The desire to use language as a sign of national identity (“If B, then A”) is a very natural one, and as a result language has played a large part in national movements. People have often felt the need to use their own language to show that they are different from others. This was true when the United States split off from Britain. At that time some patriots even suggested that the Americans should adopt Hebrew or Greek! In the end, as everyone knows, the two countries adopted the practical solution of carrying on with the same language they had used before. For 200 years Britain and the United States have shown the world that political independence and national identity can be complete without losing all the mutual advantages of a common language.

In other words, language is not necessarily the private property of those who use it. It is unreasonable to regard any language as the possession of a particular nation, and with no language is it more unreasonable than with English. This is not to say that English is used by a greater number of speakers than any other language, for it is easily outnumbered in this respect by Chinese. But it is the most international of languages. A Dane and a Dutch person meeting in Rome will almost automatically find themselves speaking to each other in English. The pilots of a Russian plane approaching Cairo will use English to ask for landing instructions. Malaysian lecturers use English when addressing their Malaysian students in Kuala Lumpur. To people in Africa, Asia, and South America, English is an important foreign language to master, not merely because it is the language of Britain or the United States, but because it provides ready access to world scholarship and world trade, it is understood more widely than any other language.

　　  1. People prefer to speak their own mother tongue or dialect in order to——.

　　　　   A. make it difficult for others to understand their talk

　　　　   B. show off their ability to use different linguistic systems

　　　　   C. show that they are of the same nation or race

　　　　   D. practice as much as possible

　　  2. It was suggested that Americans speak Hebrew or Greek when the nation had just won independence. This was——cause.

　　　　　　 A. these two languages were thought to be more useful

　　　　　　 B. Britain didn't permit Americans to continue to use English

　　　　　　 C. English was not widely used then

　　　　　　 D. some Americans hoped to show their political independence by speaking a language other than English.

      3. Which of the following is true?

　　　　　　 A. Chinese has the largest number of native speakers.

　　　　　　 B. Chinese is the most widely-used language.

　　　　　　 C. English is spoken in a few countries.

　　　　　　 D. English belongs to a particular country.

　　  4. The word "address" in the second paragraph means——here.

　　　　　　 A. to write to　　　　　　  B. to blame

　　　　　　 C. to deal with　　　　　　 D. to speak to

 

The desire to use language as a sign of national identity (“If B, then A”) is a very natural one, and as a result language has played a large part in national movements. People have often felt the need to use their own language to show that they are different from others. This was true when the United States split off from Britain. At that time some patriots even suggested that the Americans should adopt Hebrew or Greek! In the end, as everyone knows, the two countries adopted the practical solution of carrying on with the same language they had used before. For 200 years Britain and the United States have shown the world that political independence and national identity can be complete without losing all the mutual advantages of a common language.

In other words, language is not necessarily the private property of those who use it. It is unreasonable to regard any language as the possession of a particular nation, and with no language is it more unreasonable than with English. This is not to say that English is used by a greater number of speakers than any other language, for it is easily outnumbered in this respect by Chinese. But it is the most international of languages. A Dane and a Dutch person meeting in Rome will almost automatically find themselves speaking to each other in English. The pilots of a Russian plane approaching Cairo will use English to ask for landing instructions. Malaysian lecturers use English when addressing their Malaysian students in Kuala Lumpur. To people in Africa, Asia, and South America, English is an important foreign language to master, not merely because it is the language of Britain or the United States, but because it provides ready access to world scholarship and world trade, it is understood more widely than any other language.

　　  1. People prefer to speak their own mother tongue or dialect in order to——.

　　　　   A. make it difficult for others to understand their talk

　　　　   B. show off their ability to use different linguistic systems

　　　　   C. show that they are of the same nation or race

　　　　   D. practice as much as possible

　　  2. It was suggested that Americans speak Hebrew or Greek when the nation had just won independence. This was——cause.

　　　　　　 A. these two languages were thought to be more useful

　　　　　　 B. Britain didn't permit Americans to continue to use English

　　　　　　 C. English was not widely used then

　　　　　　 D. some Americans hoped to show their political independence by speaking a language other than English.

      3. Which of the following is true?

　　　　　　 A. Chinese has the largest number of native speakers.

　　　　　　 B. Chinese is the most widely-used language.

　　　　　　 C. English is spoken in a few countries.

　　　　　　 D. English belongs to a particular country.

　　  4. The word "address" in the second paragraph means——here.

　　　　　　 A. to write to　　　　　　  B. to blame

　　　　　　 C. to deal with　　　　　　 D. to speak to

 

阅读理解

　　Good morning. I'm speaking to you today from Beijing. In just two days, I've seen some of the rich history and remarkable changes that are taking place in China, home to nearly one- quarter of the world's population.

　　China is the oldest civilization on Earth. In Xi'an, on Friday, I saw the old and the new China, from magnificent Terra Cotta Warriors sculpted by artisans 2,000 years before America was founded, to the beginnings of democracy in a nearby village, where residents soon will hold elections.

　　I've been touched by the warm reception given to me, my family, and the members of Congress travelling with us. Tens of thousands of Chinese families have lined the streets to greet us. For all these people, China is changing. I see cell phones, beepers, new office buildings.

