take pictures down.
The report, which was created with data from focus group interviews with8- to12-year-olds, says that though most social media sites have an official limit of 13, an estimated 75 percent of 10-to 12-year-olds have a social media account.
Some children are almost addicted to "likes", the report says. Aaron, an 11-year-old in Grade 7, told researchers," If I got 150 likes, I'd be like, that's pretty cool, and it means they like you." Some children described feeling inferior to those they follow on social media. Aimee, also 11, said, "You might compare yourself because you're not very pretty compared to them."
Anne Longfield from Children's Commissioner for England is calling on parents and teachers to do more to prepare children for the emotional impact of social media as they get older. She wants to see the introduction of compulsory digital literacy and online resilience（适应力）lessons for students in Grades 6 and 7.
"It is also clear that social media companies are still not doing enough to stop under-13s using their platforms in the first place," Longfield said.
"Just because a child who has learned the safety messages at primary school does not mean they are prepared for all the challenges that social media will present," Longfield said.
"It means a bigger role for schools in making sure children are prepared for emotional demands of social media. And it means social media companies need to take more responsibility," Longfield said.
1. What is the report mainly about?| A．An increasing number of 7-year-old are being exposed to social media. |
| B．Social media occupies too much time for secondary school freshmen. |
| C．Many secondary school freshmen suffer from social media-related stress. |
| D．The use of social networking is causing relationship problems for teenagers. |
| A．How they are seen on social media sites. |
| B．How they can keep away from social media. |
| C．Their parents monitoring their use of social media. |
| D．Their parents banning them to post pictures on social media. |
| A．Some 10- to 12-yarold children tend to copy the celebrities they follow. |
| B．Some 10- to 12yerold children wish to be recognized by others. |
| C．Some 10- to 12yearold children ignore the number of likes they get. |
| D．Some 10- to 12-year-old children feel inferior to their followers. |
| A．Parents should monitor how their children use social media. |
| B．Social media companies should set an official age limit of 13. |
| C．Social media companies should create special sites for children under 13. |
| D．Schools should help equip students for the challenges of social media. |
5 . When emergency workers arrive at an old firehouse in New York City, the way they greet each other is not what you might expect. These first responders say," Ni Hao! " "Ni Hao" means "hello" in Mandarin Chinese.
First responders are the first emergency workers to arrive at a fire, traffic accident or other emergency. Some first responders are fire fighters, while others can be Emergency Medical Technicians.
In Brooklyn, New York, over 20 first responders are studying Mandarin Chinese for about two hours a week. The class is the first of its kind. It is offered by the New York City Fire Department Foundation.
The U. S. Census Bureau recently reported that some New York neighborhoods are made up mostly of immigrants. Some people have predicted that the Chinese community is likely to become New York's largest immigrant group. They think the city will have the largest Chinese community outside of Asia.
The Census Bureau also found that almost 200 languages are spoken in the city. So, knowing different languages is important, especially if you are a first responder.
Lieutenant(中尉,少尉) Steve Lee is president of the Fire Department's Phoenix Society. He says that first responders must be able to communicate quickly and effectively when an emergency happens. He explains that first responders enter neighborhoods and communities to assist regardless of where they are from. Many times first responders do not speak the same language as the people they are called to help. He adds that it is vital, or very important, that first responders are able to communicate with the people calling for help.
Without help from homeowners and others, Lee adds, discovering exactly where a fire is burning can be a real problem. First responders need to ask questions such as "What building? What address? What apartment?" And the most important question," Is there anybody left in the building and where?"
1. Who are first responders according to Paragraph 2?| A．People first learning the disaster. | B．Persons leading the emergency rescue. |
| C．Rescuers first reaching the disaster | D．People first find the disaster. |
| A．To show respect to the Chinese immigrants. |
| B．To learn about Chinese cultures much better. |
| C．To meet the rapid growth of Chinese population. |
| D．To find a better job in Chinese community. |
| A．The place where the fire occurs. | B．The people trapped in the fire. |
| C．The language to communicate. | D．The distance covered to the fire. |
| A．Mandarin Being a Must for Emergency Workers |
| B．New York's Emergency Crews Learning Mandarin |
| C．Language Problem Disturbing First Responders' Work |
| D．Importance of Languages Used in Emergency Rescue |
