【单选题】
Actually, though,America, the "land of immigrants", has always had people of many different nationalities and languages. The 1990 census indicates that almost 14% ofAmericans speak a non-English language at home. Yet only 3% reported that they spokeEnglish "not well" or "not at all". That means that slightly more than one out of 10Americans could be considered bilingual.Besides that, many high school and college students--and even some elementary school students--are required to take a foreign language as a part of their curriculum. In addition to old standbys like Spanish, German and French, more and more students are optingEasternEuropean andAsian languages. Of course, not all students keep up their foreign language abilities.As the old saying goes, "If you don’t use it, you lose it. "But still, a growing number ofAmericans are coming to appreciate the benefits of being multilingual.
Ethnic enclaves, found particularly in major metropolitan centers, have preserved the language and culture ofAmerican immigrants. Some local residents can function quite well in their native language, without having to bother learningEnglish. Regions such as southern Florida and the Southwest have numerous Spanish-speaking neighborhoods. In fact, Spanish speakers--numbering over 17 million--compose the largest non-English linguistic group inAmericA、ButChinese, Vietnamese, Italian, Polish and many other ethnic groups add to the linguistic flavor ofAmericA、Foreign languages are so commonly used in some ethnic neighborhoods that visitors might think they are in another country!
Although someAmericans welcome this linguistic and cultural diversity, others have begun to fear that theEnglish language is being threateneD、Since the 1980s, the "English Only" movement has sought to promote legislation which would establishEnglish as the "official language" and restrict the use of non-English language. However, some groups, including TESOL, the organization for Teachers ofEnglish to Speakers of Other Language, object to such "language restrictionism". Their view, known as "English Plus", suggests thatAmericans should have respect for people’s native language and culture, while promoting the teaching ofEnglish to help them fit into the mainstream of society.But so far, 19 states have passedEnglish Only legislation, and the topic is the focus of an ongoing debate.
Whether or notEnglish is the official language of the United States, it remains the "language of wider communication". Nearly everyone recognizes the need to develop proficiency inEnglish in order to do well inAmericA、To help those who want to brush up on theirEnglish skills,English as a Second LanguageESL) classes abounD、Cities with large numbers of recent immigrants often set up bilingual education programs to teach students content subjects in their native language while they improve theirEnglish. Language educators often have strong and divergent views as to which approach helps learners achieve better results: a bilingual approach, anESL approach--or even a pure immersion ("sink or swim") approach. However, alI these teachers share a common commitment: to help students function well inEnglish.
Americans recognize thatEnglish is the international language, and people with goodEnglish skills can get by in many international settings. On the other hand, in a world growing increasingly smaller, second language skills can be a great favor. They can build cross-cultural bridges and give people an edge in a variety of career fields. Indeed, lack of foreign language proficiency can limit one’s chances for advancement and keep one in a cultural dead-end street.As many people inAmerica are discovering, being monolingual is no laughing m
网考网参考答案：C
网考网解析：
暂无解析 document.getElementById("warp").style.display="none"; document.getElementById("content").style.display="block"; 查看试题解析出处>>
发布评论 查看全部评论