I always think my daughter Kendall is the best—that's just what parents do. When she was only three, she sang for the people, like a little angel.

When Kendall was five, we noticed that she sometimes had a tic (面部抽搐). When the problem got worse, we took her from doctor to doctor. During the treatment, Kendall continued to sing. Surprisingly, her tics disappeared when she sang.

When Kendall was sixteen, we thought she would be cured soon. However, a terrible thing happened.

At a party, Kendall jumped on a friend for a piggyback ride. He bent lower than she expected, and she jumped higher than he expected. Kendall flew over his back and landed on the floor—on her neck. She was rushed to hospital, paralyzed(瘫痪) from the neck down. She couldn't move. But her biggest worry wasn't whether she would walk again, but was whether she could try out for a show called American Idol.

As the days went on, feeling on her left side returned, but she was still paralyzed on the right. We weren't sure how much of her movement would come back. A friend brought a microphone and put it on her bed. Every day, Kendall tried hard to pick it up. It was more important for her to pick up that microphone than a spoon or fork.

Sometimes she had to bite a toothbrush to take her mind off the pain. We all cried because of the pain we witnessed. But on the day—only three months after her accident—we cried full of joy when she sang, though she didn't enter the Top 24 of American Idol.

When she was a little girl, she asked me why it was she that had tics. My heart hurt, but I told her, "Kendall, you have a pure heart, a fantastic voice, a strong mind. And you are a beautiful presence.”

1.When did they notice that Kendall sometimes had a tic?

A.When she was five. B.When she was sixteen.

C.When she sang. D.When she saw the doctor.

2.What was a surprise during the treatment in Paragraph 2?

A.She had a tic. B.Her tics disappeared when she sang.

C.She was cured soon. D.She sang for the people.

3.Why was it more important for Kendall to pick up that microphone than a spoon or fork?

A.Because Kendall loved singing.

B.Because Kendall didn't like a spoon or fork.

C.Because Kendall's friend brought the microphone for her.

D.Because that microphone was more beautiful for her than a spoon or fork.

4.What is the best title of the passage?

A.An American Idol.

B.A paralyzed girl.

C.The girl who had a tic.

D.A beautiful girl.

Everyone speaks a language, but language is not just for talking. It is our most important communication tool. Through language, we can tell other people what we think, how we feel, and what we need. In fact, civilization (文明) itself depends on our ability to communicate.

In the long history of human, languages survive, grow, disappear, move from place to place, and change with time. There are about 6,000 different living languages around the world today, and there are many thousands more that are no longer in use. Languages might sound different, but they are thought to have come from a single ancient language.

Nobody knows exactly when people first started using languages. Some scientists say that people first spoke to one another about two million years ago.

Today, our complicated (复杂的) languages get fully used in the magazines, novels, science books, and movies that fill our libraries and bookstores. As humans, it is important that we can tell the long stories, which separates us from the great apes (类人猿). Other animals may use kinds of methods to communicate, but we humans can send complicated messages through space and time.

Throughout history there were many languages that served as a lingua franca (通用语)—a common language that could serve as a bridge between people of different cultures. Today, English is the main language that plays that role around the world. Many people have studied English as a second or third language.

Language helps people to work together, to share knowledge, feelings, and build up modern societies. The development of humanity’s many languages was an important process that helped humans move forwards towards civilization.

Language

Language is our most important communication tool

● With the help of language, we tell others our 1., feelings and needs.

● Our ability to communicate leads to civilization.

Some facts about languages

● There are about 6,000 different languages that are being 2. around the world.

● People started to speak to one another two million years ago, according to some scientists.

● Humans’ languages make it 3. for us to send complicated messages through space and time.

● English is used most 4. around the world today.

The 5. of language

● Language helps people to work together, to share knowledge, feelings, and build up modern societies.

● The development of humanity’s many languages was an important process that helped humans move towards civilization.

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