languages, often spoken by many people, while hot, wet zones have lots, often spoken by small numbers. Europe has only around 200 languages;the Americas about 1, 000;Africa 2, 400;and Asia and the Pacific perhaps 3, 200, of which Papua New Guinea alone accounts for well over 800. The median number(中位数) of speakers is a mere 6, 000, which means that half the world's languages are spoken by fewer people than that.

　　Already well over 400 of the total of 6, 800 languages are close to extinction(消亡), with only a few elderly speakers left. Pick, at random, Busuu in Cameroon(eight remaining speakers), Chiapaneco in Mexico(150), Lipan Apache in the United States(two or three) or Wadjigu in Australia(one, with a question-mark):none of these seems to have much chance of survival.

1. What can we infer about languages in hunter-gatherer times?

A. They developed very fast.

B. They were large in number.

C. They had similar patterns.

D. They were closely connected.

2. Which of the following best explains "dominant" underlined in paragraph 2?

A. Complex. B. Advanced. C. Powerful. D. Modern.

3. How many languages are spoken by less than 6, 000 people at present?

A. About 6, 800. B. About 3, 400.

C. About 2, 400. D. About 1, 200.

4. What is the main idea of the text?

A. New languages will be created.

B. People's lifestyles are reflected in languages.

C. Human development results in fewer languages.

D. Geography determines language evolution.

答案

1. B　2. C　3. B　4. C