The world's native languages are dying out at an unprecedented(空前的) rate, taking with them irreplaceable(不能替代的) knowledge about the natural world, according to a new study.
The study identified five global "hot spots" where languages are vanishing faster than anywhere else ---- eastern Siberia, northern Australia, central South America, the US state of Oklahoma and the US Pacific Northwest. "Languages are suffering a global extinction crisis that greatly goes beyond the pace of species extinction," linguistics(语言学的) professor David Harrison noted, who said half of the world's 7,000 languages were expected to disappear before the end of the century.
Native people had an intimate(详尽的) knowledge of their environment that was lost when their language disappeared, along with other certain things often unfamiliar to us, Harrison stressed. "Most of what we know about species and ecosystems is not written down anywhere, it's only in people's heads," he said. "We are seeing in front of our eyes the loss of the human knowledge base."
Harrison was one of a team of linguists who carried out the study. The researchers traveled to Australia this year to study native languages, some of the most endangered. According to Harrison, in Australia, they were heartened to see a woman in her 80s who was one of the only three remaining speakers of the Yawuru language passing on her knowledge to schoolchildren. He said such inter-generational exchanges were the only way native languages could survive. "The children had elected to take this course, no one forced them," he said. "When we asked them why they were learning it, they said,‘This is a dying language, we need to learn it'." Also, while there they found a man with knowledge of the Amurdag language, which had previously been thought extinct.
The researchers said all five of the hot spots identified were areas that had been successfully colonized and where a dominant language such as Spanish or English was threatening native tongues.
【小题1】What does this text mainly talk about?
A.A study on native languages endangered. |
B.The knowledge of native languages. |
C.People's efforts in saving native languages |
D.Harrison and his study on languages. |
A.causes the researchers lots of worries |
B.speeds up the pace of species extinction |
C.threatens the existing of Spanish and English |
D.brings about a loss of knowledge about the environment |
A.Native languages became less endangered in Australia. |
B.A man was found with knowledge of the Amurdag language. |
C.Researchers were well received by native people in Australia. |
D.Many schoolchildren showed interest in the Yawuru language. |
【小题1】A
【小题2】D
【小题3】B
解析试题分析:这篇文章讲的是本族语正在面临濒临的危险,这些本土语言的消失会带来文化的消失,专家呼吁要采取措施保护这些语言。
【小题1】主旨题:从文章第一段的句子:The world's native languages are dying out at an unprecedented(空前的) rate, taking with them irreplaceable(不能替代的) knowledge about the natural world, according to a new study.可知这篇文章讲的是本族语濒临危险,选A
【小题2】细节题:从第三段的句子:Native people had an intimate(详尽的) knowledge of their environment that was lost when their language disappeared, along with other certain things often unfamiliar to us, Harrison stressed.可知Harrison 认为本族语言的消失带来的周围环境的知识的丧失,选D
【小题3】推理题:从倒数第二段的句子:" Also, while there they found a man with knowledge of the Amurdag language, which had previously been thought extinct. 可知他们发现以前被认为消失的Amurdag语言居然有个人会说,这是一个好消息。选B
考点:考查文化类短文
科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
NO matter which tourist destination you visit, chances are you’ll see Lonely Planet guidebooks in the hands of travelers.
Lonely Planet is one of the world’s largest travel guide brands, publishing more than 500 different guides in eight languages. This year marks the company’s 40th anniversary. The popular brand also produces television shows, websites and podcasts, all dedicated to travel.
Some people praise Lonely Planet books because they make traveling easy and affordable. They save you time and keep you from missing the very best things in a place. And of course, their reviews of hostels, hotels and restaurants, in addition to ticket information about your destination, are useful.
This can be great if you’re a nervous traveler, or if you haven’t traveled by yourself before. If you’re in a country where you don’t speak the language, sometimes there’s nothing better than getting into a taxi and opening up a guidebook. You simply point to a map, directing the taxi driver to a hostel that’s cheap and clean, with friendly staff and cold beer.
But others criticize Lonely Planet and other travel guide publishers. They say guidebooks take the fun and spontaneity(自发性)out of traveling, and that part of the enjoyment of travel comes from the fact that anything can happen. They also lament(哀叹)that if you follow a guidebook, you’ll end up doing the same things and having the same experiences as everyone else. You might end up seeing the same group of people over and over, because everyone is reading the same book and following the same trail.
Another criticism of travel guides is that they have an overly(过度的)large influence on local communities. For example, some locals dedicate their lives solely(仅仅)to behaving in ways that attract tourists. They fake a traditional lifestyle, wear traditional clothes and live in traditional houses just to attract tourists’ dollars.
