PASSAGE 30 In the Native American Navajo nation which sprawl across four states in the American south-west, the native language is dying Most of its speakers are middle-age or elderly Although many students take classes in Navajo , the schools are run in English Street sign, supermarket goods and even their own newspaper are all in English Not surprisingly, linguists doubt that any native speakers of Navajo will remain in a hundred years’ time Navajo is far from alone Half the world’s 6,800 languages are likely to vanish within two generations – that’s one language lost every ten days Never before has the planet’s linguistic diversity shrunk at such a pace Isolation breeds linguistic diversity as a result, the world is peppered with languages spoken by only a few people Only 250 languages have more than a million speakers, and at least 3000 have fewer than 2500 It is not necessarily these small languages that are about to disappear Navajo is considered endangered despite having 150,000 speakers What makes a language endangered is not that the number of speakers, but how old they are If it is spoken by children it is relatively safe The critically endangered languages are those that are only spoken by the elderly, according to Michael Krauss, director of the Alaska Native Language Center, in Fairbanks Why people reject the language of their parents? It begins with a crisis of confidence, when a small community finds itself alongside a larger, wealthier society, says Nicholas Ostler of Britain’s Foundation for Endangered Languages, in Bath “People lose faith in their culture” he says “When the next generation reaches their teens, they might not want to be induced into the old tradition.” The change is not always voluntary Quite often, governments try to kill off a minority language by banning its use in public or discouraging its use in school, all to promote national unity The former US policy of running Indian reservation in English, for example, effectively put languages such as Navajo on the danger list But Salikoko Mufwene, who chairs the Lingustics Department at University of Chicago, argues that the deadliest weapon is not government policy but economic globalisation “Native Americans have not lost pride in their language, but they have had to adapt to socio-economic pressures” he says “They cannot refuse to speak English if most commercial activity is in English.” However, a growing interest in cultural identity may prevent the direct predictions from coming true ‘The key to fostering diversity is for people to learn their ancestral tongue, as well as the dominant language’ says Doug Whalen, founder and president of the Endangered Language Fund in New Haven, Connecticut “Most of these will nlt survive without a large degree of bilingualism” he says Question It is started in the passage that the number of endangered languages is _ A about 3,200 B about 6,800 C At least 3,200 D Fewer than 2,500 Question The word peppered in paragraph is closest in meaning to _ A randomly separated B slowly attacked C sparsely distributed D Unintentionally controlled Question According to the passage, endangered languages cannot be saved unless people A avoid speaking their dominant language B grow interest in cultural identities C know more than one language D write in their mother tongue Question Who thinks that a change of language may mean a loss of traditional culture? A Doug Whalen B Michael Krauss C Nicholas Ostler D Salikoko Mufwene Question The word these in paragraph refers to _ A ancestral tongue B dominant language Page C growing interest in cultural identity D the key to fostering diversity Question Navajo language is considered being endangered language because _ A it currently has too few speakers B it is too spoken by too many elderly and middle-aged speakers C it was banned in publicity by the former US policy D many young people refuse to learn to speak it Question Which statement is NOT supported by the information in the passage? A A large number of native speakers fail to guarantee the survival of a language B National governments could more to protect endangered languages C The loss of linguistic diversity in inevitable D Young people often reject the established way to life in their community Question What is the main idea of this passage? A To describe how diverse languages are in the past B To explain the importance of preserving endangered languages C To explain why more and more languages disappear D To point out that many languages being in danger of extinction ĐÁP ÁN 1-A 2-C 3-C 6-A 7-B 8-B 4-D 5-A LỜI GIẢI CHI TIẾT Question 1: Nó bắt đầu đoạn văn số lượng ngôn ngữ có nguy tuyệt chủng _ A khoảng 3.200 B khoảng 6.800 C Ít 3.200 D Ít 2.500 => Dẫn chứng: Only 250 languages have more than a million speakers, and at least 3000 have fewer than 2500 Dịch: Chỉ 250 ngôn ngữ có triệu người nói 3000 ngơn ngữ có 2500 Question 2: Từ peppered đoạn gần có nghĩa _ A tách ngẫu nhiên C phân bố thưa thớt B cơng từ từ D Vơ tình bị kiểm soát => Dẫn chứng: Isolation breeds linguistic diversity as a result, the