Prior to the 20th century, many languages with small numbers of speakers survived for centuries. The increasingly interconnected modern world makes it much more difficult for small language communities to live in relative isolation, a key factor in language maintenance and preservation. It remains to be seen whether the world can maintain its linguistic and cultural diversity in the centuries ahead. Many powerful forces appear to work against it: population growth, which pushes migrant populations into the world's last isolated locations; mass tourism; global telecommunications and mass media; and the spread of gigantic global corporations. All of these forces appear to signify a future in which the language of advertising, popular culture, and consumer products become similar. Already English and a few other major tongues have emerged as global languages of commerce and communication. For many of the world's peoples, learning one of these languages is viewed as the key to education, economic opportunity, and a better way of life. Only about 3,000 languages now in use are expected to survive the coming century. Are most of the rest doomed in the century after that?
Whether most of these languages survive will probably depend on how strongly cultural groups wish to keep their identity alive through a native language. To do so will require an emphasis on bilingualism(mastery of two languages). Bilingual speakers could use their own language in smaller spheres—at home, among friends, in community settings—and a global language at work, in dealings with government, and in commercial spheres. In this way, many small languages could sustain their cultural and linguistic integrity alongside global languages, rather than yield to the homogenizing forces of globalization. Ironically, the trend of technological innovation that threatened minority languages could also help save them. For example, some experts predict that computer software translation tools will one day permit minority language speakers to browse the Internet using their native tongues. Linguists are currently using computer-aided learning tools to teach a variety of threatened languages.
For many endangered languages, the line between revival and death is extremely thin. Language is remarkably resilient（有活力的）, however. It is not just a tool for communicating, hut also a powerful way of separating different groups, or of demonstrating group identity. Many indigenous communities have shown that it is possible to live in the modern world while reclaiming their unique identities through language.
1.Minority languages can be best preserved in_______.
A.an increasingly interconnected world B.maintaining small numbers of speakers
C.relatively isolated language communities D.following the tradition of the 20th century
2.According to Para. 2, that the world can maintain its linguistic diversity in the future is_______.
A.uncertain B.unrealistic C.foreseeable D.definite
3.According to the author, bilingualism can help _______.
A.small languages become acceptable in work places
B.homogenize the world's languages and cultures
C.global languages reach home and community settings
D.speakers maintain their linguistic and cultural identity
4.Computer technology is helpful for preserving minority languages in that it _______.
A.makes learning a global language unnecessary
B.facilitates the learning and using of those languages
C.raises public awareness of saving those languages
D.makes it easier for linguists to study those languages
5.In the author's view, many endangered languages are _______.
A.remarkable well-kept in this modern world
B.exceptionally powerful tools of communication
C.quite possible to be revived instead of dying out
D.a unique way of bringing different groups together
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1.【答案】C。
【解析】從文章第一段第二句“The increasingly interconnected modern world makes it much difficult for small language communities to live in relative isolation, a key factor in language maintenance and preservation.”可以看出：小語種能延續(xù)的最好條件就是語言的維持?？此膫€選項中A、B、D都不能充當其條件，所以應該選C。
2.【答案】A。
【解析】文章第一段第三句 “It remains to be seen whether the world can maintain its linguistic and cultural diversity in the centuries ahead.（接下來的幾個世紀，世界能否維持它的語言和文化多樣性還有待觀察。）”從這句話可以看出作者對于這個問題也持有的是一種不確定的態(tài)度，應該用uncertain，表示“不確定，不可預測”，所以應該選A。
3.【答案】D。
【解析】本題的線索在第二段，首先通過括號里的解釋了解單詞bilingualism意思是掌握兩種語言，緊接著講到了它的用處，具體講它能幫助什么要看“In this way, many small languages could sustain their cultural and linguistic integrity alongside global languages, rather than yield to the homogenizing forces of globalization.（這樣，許多小語種就能夠保持它們在文化和語言上的完整，和全球化的語言共存，而不是屈服于全球化語言的同化壓力。）”依照作者的觀點掌握兩種語言能夠幫助保持許多小語種在文化和語言上的完整性。只有D項符合文章的意思，所以應該選D。
4.【答案】B。
【解析】本題的答案在文章的第二段后半部分，即敘述計算機技術的這一部分。首先總結說它能夠挽救小語種，即保護小語種。然后舉了兩個例子來說明它的好處——“...some experts predict that computer software translation tools will one day permit minority language speakers to browse the Internet using their native tongues.（許多專家預言，計算機的翻譯軟件將使得講小語種的人能夠用他們的本土語言來瀏覽因特網(wǎng)。）”“Linguists are currently using computer-aided learning tools to teach a variety of threatened languages.（語言學家現(xiàn)在利用計算機輔助學習工具，講授面臨被同化威脅的各種語言。）”可見：總結這兩點可知計算機分別在學習和使用上幫助保護小語種，B項符合文章的意思，所以應該選B。
5.【答案】C。
【解析】根據(jù)題目首先確定答案在最后一段，最后一段首先講到“the line between revival and death is extremely thin”（復興和滅亡之間的距離很近）。緊接著說：但是“l(fā)anguage is remarkably resilient”（語言是非常有活力的），再看最后：“Many indigenous communities have shown that it is possible to live in the modern world while reclaiming their unique identities through language.”可見，作者認為，許多有滅絕危險的語言，將可能起死回生。C項符合文章的意思，所以應該選C。
