Experts say there are about 6，500 languages spoken throughout the world. But the United Nations guesses that about half of these languages are in danger of disappearing.
One organization seeking to save world languages is Wikitongues. It has a simple goal: to provide the tools and support that people need to save their languages. When a language disappears, many other things can go away as well. For example, parts of a community's(社区的)culture. knowledge and identity can also be lost.
Because of this, Udell. co-founder of Wikitongues. believes the process of bringing languages hack must be done by community members themselves. he said. "There is no way an outside organization can save someone's language for them.”
Wikitongues was started in 2016 as an open Internet collection of world languages. The self-described "community" is operated by volunteers from around the world. The collection is in the form of language videos that people speaking the languages add to the Wikitongues website.
Udell says saving languages does count. There are many examples of languages that disappeared but later returned to use. "Hebrew went extinct(灭绝的)in the 4th century BC, and was revived(复兴)in the 1800s. Now once again，it's the mother tongue of half of the world's Jewish population.”Another example is a Native American tribe. The tribe's language went extinct in the 1940s. But the tribe was able to successfully build up a "language recovery" in recent years.
One of Wikitongues' volunteers is Theron Kolokwe. who lives in Namibia. His native language is Subiya. which is spoken by about 30.000 people.
"I want the world to know about my language,” Kolokwe said. But his goal goes beyond just sharing his language with others through video. He is also working to create a dictionary and language teaching materials that can be used in schools.
1.What does Udell consider important in saving languages?
A. Gathering language information. B. Relying on the language speakers.
C. Setting up an outside organization. D. Combining languages with culture.
2.How does Wikitongues help save languages?
A. By getting language videos from its speakers collected.
B. By building an online dictionary for each language.
C. By creating a real-life community for its speakers.
D. By requiring volunteers to learn new languages.
3.What do the examples in paragraph 5 suggest?
A. The achievements of Wikitongues. B. The influences of languages on life.
C. The significance of saving languages. D. The difficulty with language recovery.
4.What can be a suitable title for the text?
A. Wikitongues Is Struggling to Spread Languages
B. Wikitongues Starts a Language Learning Website
C. Wikitongues Is Bringing Old Languages Back to Life
D. Wikitongues Seeks to Save World's Dying Languages
Dutch designer Daan Roosegaarde has spent much of his time seeking artistic solutions(解决方案)to solve our environmental problems. His past projects include "Bioluminescent(生物发光)Trees" to light streets, a "Smog-Free Tower" to clean Beijing's polluted air. and "Gates of Light". which uses the headlamps of passing cars to light up the 60 floodgates of the Afsluitdijk, a major dam in the Netherlands. Now, he is hoping to use his skills to solve a pressing global problem-space junk!
Scientists guess that there are over 500，000 bits of large rubbish. To deal with the problem, Roosegaarde intends to achieve his goal by educating the public about the need of the situation and coming up with possible solutions. The plan. called the Space Waste Lab. started in October 2018 with a laser(激光)show in the Netherlands. The unique outdoor artwork of LEDs used real-time tracking information to point at pieces of space junk floating at altitudes of 200 to 20,000 kilometers. The experience was designed to make the public know more about how much space junk there are.
To find a solution, the designer has been thinking with experts. One of the projects being considered is "Shooting Stars"，which attempts to reintroduce the trash to the atmosphere in a controlled way. Upon reentry. the waste would burn in the atmosphere like a shooting star. Roosegaarde envisages that if successful .burning space trash could someday replace fireworks at large public events!
In September 2018。the RemoveDEBRIS satellite successfully sent a net to catch a target while orbiting at an altitude of about 300 kilometers(190 miles). Sometime this year. the capsule will set free a harpoon that has been designed to remove space trash. At the end of its task，RemoveDEBRIS will let go a sail to bring the satellite itself. and. hopefully some trash, back into the atmosphere. where it will burn up.
1.What can we infer about Daan Roosegaarde?
A. He is too aggressive to put forward good plans.
B. He is creative in solving environmental problems.
C. He is fond of spending all of his time seeking art skills.
D. He is sensitive to art reflected in environmental projects.
2.Why was a laser show held in October 2018?
