To put it simply, language expresses something about identity, about our place in the world. Ani Rauhihi, a Maori teacher in New Zealand's North Island, sums it up: "If you grow up speaking our language, you won't know who you are."

28. The figures mentioned in the first paragraph suggest that _____.

A. most languages have died out completely

B. languages are in great danger of extinction

C. animals are disappearing faster than languages

D. languages are disappearing slower than before

29. The underlined word "devastate" can best be replaced by "_____".

A. increase B. control C. destroyD. improve

30. If a language is lost, _____.

A. there will be great trouble

B. there is no need to worry about it

C. its culture and knowledge will also be lost

D. people will be able to communicate with others conveniently

31. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A. Languages reflect our identity.

B. People will speak the same language one day.

C. Fewer people will remember their own languages.

D. Ani Rauhihi cares less about languages dying out.

The idea of robot rulers, friends and lovers has been a topic of science fiction novels for years.

But according to one mathematical model of how our brains create consciousness, emotional machines will never exist.

　　This is because computers can't handle any process that completely integrates (整合) information, so they cannot be conscious or feel, one expert says.

A mathematical model for consciousness, developed by Giulio Tononi at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, says that the ability to integrate information is a key feature of consciousness.