(B)
One of the main challenges facing many coutries is how to maintain their identity in the face of globalization and the growing multi-language trend. “One of the main reasons for economic failure in many African countries is the fact that,with a few important exceptions,mother-tongue
education is not practiced in any of the independent African states." said Neville Alexander.Dutctor of the Project for the Study of Aitemative Education in South Africa at the University of Cape Town.
In response to the spread of English and the increased multi-language trends arising from Immigration . many countries have inuoduced language laws in the laws in the last decade .In some ,the use of languages other than the national language is banned in public spaccs such as advertsing posters. One of the first such legal proviaions was the 1994 " Toubon law' in France. but the idea hs been copied in many counuics since then. Such efrorts to govern language use are often
dismisscd as futile by language experts . who are well aware of the difficulty of controlling fashions in specch and know from research that language switching among bilinguals is a natural process.
It is especiaLly difficult for native speakers of English to understand the desire to maintain the 'purity" of a language by law. Since the time of Shakespeare . English has continually absorbed
foreign words into its own language. EngLish is one of the most mixed and rapidly changing languages in the world. But the has not been a barrier to acquiring prestige and power. Another reason for the failure of many native English speakers to understand the role of state regulation is that it bas never been the Aryllo-Saxon way of doing things. English has never had a state-controlled
autharity for the language, similar, for example . to the Academie Francaise in France.
The need to prorect national languages is for most western Europeansa recent phenomenon- especially the need to ensure that English does not unnecessarily take over too many fields.
Public communication, educauon and new modcs of communication promoted by technology,may be key fields to defend.
46. Neville Alexander believes that___________.
A. mother-tongue education is not practiced in all African countries
B. lack of mother-tongue education can lead to economic failure
C. globalization has led to the rise of multi-language trends
D. globalization has resulted in the econonuc failure of Africa
47 . The underlined word " futile" (in paragraph 2) most probably means "___________"
A. useless B. pracucal C. workable D. unnecessary
48. Why do many English-speaking; cuuntries not support the language protection efforts described in the passage?
A. They think language protection laws are ineffective.
B. They want their language to spread to other countries.
C. They have a long history of taking words from other languages.
D. It reduces a language's ability tO acquire intenatiunal importance.
49.what can we infer from the last paragraph?
A. English has taken over fields like public communication and education.
B. Europeans have long realizcd the need to protect their national Languages.
C. Most language experts believe it is important to promote a national language.
D. Many aspects of national culture are threatened by the spread of English.
50. The best title for the passage is___________.
A. Fighting against the rule of English
B. GlobaLization and multi-language trends
C. Protecting local languages and identities
D. to maintain the purity of language by law