A. To confirm real-time information about space trash.
B. To show the great beauty of LEDs to common people.
C. To raise public awareness of the amount of space trash.
D. To inspire people to consider the solution to space trash.
3.What does the underlined word "envisage" in paragraph 3 probably mean?
A. Suspect. B. Demand. C. Advise. D. Imagine.
4.What is the function of a sail?
A. Bringing the satellite to atmosphere to burn.
B. Keeping trash traveling along its own orbit.
C. Taking the satellite away from atmosphere.
D. Removing space trash out of the capsule.
Amazing Train Rides
Taking a train in the winter is fun. The mountains turn from green to white. and you can enjoy them on the journey. Now many holiday-themed trains add fun. All aboard!
●Aurora Winter Train: Alaska
This seasonal scenic train that heads north from Anchorage is popular. From the Winter Train you'll see a snow-white Denali, America's tallest peak(山峰)-and with any luck, a trackside moose(驼鹿).You can get off the train after three hours at Talkeetna to ski in Denali or continue on for another nine hours to Fairbanks for some northern lights viewing. There're few better places, as Fairbanks is America's northernmost city.
●The Ski Train, Colorado
The Ski Train is a joyful ride even for non-skiers. The ride connects Denver's 1914 Beaux-Arts station with the Winter Park ski area. One minute you're in downtown Denver's Beaux-Arts Union Station and two hours later you're stepping off the train. 100 feet from a Winter Park ski lift. What a wonderful ride it is!
●Amtrak California Zephyr: Chicago to San Francisco
Long-distance train travelers adore west wind in any season, but winter adds the appeal of sugary snow outside the window as you travel over the Rockies and Sierras. Departing daily all winter from both Chicago and San Francisco, the 51-hour journey offers hotel-level service in a bedroom. Or you can break up the trip with stops to sleep(and ski)in Denver or Salt Lake City.
●Canyon & Christmas trains: Arizona
Snowbirds" who escape the Midwest cold in December by flying to Arizona wish for memories of a Christmas away from the desert. With a short drive from Phoenix to Clarkdale (near Sedona).they'll see small pines and red rock hills while hugging the Verde River on the four-hour Verde Canyon train in indoor and open-air cars.
1.What should you do if you go to Fairbanks from Anchorage to see northern lights?
A. Change trains in Denali. B. Take a 12-hour train ride.
C. Climb over the tallest peak. D. Travel through a moose farm.
2.On which ride can you enjoy comfortable accommodation?
A. Aurora Winter Train. B. The Ski Train.
C. Amtrak California Zephyr. D. Canyon ﹠Christmas trains.
3.What is the similarity of the four winter train rides?
A. They are all available during the whole year.
B. They are intended for young travel enthusiasts.
C. They offer the passengers good chances of skiing.
D. They provide access to winter scenery on the way.
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.Why did the speaker collect bottles and trade them?
A. To save money to get some candy bars for himself.
B. To get money to buy his mother a birthday gift.
C. To gain the experience of making money alone.
2.What did the speaker see his mother doing as he got near his house?
A. Crying silently. B. Collecting cards. C. Looking for him.
3.How did the speaker's mother feel at last?
A. Annoyed. B. Sorrowful. C. Moved.
4.What does the speaker intend to do by sharing the story?
A. Encourage people to exchange presents.
B. Show the love between parent and child.
C. Praise the understanding among people.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What does the woman dislike doing?
A. Phoning others. B. Making friends. C. Answering questions.
2.Why would the woman talk to her friend in a shopping center?
A. Her friend enjoys shopping very much.
B. They can talk and shop at the same time.
C. She prefers talking with people in public.
3.What will the woman probably do?
A. Get in touch with her friends more.
B. Study hard to achieve higher grades.
C. Be independent of her friends and parents.
4.What is the relationship between the speakers?
A. Teacher and student. B. Mother and son. C. Father and daughter.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What does the man say about the closest gas station?
A. It costs more. B. It charges less. C. It offers good service.
2.How far is the cheapest gas station?
A. A few blocks away. B. About two miles away. C. About five-minute ride away.
3.What should the woman do at the first traffic lights?
A. Take a right turn. B. Walk straight. C. Turn left.