　　China is no longer the same country it was when president Nixon first came here 26 years ago. Never before have so many Chinese had the opportunity to start businesses, lift their families out of poverty, choose where to live, work, and travel, and enjoy the fruits of their labors.

　　Today in Beijing I am meeting with China' s leaders to talk about the future of our two countries and a relationship between us that is essential to a peaceful, stable, and prosperous world in the next century. We talked about the United States and China's mutual interests ---- promoting peace in Korea, where 400,000 U.S. soldiers still risk their lives to patrol the Cold Wars last frontier; preventing a nuclear arms race between India and Pakistan; restoring economic stability in Asia; stopping the spread of unclear soldiers chemical, and biological weapons and the misspread of unclear soldiers chemical, and biological weapons and the missiles to deliver them; combating international crime and drug trafficking; preserving the environment; and opening trade.

　　China is important to our future, with the largest population on Earth, a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, an economy increasingly connected to our own. Without China, it will be difficult to face the challenges. In dealing with China, we must stay true to a course that is both principled and pragmatic．We must continue to expand our areas of cooperation, even as we deal directly with out differences. With China, we can build a safer, more prosperous future for our children, a world of unlimited possibility in the new century

　　Thanks for listening.

(1)When was the Terra Cotta in Xi'an sculpted?

[　　]

A．2,000 years ago.

B．On the beginning of the last century.

C．2,000 years before America was founded．

D．Right before Clinton's visit to China．

(2)Who traveled together with Clinton in China?

[　　]

A．His family.

B．His family and some congressmen.

C．Members of congress.

D．Reporters and bodyguards.

(3)Which of the following issue was NOT discussed by President Clinton and China's leaders during his visit in Beijing?

[　　]

A．peace in KoreA．

B．Asian economy.

C．American human rights.

D．prohibition of nuclear weapons.

(4)Which of the following impressed the president most during his visit in China?

[　　]

A．Rich history and remarkable changes of China．

B．Modern communication facilities of China．

C．Democracy progress of China．

D．Economic development of China．

(5)According to the president's address, why is China important to the U. S.?

[　　]

A．Because China has the largest population in the world．

B．Because China has a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

C．Because China and the U.S. have mutual interests in the economic development.

D．All of the above.

阅读理解

　　Good morning. I'm speaking to you today from Beijing. In just two days, I've seen some of the rich history and remarkable changes that are taking place in China, home to nearly one- quarter of the world's population.

　　China is the oldest civilization on Earth. In Xi'an, on Friday, I saw the old and the new China, from magnificent Terra Cotta Warriors sculpted by artisans 2,000 years before America was founded, to the beginnings of democracy in a nearby village, where residents soon will hold elections.

　　I've been touched by the warm reception given to me, my family, and the members of Congress travelling with us. Tens of thousands of Chinese families have lined the streets to greet us. For all these people, China is changing. I see cell phones, beepers, new office buildings.

　　China is no longer the same country it was when president Nixon first came here 26 years ago. Never before have so many Chinese had the opportunity to start businesses, lift their families out of poverty, choose where to live, work, and travel, and enjoy the fruits of their labors.

　　Today in Beijing I am meeting with China' s leaders to talk about the future of our two countries and a relationship between us that is essential to a peaceful, stable, and prosperous world in the next century. We talked about the United States and China's mutual interests ---- promoting peace in Korea, where 400,000 U.S. soldiers still risk their lives to patrol the Cold Wars last frontier; preventing a nuclear arms race between India and Pakistan; restoring economic stability in Asia; stopping the spread of unclear soldiers chemical, and biological weapons and the misspread of unclear soldiers chemical, and biological weapons and the missiles to deliver them; combating international crime and drug trafficking; preserving the environment; and opening trade.

　　China is important to our future, with the largest population on Earth, a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, an economy increasingly connected to our own. Without China, it will be difficult to face the challenges. In dealing with China, we must stay true to a course that is both principled and pragmatic．We must continue to expand our areas of cooperation, even as we deal directly with out differences. With China, we can build a safer, more prosperous future for our children, a world of unlimited possibility in the new century

　　Thanks for listening.

(1)When was the Terra Cotta in Xi'an sculpted?

[　　]

A．2,000 years ago.

B．On the beginning of the last century.

C．2,000 years before America was founded．

D．Right before Clinton's visit to China．

(2)Who traveled together with Clinton in China?

[　　]

A．His family.

B．His family and some congressmen.

C．Members of congress.

D．Reporters and bodyguards.

(3)Which of the following issue was NOT discussed by President Clinton and China's leaders during his visit in Beijing?

[　　]

A．peace in KoreA．

B．Asian economy.

C．American human rights.

D．prohibition of nuclear weapons.

(4)Which of the following impressed the president most during his visit in China?

[　　]

A．Rich history and remarkable changes of China．

B．Modern communication facilities of China．

C．Democracy progress of China．

D．Economic development of China．

(5)According to the president's address, why is China important to the U. S.?

[　　]

A．Because China has the largest population in the world．

B．Because China has a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

C．Because China and the U.S. have mutual interests in the economic development.

D．All of the above.