【小题1】The Lonely Planet guidebook can bring you the following advantages EXCEPT that .
A.it can help you to save time and money when traveling |
B.you will not miss the best things without having to make choices |
C.it provides a lot of useful information about your destination |
D.you can easily find a nice place to stay in a strange city |
A.Someone who always takes a taxi when traveling. |
B.A tourist who likes to repeat others’ experiences. |
C.A person who’s nervous touring an unfamiliar place. |
D.A native traveler who is traveling alone. |
A.the guidebook is not as useful as most travelers expect |
B.travelers using it will be bored with meeting the same people on their journey |
C.travelers using it may not get the chance to have unexpected adventures |
D.local people keep their old lifestyle under the guidebook’s influence |
A.mistake | B.learn | C.pretend | D.create |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
According to legend, the Bridge of Sighs in Venice, Italy, which connects the Palazzo Ducale to an ancient prison, got its name because the walk across it gave prisoners on their way to jail a final chance to enjoy the beauty of the city. The view from the bridge today, however, is more likely to be of a giant billboard selling Bulgari or Coca-cola.
But when the Coke billboards went up this summer on buildings near the Piazza San Marco,which is at the historic heart of Venice, there was a public debate.
"We can't commercialize everything, " said Alessandra Mottola Molfino, a Venetian.
"We couldn't stay quiet, " said Maria Camilla Bianchini d'Alberigo, president of a heritage protection association.
City of officials. however, argue that without these ads, the city could not afford to maintain its heritage. Many have been damaged by centuries of wear and are even a threat to public safety.
"I can't turn down the image of a bottle when there are pieces of the Palazzo Ducale falling to the ground, " said Renata Codello, a Culture Ministry official.
The Culture Minister has a budget of about $ 47 million (315 million yuan) for restoration of monuments. but Italy has a rich architectural heritage, and funds are always tight. Of that amount, $ 1. 8 million was given to the entire Veneto region, which includes Venice.
Two years ago, the city signed an agreement with the Dottor Group, a company responsible for the restoration of the Bridge of Sighs and the Palazzo Ducale. It allows it to sell ad space.
But there is a condition in the agreement: The ads should not offend public taste.
In August, Venice banned US actress Julianne Moore's Bulgrari ad from a billboard in the Piazza San Marco.
The photo shows a naked Moore covered with lion cubs. handbags and jewelry. Mayor Giorgio Orsoni called the image too racy (猥亵) and unsuitable for the Piazza San Marco.
"l consider the fact that Venice is part of the real world_ but we cannot accept these Hollywood-style images. There are wise sponsors. and we need to come up with advertising that suits Venice. not Times Square, " he said in a speech.
【小题1】The article is mainly about__________in Venice.
A.restoration of cultural heritage |
B.widespread commercialization |
C.the conflict between ads and cultural heritage |
D.the difficulty of restoring monuments |
A.introduce other monuments of the ancient city |
B.show many ancient structures need repairing |
C.indicate that the view is blocked by huge ads |
D.attract readers' interest in the famous city |
A.is in favor of | B.is worried about | C.objects to | D.doesn't mind |
A.They support commercialization. |
B.They feel the ads are damaging the city. |
C.The ads are usually racy and in an American style. |
D.The ads don't present a traditional view of Venice. |
A.Hollywood stars' ads cannot go up in Venice |
B.people can buy Bulgari or Coca-cola on the Bridge of Sighs |
C.the Dottor Group may stop its restoration work for lack of funds |
D.the mayor of Venice is expecting new advertising |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
The flag, the most common symbol of a nation in the modern world, is also one of the most ancient. With a clear symbolic meaning, the flag in the traditional form is still used today to mark building, ships and other vehicles related to a country.
The national flag as we know it today is in no way a primitive artifact. It is , rather, the product of thousands of years’ development. Historians believe that it had two major ancestors, of which the earlier served to show wind direction.
Early human beings used very fragile houses and boats. Often strong winds would tear roofs from houses or cause high waves that endangered travelers. People’s food supplies were similarly vulnerable (易受损害的). Even after they had learned how to plant grains, they still needed help from nature to ensure good harvests. Therefore they feared and depended on the power of the wind, which could bring warmth from one direction and cold from another.
Using a simple piece of cloth tied to the top of a post to tell the direction of the wind was more dependable than earlier methods, such as watching the rising of smoke from a fire. The connection of the flag with heavenly power was therefore reasonable. Early human societies began to fix long pieces of cloth to the tops of totems (图腾)before carrying them into battle. They believed that the power of the wind would be added to the good wishes of the gods and ancestors represented by the totems themselves.
