阅读理解   Half the world''s population will be speaking or learning English by 2015, researchers say. Two billion people are expected to start learning English within a decade and three billion will speak it,says a British Council estimate.   Other languages, such as French, risk becoming the casualties of this "linguistic globalization". But the boom will be over by 2050 and the English-language teaching industry will have become a victim of its own success, says David Graddol, author of the report, The Future of English.   Mr. Graddol''s research was based on a computer model developed to estimate demand for English-language teaching around the world. The lecturer, who has worked in education and language studies at the Open University for the past 25 years, said the model charted likely student numbers through to 2050.   It was compiled by looking at various estimates from the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) on education provision, demographic projections, government education policies and international student mobility figures. The impact of educational innovations and other developments affecting the world population including the Chinese government''s policy of one baby per family were also factored in.   Based on its findings, Mr. Graddol has predicted that the world is about to be hit by a tidal wave of English. "Many governments, especially in countries which have relatively recently gained independence, are introducing the teaching of English under a utilitarian banner."   "But English predominates in the business world, and for such countries to be able to compete for work, including lucrative (profitable) outsourcing contracts, English is being pushed heavily from kindergarten on."   The potential bonanza (source of wealth) on offer from outsourcing means even maths and science are being taught in English at secondary schools in Malaysia. But demand for English teaching would drop as children progress through academia, and more universities across the world choose to teach in the language.   Mr. Graddol also estimated that the boom would be over by 2050. "English-language students will be down from two billion to 500 million then," he said," Increasingly, as English spread across the globe,more people will become bilingual, even multi-lingual and such skills are highly prized in business. But Britain has not got the best reputation for learning other languages."   The report also showed that English was not the only language spreading, and the world, far from being dominated by English, was to become more multi-lingual. Mr. Graddol said," Chinese, Arabic and Spanish are all popular, and likely to be languages of the future."
单选题 It is estimated that in a decade English will be
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】通读全文可知,此文是对一篇题为The Future of English的研究报告的介绍,该报告对英语教学在世界范围的发展做了预估。据题干中的“in a decade”可知,此题答案应在第一段。该段第2句说,今后10年中将有20亿入学英语,30亿人说英语。我们知道,目前世界人口有60亿,50亿占其中83%。由此可知,C项中的“over 80%”与此相符,其中popular with意为well liked by people(受人们喜爱的/接受的)涵盖了learn和speak,为正确答案。 A项的200 million(2亿)与Two billion(20亿)相差10倍。B项的global(全球的)未免过分。D项的master(learn or understand sth.completely精通;掌握)并非一般的learn或speak所能达到的。故皆不可取。
单选题 According to the text,"linguistic globalization" will
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】题干中的“linguistic globalization”(语言全球化运动)出自第2段第1句。该句说,“其他语言,例如法语,有成为‘语言全球化运动’牺牲品的危险”。文章末段又说,英语并非是惟一广泛传播的语言。据此判断,D项说法最为妥当。其余3项皆与文意不符。
单选题 The writer of the report deems that outsourcing is to
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】题干中outsourcing(外购/包)一词出现在第6、7两段。第6段说,……由于外包合同有利可图,一些有包工竞争力的国家,从幼儿园开始就大力推行英语教学。第7段则进一步说,外购所提供的潜在财源使得马来西亚中学里的数学和理科课程都在用英语教授。据此,只有C项体现了此意。 A项的English subjects意为“英语科目”。B项与文意相悖。D项的transition(转变)与文意不符,文中只说有更多的大学选择用英语授课。
单选题 David Graddol predicts that the thriving period of English will
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】题干中的thriving period相当于第2段第2句中的boom(风靡期)。请注意介词“by+时间名词”意为not later than;before(不迟于;在……之前)。据此,只有 A项与“by 2050”意思相符。其余3项皆超出了此意。
单选题 The report "The Future of English" factored in all of the following EXCEPT
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】题干中的factored sth.in(=included sth.in把……因素包括在内)出现在第4段末,答案必在该段。该段第1句说,此报告是compiled by looking at various estimates from the Unesco on...(在仔细核查了联合国科教文组织对……提出的各种估计数字的基础上编写的),并未提到B项中的directions(提示)和designs(计划),故B项应属EXCEPT之列。A、C、D三项皆可在该段找到根据,其中C项相当于文中的demographic projections (人口统计预测)。