A Debate on the English Language （C、B）
A measure declaring English the national language is under intense debate in the United States. The US Senate passed two declarations last week.（1）One calls English the nation's official language and the other says it is the “common and unifying（統(tǒng)一的）”tongue. But Americans found themselves divided on the issue.
Since people worldwide know that most Americans speak only English, many can't understand why the issue is so controversial（有爭議的）.
"（3）The discussion is related to fears of immigration issues," says Dick Tucker, a social scientist at Pittsburgh's Carnegie Mellon University." It's related to a worry about the changing demography（人口統(tǒng)計）of the US. It's a worry about who will continue to have political and economic influence.”
（2）In fact, the notion of protecting the language has been kicked around almost since the nation's founding. John Adams lobbied（游說）in 1780 for the creation of a national academy to correct and improve the English language. But his proposal died, since lawmakers saw it as a royalist（?；手髁x者）attempt to define personal behavior.
Since then, the country hasn't had a national language, but the idea of recognizing the special status of English lived on.
The emotions surrounding language resurface（再次浮現(xiàn)）not because people feel comfortable with English. It is more about the discomfort many Americans feel with the new languages, says Walt Wolfram, a professor at North Carolina State University.
"Language is never about language," he says.
According to the 2000 US Census Bureau report, （4）of 209 million Americans over 18 years old, 172 million speak only English at home. About 37 million speak languages other than English. Among them, 6.5 million speak poor English and 3.1 million don't speak English at all.
1.What are the two declarations concerned with?
A.The status of the English language.
B.The protection of new languages.
C.The rights to speak one's mother tongue.
D.The improvement of the English language.
【答疑編號20104106：針對該題提問】
2.Who suggested in the 18th century that English should be protected?
A.Walt Wolfram.
B.John Adams.
C.Royalists.
D.Dick Tucker.
【答疑編號20104107：針對該題提問】
答案：B
3.Which of the following is the current debate NOT related to?
A.The immigration issues.
B.The changing demography.
C.The worry about the new languages.
D.The US's military strength.
【答疑編號20104108：針對該題提問】
答案：D
4.Which statement is true according to the 2000 US Census Bureau report?
A.172 million Americans speak only English in their work places.
B.37 million Americans speak English.
C.209 million Americans are above the age of 18.
D.6.5 million Americans speak good English.
【答疑編號20104109：針對該題提問】
答案：C
5.The phrase “kicked around”（paragraph 4）could be best replaced by
A."invented".
B."formed".
C."shaped".
D."discussed".
【答疑編號20104110：針對該題提問】
答案：D
Trying to Find a Partner（B、A）
One of the most striking findings of a recent poll in the UK is（1）that of the people interviewed, one in two believes that it is becoming more difficult to meet someone to start a family with.
Why are many finding it increasingly difficult to start and（5）sustain intimate relationships? Does modern life really make it harder to fall in love? Or are we making it harder for ourselves?
It is certainly the case today that contemporary couples benefit in different ways from relationships. （2）Women no longer rely upon partners for economic security or status. A man doesn't expect his spouse to be in sole charge of running his household and raising his children.
But perhaps the knowledge that we can live perfectly well without a partnership means that it takes much more to persuade people to abandon their independence.
In theory, finding a partner should be much simpler these days. （3）Only a few generations ago, your choice of soul mate（心上人） was constrained（限制） by geography, social convention and familytradition. Although it was never explicit, many marriages were essentially arranged.
Now those barriers have been broken down. You can approach a builder or a brain surgeon in any bar in any city on any given evening. When the world is your oyster （牡蠣）,you surely have a better chance of finding a pearl.
But it seems that the old conventions have been replaced by an even tighter constraint: the tyranny of choice.
（4）The expectations of partners are inflated（提高） to an unmanageable degree: good looks, impressive salary, kind to grandmother, and right socks. There is no room for error in the first impression.
We think that a relationship can be perfect. If it isn't, it is disposable. We work to protect ourselves against future heartache and don't put in the hard emotional labor needed to build a strong relationship. Of course, this is complicated by realities. The cost of housing and child-rearing creates pressure to have a stable income and career before a life partnership.
1.What does the recent poll show?
A.It is getting more difficult for a woman to find her husband.
B.It is getting increasingly difficult to start a family.
C.It is getting more difficult for a man to find his wife.
D.It is getting increasingly difficult to develop an intimate relationship with your spouse.
【答疑編號20104201：針對該題提問】
答案：B
2.Which of the following is NOT true about a contemporary married couple?
A.The wife doesn't have to raise the children all by herself.
B.The husband doesn't have to support the family all by himself.
C.The wife is no longer the only person to manage the household.
D.They will receive a large sum of money from the government.
【答疑編號20104202：針對該題提問】
答案：D
3.Which of the following was NOT a constraint on one's choice of soul mate in the old days?
A.The health condition of his or her grandmother.
B.The geographical environment.
C.The social convention.
D.The family tradition.
【答疑編號20104203：針對該題提問】
答案：A
4.Which of the following is NOT expected of a partner according to this passage?
A.Good looks.
B.An impressive career.
C.A high salary.
D.A fine sense of humor.
【答疑編號20104204：針對該題提問】
答案：D
5.The word "sustain"（paragraph 2）could be best replaced by
A."reduce".
B."shake".
C."maintain".
D."weaken".