These flags developed very slowly into modern flags. The first known flag of a nation or a ruler was unmarked: The king of China around 1008 B.C. was known to have a white flag carried ahead of him. This practice might have been learned from Egyptians even further in the past, but it was from China that it spread over trade routes through India, then across Arab lands, and finally to Europe, where it met up with the other ancestor of the national flag.
【小题1】The best title for the passage would be_________________
A.Uses of Flags | B.Power of the National Flag |
C.Type of Flags | D.Development of the National Flag |
A.they could tell wind direction |
B.they could bring good luck to fighters |
C.they were believed to stand for natural forces. |
D.they were handed down by the ancestors |
A.He knows when it was sent to Europe. |
B.He believes it was made in Egypt. |
C.He doubts where it started |
D.He thinks it came from China. |
A.The second ancestor of the national flag. |
B.The role of China in the spread of the national flag. |
C.The use of modern flags in Europe. |
D.The importance of modern flags. |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Michael J. “Crocodile Dundee” (also called Mick), played by Paul Hogan, is the main character in the fictional Crocodile Dundee film series consisting of Crocodile Dundee, Crocodile Dundee II, and Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles. The character is a crocodile hunter, hence the nickname.
In the first film, Crocodile Dundee, Mick is visited by a New York reporter, Sue Charlton, who travels to Australia to investigate a report she heard of a crocodile hunter, who had his leg bitten off by a crocodile in the outback. The hunter supposedly walked more than a hundred miles back to civilization and miraculously survived his injuries. However, by the time she meets him, the story turns out to be a somewhat exaggerated legend where the “bitten-off leg” turns out to be just being some bad scarring on his leg; a “love bite” as Mick calls it. Still intrigued by the idea of “Crocodile Dundee”, Sue continues with the story. They travel together out to where the incident occurred, and follow his route through the bush to the nearest hospital. Despite his old-fashioned views, the pair eventually become close, especially after Mick saves Sue from a crocodile attack.
Feeling there is still more to the story, Sue invites Mick back to New York with her, as his first trip to a city (or “first trip anywhere,” as Dundee says). The rest of the film depicts Dundee as a “fish out of water,” showing how, despite his expert knowledge of living outdoors, he knows little of city life. Mick meets Sue’s boyfriend, Richard, but they do not get along. By the end of the film, Mick is on his way home, lovesick, when Sue realizes she loves Mick, too, and not Richard. She runs to the subway station to stop Mick from leaving and, by passing on messages through the packed-to-the-gills crowd, she tells him she won’t marry Richard, and she loves him instead. With the help of the other people in the subway, Mick and Sue have a loving reunion as the film ends.
【小题1】Which of the following statements is true about Mick?
A.He is a crocodile hunter living in Los Angeles. |
B.He is based on a real person in Australia. |
C.He got his nickname because of his job. |
D.He wrote a film series about himself. |
A.pretends he was bitten by a crocodile |
B.urges Sue Charlton to write his life story |
C.hasn’t been abroad before his trip to America |
D.shows Sue Charlton around the town he lives in |
A.annoyed | B.interested | C.troubled | D.surprised |
A.makes friends with Richard |
B.makes full use of his bush skills |
C.feels excited about living in a big city |
D.doesn’t know how to fit into city life |
A.a romantic story | B.an action movie |
C.a science fiction | D.a frightening story |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Getting married can be one of the happiest moments in a person’s life. Throughout the world, weddings are very important events. Let’s look at some interesting wedding customs from different countries.
For African Americans, it is tradition for the married couple to jump over a broom covered with flowers. This represents the beginning of family life. It is interesting to note that African slaves who were brought to the USA started this tradition. African American couples were not allowed to have a legal marriage, so instead they had a ceremony where the bride and groom jumped over a broom “into marriage”.
Making jokes about the bride and groom is a wedding tradition in both France and Germany. In France, this includes making loud noises with pots; in Germany, wedding guests break dishes. Weddings in Germany often last for three days. On Thursday, there is a simple ceremony at a government office noting the official marriage of the couple. Then the couple will have a dinner with family and close friends. On Friday, there is a party. This is when guests break dishes to represent the start of a new life. Then on Sunday, there is a ceremony in a church.
In Greece and Italy, people eat special kinds of sweets at the wedding. Both Greece and Italy also have their own special wedding dances, which all of the guests enjoy.
In Russia, couples tie a doll to their wedding car if they want to have a daughter, or a toy bear if they want to have a son.
In England, it is tradition for the little girls to throw flowers on the ground on the way to the wedding ceremony. The bride and groom walk on these flowers. This represents the hope that the couples will follow the path that leads to a happy life.
