The Vieira family moved to the United States in 1981. At that time, they decided to stop speaking Spanish at home and only communicate in English. This was because they were now living in an English-speaking country.
Now the Vieira children are adults, and they sometimes travel to Spain to visit their family and friends. But they cannot communicate with them. Unfortunately this is common. When people move to new countries, they often leave their own customs and mother language behind. This is a mistake because there are many benefits to knowing more than one language.
One advantage of speaking more than one language is that you can communicate directly with more people around the world. You do not have to depend on others to talk for you, so you’re more independent. People who know only one language must use others to help them communicate.
Furthermore, speaking a second language also allows people to experience other cultures and customs more effectively. Local expressions, vocabulary, and even jokes can have a powerful effect on a person’s understanding of another culture. So, knowing more than one language increases your knowledge of other cultures.
Finally, having more
multi-language speakers improves relationships between countries. If people from different countries can communicate well, the world can become closer. Countries will then have more respect for each other and better understand each other’s problems.
The benefits of knowing more than one language are clear. In fact, there are no disadvantages. It is very sad that many people don’t try to learn another language. It is even worse when people let themselves forget their mother language and become silenced.
小題1:What is the passage mainly about?
| A．The benefits of learning other languages. |
| B．The reasons why people come to America. |
| C．The importance of learning English. |
| D．How to learn another language. |
小題2:The passage begins with the experience of the Vieira family in order to_______.
| A．discuss the need for teaching a new language |
| B．introduce the passage’s main characters to the readers |
| C．describe the advantages of moving to another country |
| D．show the problems of speaking only one language |
小題3:The underlined phrase “multi-language speakers” (Paragraph 5) means “people who know ______.”
| A．their mother language | B．a new language |
| C．more than one language | D．body language |
小題4:According to the passage, if you can speak more than one language, you can____.
| A．find a better job |
| B．make more friends |
| C．better understand history |
| D．communicate more independently |
小題5:Based on the last paragraph, which of the following is the worst?
| A．Not knowing another language. |
| B．Forgetting one’s mother language. |
| C．Refusing to learn another language. |
| D．Failing to communicate with others. |
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