【答疑編號20104205：針對該題提問】
答案：C
A measure declaring English the national language is under intense debate in the United States. The US Senate passed two declarations last week.（1）One calls English the nation's official language and the other says it is the “common and unifying（統(tǒng)一的）”tongue. But Americans found themselves divided on the issue.
Since people worldwide know that most Americans speak only English, many can't understand why the issue is so controversial（有爭議的）.
"（3）The discussion is related to fears of immigration issues," says Dick Tucker, a social scientist at Pittsburgh's Carnegie Mellon University." It's related to a worry about the changing demography（人口統(tǒng)計）of the US. It's a worry about who will continue to have political and economic influence.”
（2）In fact, the notion of protecting the language has been kicked around almost since the nation's founding. John Adams lobbied（游說）in 1780 for the creation of a national academy to correct and improve the English language. But his proposal died, since lawmakers saw it as a royalist（?；手髁x者）attempt to define personal behavior.
Since then, the country hasn't had a national language, but the idea of recognizing the special status of English lived on.
The emotions surrounding language resurface（再次浮現(xiàn)）not because people feel comfortable with English. It is more about the discomfort many Americans feel with the new languages, says Walt Wolfram, a professor at North Carolina State University.
"Language is never about language," he says.
According to the 2000 US Census Bureau report, （4）of 209 million Americans over 18 years old, 172 million speak only English at home. About 37 million speak languages other than English. Among them, 6.5 million speak poor English and 3.1 million don't speak English at all.
1.What are the two declarations concerned with?
A.The status of the English language.
B.The protection of new languages.
C.The rights to speak one's mother tongue.
D.The improvement of the English language.
【答疑編號20104106：針對該題提問】
2.Who suggested in the 18th century that English should be protected?
A.Walt Wolfram.
B.John Adams.
C.Royalists.
D.Dick Tucker.
【答疑編號20104107：針對該題提問】
答案：B
3.Which of the following is the current debate NOT related to?
A.The immigration issues.
B.The changing demography.
C.The worry about the new languages.
D.The US's military strength.
【答疑編號20104108：針對該題提問】
答案：D
4.Which statement is true according to the 2000 US Census Bureau report?
A.172 million Americans speak only English in their work places.
B.37 million Americans speak English.
C.209 million Americans are above the age of 18.
D.6.5 million Americans speak good English.
【答疑編號20104109：針對該題提問】
答案：C
5.The phrase “kicked around”（paragraph 4）could be best replaced by
A."invented".
B."formed".
C."shaped".
D."discussed".
【答疑編號20104110：針對該題提問】
答案：D
Trying to Find a Partner（B、A）
One of the most striking findings of a recent poll in the UK is（1）that of the people interviewed, one in two believes that it is becoming more difficult to meet someone to start a family with.
Why are many finding it increasingly difficult to start and（5）sustain intimate relationships? Does modern life really make it harder to fall in love? Or are we making it harder for ourselves?
It is certainly the case today that contemporary couples benefit in different ways from relationships. （2）Women no longer rely upon partners for economic security or status. A man doesn't expect his spouse to be in sole charge of running his household and raising his children.
But perhaps the knowledge that we can live perfectly well without a partnership means that it takes much more to persuade people to abandon their independence.
In theory, finding a partner should be much simpler these days. （3）Only a few generations ago, your choice of soul mate（心上人） was constrained（限制） by geography, social convention and familytradition. Although it was never explicit, many marriages were essentially arranged.
Now those barriers have been broken down. You can approach a builder or a brain surgeon in any bar in any city on any given evening. When the world is your oyster （牡蠣）,you surely have a better chance of finding a pearl.
But it seems that the old conventions have been replaced by an even tighter constraint: the tyranny of choice.
（4）The expectations of partners are inflated（提高） to an unmanageable degree: good looks, impressive salary, kind to grandmother, and right socks. There is no room for error in the first impression.
We think that a relationship can be perfect. If it isn't, it is disposable. We work to protect ourselves against future heartache and don't put in the hard emotional labor needed to build a strong relationship. Of course, this is complicated by realities. The cost of housing and child-rearing creates pressure to have a stable income and career before a life partnership.
1.What does the recent poll show?
A.It is getting more difficult for a woman to find her husband.
B.It is getting increasingly difficult to start a family.
C.It is getting more difficult for a man to find his wife.
D.It is getting increasingly difficult to develop an intimate relationship with your spouse.
【答疑編號20104201：針對該題提問】
答案：B
2.Which of the following is NOT true about a contemporary married couple?
A.The wife doesn't have to raise the children all by herself.
B.The husband doesn't have to support the family all by himself.
C.The wife is no longer the only person to manage the household.
D.They will receive a large sum of money from the government.
【答疑編號20104202：針對該題提問】
答案：D
3.Which of the following was NOT a constraint on one's choice of soul mate in the old days?
A.The health condition of his or her grandmother.
B.The geographical environment.
C.The social convention.
D.The family tradition.
【答疑編號20104203：針對該題提問】
答案：A
4.Which of the following is NOT expected of a partner according to this passage?
A.Good looks.
B.An impressive career.
C.A high salary.
D.A fine sense of humor.
【答疑編號20104204：針對該題提問】
答案：D
5.The word "sustain"（paragraph 2）could be best replaced by
A."reduce".
B."shake".
C."maintain".
D."weaken".
【答疑編號20104205：針對該題提問】
答案：C