Topic | ·Getting married can be 1. __________ than any other moment in a person’s life. ·Interesting wedding customs differ 2. _________ country to country. |
Countries/ People | Wedding Customs |
African Americans | ·Married couple jump over a broom covered with flowers, which 3. _________ the beginning of family life. ·In the past, African American couples were 4. __________ to get married legally. |
France and Germany | ·Make jokes about the bride and groom. ·In Germany, wedding guests get dishes 5. __________. ·A German wedding often 6. _________ three days. |
The Greek and the 7. __________ | ·Either Greece 8. _________ Italy has its own special wedding dances, which all of the guests enjoy. |
Russia | ·If couples want to have a daughter, they will have a doll 9. _________ to their wedding car. |
The English | ·The bride and groom walk on the flowers thrown by little girls. It represents the hope of 10. __________ the path leading to a happy life. |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Most kinds of rose plants come from Asia. But roses are also native to other areas including northwest Africa, Europe and the United States. In 1986, Congress chose the rose as America’s national flower. Technically, Congress and President Ronald Reagan declared it the “national floral emblem.” Whatever the name, the decision did not smell sweet to supporters of others popular flowers.
Some people say roses are difficult to grow. But you have a good chance of success if you start with a few suggestions from experts. You should plant your roses where they can get sunshine for about six hours on bright days. You can buy roses form a garden center or by mail order. You can buy potted roses, also known as container roses, or bare-root plants. Each kind has its fans.
Some gardeners say potted roses are easier to plant. They say the roots develop better. But Jeffrey Dinslage, an expert, pint out that bare-root roses come without soil. So they weigh less to transport.
Another expert advises getting bare-foot roses as close to planting time as you can. If they arrive before you are ready to plant them, make sure the packing material is moist. Keep the plants in a cool, dark place. The resting plants have no leaves but still need water. When growing roses, the soil should feel moist deep down. Watering should be done in the morning.
But do not water too much. People often ask Jeffrey Dinslage about unhealthy discoloration on rose leaves. He says the spots are usually caused by too much water. After heavy rains or too much watering, he advises pulling away mulch, the substance used to protect the roots, temporarily from around the roots. This will help dry the soil.
【小题1】From the first paragraph, we know that in the United States _______.
A.all the people like roses | B.there are a lot of national flowers |
C.some roses don’t smell sweet | D.there are some other popular flowers |
A.They are easier to plant. | B.Their roots develop better. |
C.They are cheap to transport | D.Their leaves need no water |
A.Slightly wet. | B.Pretty dry. | C.Too hard. | D.Lightly soft. |
A.not water roses in the morning | B.protect the roots of roses |
C.improve the quality of the soil | D.not water roses very much |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Ever since he got into the Hong Kong film industry in 1994 with He’s a Woman, She’s a Man, Hong Kong director, Peter Chan has been one of the industry’s most powerful voices. Later in 1996, another milestone Comrades: Almost a Love Story came into being. Chan’s latest film, American Dreams in China is a carefully-calculated film with an eye toward opening the mainland cinema market.
American Dreams in China is a film purely for Chinese audiences, but how it plays there remains to be seen. It sends the right messages, but whether that’s enough to make it a hit is everyone’s guess. Mainland audiences aren’t quite that easy to “speak” to.
The film began during the period of economic reforms in China in the 1980s. The bookish farm boy Cheng Dongqing (Huang Xiaoming), the ambitious and confident boy Meng Xiaojun (Deng Chao) and the poetic Wang Yang(Tong Dawei), were three friends at university in Beijing and preparing for American visa interviews. Wang was the first to be granted the visa but he gave it up for his western girlfriend, and Cheng was repeatedly denied. Only Meng actually got a study visa. As he was leaving, he told his friends that he wouldn’t come back.
Several years later, Cheng and Wang built a successful school, New Dream, from the ashes of Cheng’s misfortune(his girlfriend got a visa too, and Cheng lost his university teaching job) and Wang’s ability to connect with students often through Hollywood movies. In America, Meng suffered a lot. Disappointed, he went home and joined his friends at New Dream. Later, the three friends’ relationship became worsened, but finally was improved under the weight of their common goals.
【小题1】Which of the following films made Peter Chan a most influential director in Hong Kong?
A.American Dreams in China |
B.Comrades: Almost a Love Story |
C.New Dream |
D.He’s a Woman, She’s a Man |
A.prepared | B.given | C.involved | D.permitted |
A.None | B.One. | C.Three. | D.Two |
A.The connection with Hollywood movies. |
B.The weight of their common goals. |
C.Cheng’s misfortune and Wang’s ability. |
D.Meng’s disappointment and sufferings. |
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