The late president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, once said: “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to a man in his own language, that goes to his heart.”

Mandela understood that our mother language is a very close thing to us. For people who speak their mother language, it helps them keep their traditions. Their language is the bridge with their ancestors (祖先). And it is also how they think about the future.

So it's a serious thing that a language disappears (消失). Over the last century, more than 400 languages have died out. Some languages are now spoken only by a few people, like Yagan in Chile. Africa and South America are also places where many languages are imperiled (处于危险的).

Why are humans speaking fewer languages than we once did? The answer has something to do with globalization (全球化). Nowadays, it's more useful to speak certain languages—English is one example. This has killed some languages, usually ones spoken by fewer people.

The United Nations has set Feb 21 as International Mother Language Day. This work is very important. As US writer Rita Mae Brown wrote, “Language is the map of the culture. It tells where its people come from and where they are going”.

1.How does the writer introduce (介绍,引入) the topic?

A.By using a famous person’s words. B.By asking difficult questions.

C.By giving good examples. D.By explaining special things.

2.According to Nelson Mandela, a man’s mother language _____________.

A.doesn’t go to his head B.can’t explain things better

C.carries certain feelings D.helps talk to their ancestors

3.Which is the most suitable (适合的) place in the passage for the sentence, “But some people aren’t prepared to accept the earth with fewer and fewer languages”?

A.At the beginning of Paragraph 2 B.At the beginning of Paragraph 3

C.At the beginning of Paragraph 4 D.At the beginning of Paragraph 5

4.What can we infer (推断) from the passage?

A.The US writer Rita Mae Brown does not agree with Nelson Mandela.

B.The United Nations wants people to care more about dying languages.

C.People in Chile do not speak their mother languages any more.

D.There will be more and more languages in the world soon.

Margaret came home from school with a drawing in her hand and tears in her eyes. She had drawn a picture of Tippity’s house but a(n) _________had made fun of it.

“He said it was awful. He said I would never be an artist.” She made a very_________face. “I'm sorry, Margaret,” said her mother. “He was wrong. This is a good drawing.”

“You_________say that. You're my mom,” sniffed(抽鼻子) Margaret.

“But it is really good, sweetie,” said her mother. “Why don't we_________it to Uncle Dot and see what he thinks?”

Margaret and her mother rode their bikes to the fishing boats at Bright-by-the-sea. Here they found Uncle Dot_________on a little bench( 长椅). He was drawing a picture of two fishermen who were working on their boat. They showed him Margaret’s drawing and said,” A boy at school said it was_________.”

“Well, this is nice!” Uncle Dot_________the drawing and said: “I like the way you showed all the flowers in Tippity’s garden, and that’s a very cheerful sun in the sky.”

“Look here,” Said Uncle Dot. “Why don’t all of you sit down and paint with me for a while? I have lots of art supplies. Use_________you like.”

Margaret chose markers and her mother picked out a few bits of colored chalk, and_________she liked to draw with when she was a child. In no time, everyone was busy drawing and painting.

Some people__________to see what they were doing and said nice things about their work. The “artists” listened to the sounds of seagulls( 海 鸥 ) overhead and boats rocking on gentle waves. They were having a wonderful time。

Each piece was different. Everyone had seen the__________things: a boat, fishermen, the sea and the sky. But each person drew or painted those things__________his or her own way “This was great fun1” said Margaret’s mother “See? You are both__________!” said Uncle Dot.

“Yes, we are,” said Margaret__________. She held her mother's hand. “Yes, we are.”

From that day on, Margaret and her mother enjoyed drawing and painting all kinds of art.

They didn’t care whether others thought their work was “good” or not because they knew that didn’t__________at all.

1.A.girl B.artist C.boy D.teacher

2.A.embarrassing B.sad C.surprising D.ugly

3.A.always B.never C.sometimes D.seldom

4.A.show B.reflect C.perform D.stick

5.A.jumping B.sleeping C.lying D. sitting

6.A.wonderful B.awful C.thankful D.meaningless

7.A.studied B.returned C.found D.received

8.A.wherever B.whoever C.whatever D.whenever

9.A.everything B.something C.anything D.nothing

10.A.forgot B.remembered C.advised D.stopped

11.A.same B.different C.similar D.ordinary

12.A.by B.in C.on D.from

13.A.actors B.fishermen C.artists D.teachers

14.A.proudly B.wisely C.quietly D.suddenly

15.A.mean B.know C.treat D.matter

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