Question

【题目】David Cameron is urging today’s youngesters to abandon French to concentrate on the tongue of the future—Mandarin(普通话)。

Cameron said: “I want Britain linked up to the world’s fast-growing economies. And that includes our young people learning the languages to seal tomorrow’s business deals.”

“By the time the children born today leave school, China is to be the world’s largest economy. So it’s time to look beyond the traditional focus on French and German and get many more children learning Mandarin.” To strengthen his message , he quoted Nelson Mandela—the former president of South Africa who said “If you talk to a man in a language he understands that goes to his head; if you talk to him in his own language that goes to his heart.”

Cameron said that a partnership between the British Council (英国文化协会) and Hanban will double the number of Chinese language assistants in the UK by 2016 and provide increased funding to schools of offering Mandarin as a language choice. In a development of the UK—China School Partnership programme, funding will also be provided for 60 headteachers to make study visits to China in 2014.

In recent research the British Council found only 1% of the adult population speaks Mandarin to a level that allows them to conduct a basic conversation. Just 3,000 pupils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland entered for Chinese languages GCSEs in 2013, putting it far behind the traditional choices of French with 177,000, Spanish with 91,000 and German with 62,000 entrants(加入者), as well as Urdu, Polish and Arabic.

Professor Dame Helen Wallace, the British Academy’s foreign secretary, said, “ a lack of qualified teachers could be a barrier to improve its popularity.”

Laura Chan, one of the co—founders of a bilingual Mandarin—English primary school, said the prime minister’s announcement was good news for the status of Mandarin. She said, “It’s a great help. It will increase people’s awareness of Mandarin as a language they can learn.”

【1】What is the text mainly talking about?

A. David Cameron calls for British students to learn Mandarin.

B. David Cameron has visited China for three days.

C. Chinese language is very popular with British people.

D. The cooperation is important between the UK and China.

【2】Why does David Cameron urge students to learn Chinese?

A. Because Chinese will be a widely—used language in the world.

B. Because there are many Chinese people living in Britain.

C. Because he thinks China will become the largest economy.

D. Because only a few of British people can communicate in Chinese.

【3】What is the writer’s attitude to the popularity of Mandarin?

A. It’s wonderful but it also has some problems.

B. It can be a great waste of time and energy.

C. It’s only a design for the youngsters later.

D. It’s only a way to help students to travel abroad.

【4】What is the purpose of David Cameron by quoting Mandela’s words in Paragraph3?

A. To compare different ideas.

B. To show his rich knowledge.

C. To share Mandela’s opinion.

D. To persuade people to learn Mandarin.

Answer 1

【答案】根据第一段的总结A选项 David Cameron calls for British students to learn Mandarin.

【解析】本文是一篇新闻报道。英国首相卡梅伦呼吁英国年轻人放弃法语学习，集中精力学习“未来的语言”——汉语。

【1】主旨大意题。通读全文可知，第一段是文章主题段，主要讲述英国首相卡梅伦呼吁英国年轻人放弃法语学习，集中精力学习“未来的语言”——汉语。故选A项正确。

【2】推理判断题。根据第二段和第三段前两句“‘By the time the children born today leave school, China is to be the world’s largest economy. So it’s time to look beyond the traditional focus on French and German and get many more children learning Mandarin.’”可知，卡梅伦希望英国能紧跟世界经济发展的脚步，其中之一就是让年轻一代为了未来经济贸易发展学习语言。等到这一代学生毕业的时候，中国很可能已经是世界最大的经济体了。所以现在是时候将注意力从传统的德、法语学习转向汉语学习了。因此可知，卡梅伦要求学生学习汉语是因为他认为中国将会成为最大的经济体。故选C项正确。

【3】观点态度题。根据文章提到的卡梅伦说的话和第五段第一句“In recent research the British Council found only 1% of the adult population speaks Mandarin to a level that allows them to conduct a basic conversation.”以及第六段最后一句“a lack of qualified teachers could be a barrier to improve its popularity.”可知，目前仅有1%的英国人可以用汉语进行基本对话，缺乏专业老师是汉语普及的问题。因此推断作者认为英国汉语普及状况良好但是仍然存在很多问题。故选A项正确。

【4】推理判断题，根据第三段最后一句“To strengthen his message, he quoted Nelson Mandela—the former president of South Africa who said ‘If you talk to a man in a language he understands that goes to his head; if you talk to him in his own language that goes to his heart.’”可知，此处的the message指代上文提到的呼吁学生学习汉语，因此推断他引用曼德拉的话是为了增强说服力，说服人们学习汉语。故选D项正确。