Question

The United States of America is mainly an English-speaking country. The majority of the population speak English as their native language. Besides, education, social activities, etc. are conducted in English. Across but for the most part, Americans speak one common language. This language is sometimes called American English.

However, not everyone in the USA is a native speaker of English. Most immigrants(移民) are speakers of other languages. There are hundreds of communities around the USA where English is not the most commonly used languages. Chinese, Italian, German, Greek, Spanish and French are all spoken in various communities in the USA. Spanish is the second most commonly spoken language after English. It is widely spoken in New York and across the southern part of the country. For speakers of other languages, learning English is important, but teaching people to speak English as a second language was given little attention. Non-English speakers were expected to pick up the language by meeting with others in public. Recently, this has changed.

Today, most large public schools and community colleges have ESL(English as a Second Language) programs; American English teachers feel that English students should learn the language the way they will use it. Therefore, ESL programs offer different English lessons to different students. Some programs teach students to communicate in English in public. Other programs teach the kind of English people who will need for their jobs. American ESL instructional methods do not lay emphasis on grammar or translation, but on the importance of communication. The goal is to get the English learners to learn by using the language.

1.                    is the most widely used language in most parts of the USA.

A. Chinese    B. English

C. Spanish    D. French

2.In old days, the non-English immigrants                                   .

A. paid little attention to learning English

B. didn’t have much chance to learn English

C. also spoke English as their native language

D. never thought learning English was important

3.The underlined phrase “pick up” in Para.2 means                       .

A. to lift up    B. to recover

C. to collect    D. to learn

4.What do American ESL programs think is the most important in learning English?

A. Learning difficult grammar.

B. Doing much translation.

C. Finding a good job.

D. Using the language.

Answer

1.B

2.B

3.D

4.D

【解析】

这篇文章主要讲了在美国的大部分地区，英语是最广泛被使用的语言。在过去的日子里，非英国移民没有很多学习英语的机会。现在，建立了美国ESL项目。美国ESL项目认为学习英语最重要的是使用这门语言。

1.细节理解题。答案定位在第一段Across but for the most part, Americans speak one common language. This language is sometimes called American English.可知在美国的大部分地区，英语是最广泛被使用的语言，故选B。

2.推理判断题。答案定位在倒数第二段For speakers of other languages, learning English is important, but teaching people to speak English as a second language was given little attention. Non-English speakers were expected to pick up the language by meeting with others in public.可知，过去，对于说其他语言的人，教他们说英语很少受到关注。由此推知在过去的日子里，非英国移民没有很多学习英语的机会，故选B。

3.词义猜测题。Non-English speakers were expected to pick up the language by meeting with others in public.这句话的意思是非英语的说话者被期待在公共场合和别人见面的时候，自己学会这门语言。“pick up”的意思是“学会”，A. to lift up举起；B. to recover恢复；C. to collect收集；D. to learn学会，故选D。

4.细节理解题。最后一段The goal is to get the English learners to learn by using the language.可知美国ESL项目认为学习英语最重要的是使用这门语言，故选D。