world is peppered with languages spoken by only a few people Dịch: Kết đa dạng ngôn ngữ, kết giới bị ảnh hưởng ngôn ngữ sử dụng số người Question 3: Theo đoạn văn, ngơn ngữ có nguy tuyệt chủng khơng thể giữ lại trừ người A tránh nói ngơn ngữ họ B phát triển quan tâm đến sắc văn hóa Page C biết nhiều ngôn ngữ D viết tiếng mẹ đẻ họ => Dẫn chứng: What makes a language endangered is not that the number of speakers, but how old they are If it is spoken by children it is relatively safe The critically endangered languages are those that are only spoken by the elderly, according to Michael Krauss, director of the Alaska Native Language Center, in Fairbanks Dịch: Điều khiến ngôn ngữ bị đe dọa số lượng người nói, mà họ tuổi Nếu nói trẻ em tương đối an tồn Các ngơn ngữ bị đe dọa nghiêm trọng ngôn ngữ người già nói, theo Michael Krauss, giám đốc Trung tâm Ngơn ngữ địa Alaska, Fairbanks Question 4: Ai nghĩ thay đổi ngơn ngữ có nghĩa văn hóa truyền thống? A Doug Whalen B Michael Krauss C Nicholas Ostler D Salikoko Mufwene => Dẫn chứng: But Salikoko Mufwene, who chairs the Lingustics Department at University of Chicago, argues that the deadliest weapon is not government policy but economic globalisation “Native Americans have not lost pride in their language, but they have had to adapt to socio-economic pressures” he says “They cannot refuse to speak English if most commercial activity is in English.” Dịch: Nhưng Salikoko Mufwene, chủ tịch Khoa Ngôn ngữ học Đại học Chicago, lập luận vũ khí nguy hiểm khơng phải sách phủ mà tồn cầu hóa kinh tế Người Mỹ địa khơng niềm tự hào ngôn ngữ, họ phải thích nghi với áp lực kinh tế xã hội Họ khơng thể từ chối nói tiếng Anh hầu hết hoạt động thương mại tiếng Anh Question 5: Từ “these” đoạn đề cập đến _ A ngôn ngữ tổ tiên B ngơn ngữ C ngày quan tâm đến sắc văn hóa D chìa khóa để thúc đẩy đa dạng => The key to fostering diversity is for people to learn their ancestral tongue, as well as the dominant language’ says Doug Whalen, founder and president of the Endangered Language Fund in New Haven, Connecticut “Most of these will nlt survive without a large degree of bilingualism” he says Dịch: Chìa khóa để thúc đẩy đa dạng cho người học ngôn ngữ tổ tiên họ, ngôn ngữ thống trị mà ông Doug Whalen, người sáng lập chủ tịch Quỹ ngơn ngữ có nguy tuyệt chủng New Haven, Connecticut nói Hầu hết ngơn ngữ sống sót mà không cần mức độ song ngữ lớn Question 6: Ngơn ngữ Navajo coi ngơn ngữ có nguy tuyệt chủng A có q người nói B nói nhiều người già người trung niên C bị cấm cơng khai sách cũ Hoa Kỳ D nhiều bạn trẻ khơng chịu học nói Page => Dẫn chứng: Navajo is considered endangered despite having 150,000 speakers Dịch: Navajo coi có nguy tuyệt chủng có 150.000 người nói Question 7: Phát biểu KHƠNG hỗ trợ thơng tin đoạn văn? A Một số lượng lớn người ngữ không đảm bảo tồn ngôn ngữ B Chính phủ quốc gia làm nhiều để bảo vệ ngôn ngữ bị đe dọa C Sự đa dạng ngôn ngữ tránh khỏi D Những người trẻ tuổi thường từ chối cách thiết lập sống cộng đồng họ => Dẫn chứng: Quite often, governments try to kill off a minority language by banning its use in public or discouraging its use in school, all to promote national unity Dịch: Rất thường xuyên, phủ cố gắng tiêu diệt ngôn ngữ thiểu số cách cấm sử dụng nơi cơng cộng khơng khuyến khích sử dụng trường học, tất để thúc đẩy đồn kết quốc gia Question 8: Ý đoạn văn gì? A Để mơ tả ngôn ngữ đa dạng khứ B Để giải thích tầm quan trọng việc bảo tồn ngơn ngữ có nguy tuyệt chủng C Để giải thích ngày nhiều ngôn ngữ biến D Để nhiều ngơn ngữ có nguy tuyệt chủng => The former US policy of running Indian reservation in English, for example, effectively put languages such as Navajo on the danger list But Salikoko Mufwene, who chairs the Lingustics Department at University of Chicago, argues that the deadliest weapon is not government policy but economic globalisation “Native Americans have not lost pride in their language, but they have had to adapt to socio-economic pressures” he says “They cannot refuse to speak English if most commercial activity is in English.” Dịch: Chẳng hạn, sách trước Hoa Kỳ việc bảo lưu tiếng Ấn Độ tiếng Anh, đưa ngôn ngữ Navajo vào danh sách nguy hiểm cách hiệu Nhưng Salikoko Mufwene, chủ tịch Khoa Ngôn ngữ học Đại học Chicago, lập luận vũ khí nguy hiểm khơng phải sách phủ mà tồn cầu hóa kinh tế Người Mỹ địa khơng niềm tự hào ngôn ngữ, họ phải thích nghi với áp lực kinh tế xã hội Họ khơng thể từ chối nói tiếng Anh hầu hết hoạt động thương mại tiếng Anh Page ... 250 languages have more than a million speakers, and at least 300 0 have fewer than 2500 Dịch: Chỉ 250 ngơn ngữ có triệu người nói 300 0 ngơn ngữ có 2500 Question 2: Từ peppered đoạn gần có nghĩa... often reject the established way to life in their community Question What is the main idea of this passage? A To describe how diverse languages are in the past B To explain the importance of preserving... refuse to learn to speak it Question Which statement is NOT supported by the information in the passage? A A large number of native speakers fail to guarantee the survival of a language B National