拯救濒危语言

2022-11-29

疯狂英语·新悦读 2022年11期

语言学家认为，目前大约有6,500种语言用于日常交流。在过去的100年里，有超过400种语言消失了，平均以每3个月1种的速度消失，目前预计大约有50%的语言将在下个世纪消失。

主题语境：人与社会篇幅：330词建议用时：7分钟

1Linguists(语言学家)suggest that around 6,500 languages are currently used for daily communication needs. Over 400 languages have disappeared over the last 100 years and nearly 50%of the languages remaining today are expected to disappear over the next century.

2According to the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger,577 languages are currently listed as critically endangered. An additional 537 languages are considered severely endangered, which means they're only used by the oldest living generation. Of these 577 critically endangered languages, several have only 1 speaker left alive and many may have already gone extinct(灭绝的).

3Academic (学术的) departments and non⁃profit organizations around the world are trying their best to save endangered languages. Researchers are currently recording and documenting some of the most endangered languages in order to ensure a record remains af⁃ter the last speaker is long gone. One example of this is the North American native lan⁃guage Miami,which became extinct in the 1960's.Today,it is offered as a course at Miami University in the US state of Ohio.

4Another way of saving endangered languages is introducing language revitalization(复兴) classes to children. By encouraging children to study and become fluent in a lan⁃guage, linguists hope it will survive through them and be passed down to future genera⁃tions.The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in the US just begun such a program.One in⁃terested group began volunteering to teach school children the Cherokee language when they realized not many people were left who could understand the indigenous tongue.

5Technology also plays a role in saving endangered languages.Digital classrooms,pod⁃casts(播客),audio recordings,phone applications,and computer programs are all available(可获得的) in a number of endangered languages. At the same time, however, technology also works to suppress language diversity by being available in only a few of the most widely spoken languages.For example,most of online information is only published in English.

Reading Check

1.What can be inferred from the first two paragraphs?

A.Most of the languages are only used by the oldest living generation.

B.About 400 languages are used for daily communication now.

C.There are 6,500 languages in total around the world.

D.More and more languages are at the risk of disappearing.

2.How do some researchers save endangered languages?

A.By setting up language schools.

B.By recording endangered languages.

C.By teaching languages in digital classrooms.

D.By visiting endangered languages'speakers.

3.How many paragraphs focus on ways of language protection?

A.Two. B.Three. C.Four. D.Five.

4.What does the underlined word“suppress”in the last paragraph mean?

A.Prevent. B.Force. C.Improve. D.Document.

Language Study

Useful expressions

linguist 语言学家

daily communication needs日常沟通需要

go extinct 灭绝

introduce language revitalization classes to children 给儿童开设语言复兴课程

become fluent in 在……方面变得流利

the indigenous tongue 土著语言

digital classrooms 数字教室

spoken languages 口语

主题应用·语库构建

Ⅰ.主题词汇

native 本地的

attitude 态度

refer 提到；参考；查阅

system 体系；制度；系统

civilization 文明；文明世界

base 基础；来源

symbol 符号；象征

carve 雕刻

dynasty 王朝；朝代

major 主要的；主修课程

means 方式；方法；途径

classic 传统的；典型的

character 文字；符号；角色；品质；特点

calligraphy 书法；书法艺术

appreciate 欣赏；感激

specific 特定的；明确的；具体的

equal 相同的

demand 要求；需求

description 描写(文字)；形容

phrase 短语

idiom 习语；成语

pronunciation 发音

grammar 语法

sentence 句子

vocabulary 词汇

communication 交流

accuracy 准确；精确

standard 标准(的)

fault 缺点；毛病；过错

perfect 完美的；极好的

abundant 大量的；丰富的

wonderful 精彩的；令人惊叹的

splendid 壮丽的；极佳的

master 精通；掌握

acquire 获得；得到

overcome 克服；解决

enlarge 扩大；放大

practice 练习

pronounce 发音

spell 拼写

recite 背诵

translate 翻译

Ⅱ.主题短语

be known for 因……而出名

at the beginning 起初

in one direction 朝一个方向

of great importance 很重要

play a role in 在……中起作用

an increasing number of 越来越多的

refer to 涉及；查阅

ups and downs 浮沉；兴衰；荣辱

date back(to)追溯到

point of view 观点；看法

relate to 与……相关；涉及；谈到

used to 过去常常；曾经

have a lot of trouble with 在……上遇到很多困难

compare A with B 把A与B比较

be familiar with 熟悉……

refer to a dictionary 查字典

make good use of 充分利用

writing system 书写体系

make progress 取得进步

communicate with 与……交流

be connected with 与……有联系

a beautiful art form 一种美丽的艺术形式

focus one's attention on/concentrate on 集中(注意力、精力)于

enlarge/expand vocabulary 扩大词汇量

form/develop/fall into/get into the habit of

reading 养成阅读习惯

have a good knowledge of English 精通英语

improve writing skills 提升写作技巧

Ⅲ.主题美句

1. Having lived in China for many years and having learned English since I was a child,I have a good command of Chi⁃nese and English,which is beneficial to in⁃troducing Chinese paintings. 我在中国生活了很多年，并且从小就学习英语，所以我精通汉语和英语，这对（我）介绍中国画是有利的。

2. You could turn to your teacher whenever you have difficulties in learning English. 无论何时你遇到学英语方面的困难，你都可以向你的老师寻求帮助。

3.Make use of every opportunity to practice Chinese, because the more you use Chinese,the better you will learn it.利用一切机会练习汉语，因为你汉语用得越多，你就学得越好。

4. Learning any language takes a lot of effort, but don't give up. 学习任何语言都需要花费很多努力，但不要放弃。

5.Only by practicing more can you make great progress in your English study.只有多加练习，你的英语学习才会取得很大的进步。

6. As is known to all, vocabulary is of great importance. 众所周知，词汇是非常重要的。

7.What's more, try to communicate with your classmates in English out of class. Only in this way can you improve your listening and spoken English quickly.

更重要的是，试着在课外用英语和你的同学交流。只有这样你才能快速提升你的英语听力和口语。

8. The textbooks and dictionaries can be used as reference books while the maga⁃zines serve as reading materials.课本和辞书可以用作参考书籍，而杂志可以当作阅读材料。

9. There are more and more foreign⁃ers learning Chinese, because China is playing an increasingly important part in the world. 有越来越多的外国人在学汉语，因为中国在世界上起着越来越重要的作用。

10. I take part in the English corner and other after⁃class English activities and they benefit me a lot. 我参加英语角和其他课外英语活动，它们使我受益匪浅。

Ⅳ.主题写作

假定你是李华，你的新西兰好友Paul 目前在中国学习汉语。近日，他发来邮件向你询问提升汉语听力的建议。请你用英语给他回一封邮件，内容包括：

1.表示理解；

2.给出建议；

3.表达祝愿。

注意:

1.词数80左右；

2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

Dear Paul,

__________________________________________

Yours,