1．English may not be a world language forever
While 375 million people around the globe use English as their native language，the number of people using it as a second language has already been well over that figure （数字）．
It is said that by the end of 2000，one billion people could use English to communicate with others，including both native speakers and non-native speakers．
"The rise and fall of a language is closely connected with that country's economic（经济的） strength and development potential （潜力）．"Rhodri Jones，the English 2000 manager of the ELT group of the British Council said．
An expert who has given many lectures on the future of English said the economic boots（快速发展）in Asia would raise（提高） the position of the Chinese and Hindi languages．Therefore，the English language is facing a serious problem．Where will English turn in the next fifty years or the century？
The recently introduced book from Britain"Future of English"might give people concerned with their question some enlightenments （启发）．The book helps to help English teachers，planners，managers and decision makers with a professional interest in the development of English worldwide．
With the book translated into Chinese and to be published soon，the book might be brought to wider sphere （范围）of people．
"From the book，we learn many facts about the English language，and we may be able to predict （预测） its future after reading it．"said Dorothy Humphrey，who used to be a senior English teacher for the British Council．
36．The reason why some language rises in the world depends onD．
A．the population of the country
B．the country's economic strength in the world
C．the number of the population who use it
D．the country's economic strength and development potential
37．The book"Future of English"helps toD．
A．improve the standard of people's learning English
B．adds to people's interest toward English
C．emphasize （强调） the importance in the world
D．make people interested in the development of English worldwide
38．After reading"Future of English"we knowD．
A．English is the language that the people who speak it is the most in the world
B．English may disappear sooner or later
C．the world is keeping changing all the time
D．what the future of the English language is
39．The main idea of the passage isD．
A．why English has been popular in the world
B．how to improve people's ability of learning English
C．English has a bright future
D．the usage of English may become less in the world one day
40．According to this passage，English may not be a world language forever becauseC
A．more and more people will come to visit China
B．people in the world won't like English in the future．
C．the economic boots in Asia would raise the position of the Chinese and Hindi languages
D．China and India will be more developed than those English-speaking countries．
分析 本文主要讲述英语或许在未来使用的越来越少．
解答 DDDDC
36 D 细节题． 根据文章第二 段The rise and fall of a language is closely connected with that country's economic（经济的） strength and development potential （潜力）．"可知语言的提示是根据国家的经济实力和潜力决定的，故选D．
37 D 细节题． 根据文章第四 段The book helps to help English teachers，planners，managers and decision makers with a professional interest in the development of English worldwide．可知Future of English这本书可以帮助人们对英语的发展感兴趣．故选D．
38 D 细节题． 根据文章最后一段From the book，we learn many facts about the English language 可知读完这本书后我们知道了英语的未来是什么样子．故选D．
39 D 主旨大意题． 通读全文可知本文主要讲述英语或许在未来使用的越来越少．故选D．
40 C 细节题． 根据文章第三 段the economic boots（快速发展）in Asia would raise（提高） the position of the Chinese and Hindi languages．Therefore，the English language is facing a serious problem． 可知汉语和北印度语的快速发展影响了英语的地位．故选C．
点评 做阅读理解时要快速的浏览全文，把握文章主旨大意，带着问题回到原文，寻找细节或概括相应的答案，最后要理清作者写作思路．
