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. It remains to be seen whether the world can maintain its linguistic (语言的) 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 (巨大的) global corporations. All of these forces appear to indicate 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 (双语的) speakers could use their own language in smaller spheres - at home, among friends, in community settings -and a global language at work, in dealing 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 homogenizing (同化的) forces of globalization. Ironically (讽刺的), the trend of technological innovation (创新) 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 first paragraph, minority language can be best preserved________.

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________.

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】推理判断题。根据第二段最后两句“Already English and a few other major tongues have emerged as global languages of commerce and communication…”并结合上文内容可知，语言和文化的多样性是否能够保留仍是个未知数，有许多强大力量似乎在阻碍它；英语及其他主要语言已成为贸易和通信的全球性语言，对世界上许多民族来说，学习其中一门语言被视为获得教育、经济机会以及一种更好生活方式的关键。由此可推知，主要语言在全世界范围内普及，这使得未来语言和文化的多样性是否能保留下来成为未知数。故选C。

单选题 It can be inferred from the passage that the development of our world________.

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】推理判断题。根据第一段第二句“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.”可知，联系越来越紧密的现代世界使得小语种群体越来越难以相对孤立，而相对孤立是语言留存下来的一个关键因素。由此可推知，世界的发展正在扼杀小语种。故选D。

单选题 Which is the closest meaning of the word" sustain" in the third paragraph?

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】词语理解题。根据第三段最后一句“In this way，many small languages could sustain…”可知，通过这种方式，许多小语种可以与全球语言一起保持其文化和语言的完整性，而不是屈服于全球化的同化力量。由此可推知，sustain意为“维持(生命、生存)，使保持”，与选项B (维持，保持)意思最为接近。survive：生存，存活；thrive：繁荣，旺盛；exclude：不包括。故选B。

单选题 Computer technology is helpful for preserving minority languages in that it________.

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】推理判断题。根据最后一段最后一句“Linguists are currently using computer—aided learning tools to teach a variety of threatened languages.”可知，语言学家目前正在利用计算机辅助学习工具来教授许多濒危语言，而根据常识可知，语言学家教授濒危语言是以研究该门语言为前提的。由此可推知，计算机技术便于语言学家研究小语种，从而有助于保护小语种。故选C。