单选题
Prior to the 20th century, many languages with small numbers of speakers survived for centuries. The increasingly interconnected modern world makes it much more difficult for small language communities to live in relative isolation, a key factor in language maintenance and preservation. It remains to be seen whether the world can maintain its linguistic and cultural diversity in the centuries ahead. Many powerful forces appear to work against it: population growth, which pushes migrant populations into the world's last isolated locations; mass tourism; global telecommunications and mass media; and the spread of gigantic global corporations. All of these forces appear to signify a future in which the language of advertising, popular culture, and consumer products become similar. Already English and a few other major tongues have emerged as global languages of commerce and communication. For many of the world's peoples, learning one of these languages is viewed as the key to education, economic opportunity, and a better way of life. Only about 3,000 languages now in use are expected to survive the coming century. Are most of the rest doomed in the century after that? Whether most of these languages survive will probably depend on how strongly cultural groups wish to keep their identity alive through a native language. To do so will require an emphasis on bilingualism (mastery of two languages). Bilingual speakers could use their own language in smaller spheres—at home, among friends, in community settings—and a global language at work, in dealings with government, and in commercial spheres. In this way, many small languages could sustain their cultural and linguistic integrity alongside global languages, rather than yield to the homogenising (同化的) forces of globalisation. Ironically, the trend of technological innovation that has threatened minority languages could also help save them. For example, some experts predict that computer software translation tools will one day permit minority language speakers to browse the Internet using their native tongues. Linguists are currently using computer-aided learning tools to teach a variety of threatened languages.
单选题
According to the passage, minority languages can be best preserved ______. A．in the interconnected modem world B．in relatively isolated language communities C．if cultural groups wish to keep their native languages D．if minority language speakers insist on using their own languages
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 根据题干中的preserved将本题出处定位于第1段。该段最后一句中的a key factor in...为relative isolation的同位语，由该同位语可知，small language communities to live in relative isolation(小语种团体相对与世隔绝)是language maintenance and preservation(维持和保存语言)的主要因素，B表述内容与原文一致，故为答案。
单选题
According to the author, whether the linguistic and cultural diversity of the world can be maintained in the future is still a mystery because ______. A．globalisation makes it possible for people to live without small languages B．many migrants start to speak major languages to replace their mother tongue C．major languages are gaining great popularity among people all over the world D．languages with small numbers of speakers are useless in commerce and communication
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】[解析] 根据题干中的the linguistic and cultural diversity将本题出处定位于第2段。该段第1句指出将来世界上语言和文化是否可以保持多样性还有待观察。随后作者给出了一系列原因：population growth, mass tourism, global telecommunication and mass media, the spread of gigantic global corporations，这些都说明世界性的交流越来越广泛。随后作者又指出English and a few other major tongues成为了global languages of commerce and communication(贸易和通讯的世界语)，而且很多人都把学习这些世界语视为获得education, economic opportunity和a better way of life的机会，由此可推断，major languages(主要语种)越来越受到人们的欢迎，故答案为C。
单选题
It can be inferred from the passage that the development of our world ______. A．makes the existing languages more resilient B．will make it possible that English is spoken by all the people C．undermines the progress of culture D．puts the minority languages on the edge of extinction
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】[解析] 根据题干中的the development of our world将本题出处定位于第2段。该段第2句指出，powerful forces appear to work against it，其中it指的是linguistic and cultural diversity。该句中冒号后面的内容是对powerful forces的举例说明，都属于the development of our world(世界发展)的范畴，由此可知世界的发展会阻碍linguistic and cultural diversity(语言和文化的多样性)，而语言和文化之所以会有其多样性，主要是因为minority languages的存在。结合上述分析可知，世界的发展同样会使minority languages处于消失的边缘，故答案为D。
单选题
What does the author say about bilingualism in this passage? A．It can help minority languages become acceptable in work places. B．It can help speakers maintain their linguistic and cultural identity. C．It can push the small language communities to move forward. D．It can homogenise the world's languages and cultures.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 根据题干中的bilingualism将本题出处定位于第3段。该段第4句指出，bilingual speakers(双语者)在较小的范围内使用their own language，在工作中使用global language能够sustain their cultural and linguistic integrity(保持自己的文化和语言的完整性)。结合本段第3句可知，native language可以保持说话者的identity，而这种identity主要体现在cultural identity和linguistic identity两个方面，由此可知bilingualism可以帮助双语者maintain their linguistic and cultural identity，故答案为B。
单选题
Computer technology is helpful for preserving minority languages in that it ______. A．facilitates the learning and using of those languages B．raises public awareness of saving those languages C．makes it easier for linguists to study those languages D．presents those languages before everyone