Question

C

The number of speakers of English in Shakespeare’s time is estimated (估计) to have been about five million. Today it is estimated that some 260 million people speak it as a native language, mainly in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. In addition to the standard varieties of English found in these areas, there are a great many regional and social varieties of the language as well as various levels of usage that are employed both in its spoken and written forms.

In fact, it is impossible to estimate the number of people in the world who have acquired an adequate (足够的) working knowledge of English in addition to their own languages. The purpose for English learning and the situations in which such learning takes place are so varied that it is difficult to explain and still more difficult to judge what forms an adequate working knowledge for each situation.

The main reason for the widespread demand for English is its present-day importance as a world language. Besides serving the indefinite needs of its native speakers, English is a language in which some of important works in science, technology, and other fields are being produced, and not always by native speakers. It is widely used for such purposes as meteorological and airport communications, international conferences, and the spread of information over the radio and television networks of many nations. It is a language of wider communication for a number of developing countries, especially former British colonies. Many of these countries have multilingual populations and need a language for internal communication in such matters as government, commerce, industry, law and education as well as for international communication and for entrance to the scientific and technological developments in the West.

65. What would be the best title for this passage?

A. The Difficulties of Learning English                    B. International Communications

C. The Standard Varieties of English                      D. English as a World Language

66. Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A. Some 260 million people in the world have an adequate working knowledge of English.

B. There are some 260 million native speakers of English in the world.

C. It is almost impossible to estimate the number of people with an adequate working knowledge of English.

D. People learn English for a variety of reasons.

67. What forms an adequate working knowledge of English?

A. The ability to read a newspaper.

B. It is difficult to judge because it differs for each situation.

C. Being a multilingual.                                  

D. Being a native speaker.

68. What type of developing countries would be most likely to use English?

A. Those geographically close to the United States.

B. Those interested in the culture of the United States.

C. Former colonies of Great Britain.

D. Countries where international conferences are held.

Answer 1

65-68. DABC 

解析:

本文介绍了英语的发展变化情况，说明了英语最后成为世界语言的原因及英语在当代社会中的重要性。

65.D。主旨题。根据第3段第1、2句及全文的内容：英语在各个国家的各个领域的应用，可推知此题的答案为 D。

66.A。细节题。根据文章第1段中第2、3句及第2段的第1句的描述可推知, 答案为A。

67.B。细节题。根据文章第2段最后一句可推知此题答案为B。

68.C。细节题。根据文章最后一段倒数第2句可推知此题答案为C。