Learning a second language fuels children’s intelligence and makes their job prospects brighter. 36 the fact is, in U.S.A, as in many other English speaking countries, speakers of two or more languages are in the 37 . Eighty-four per cent of US people are monolingual (speakers of only one language). This leaves a small number who 38 to speak two or more languages.
No matter how proud people are of their cultural roots, to speak anything ___39 English is a marker of difference here. That’s why fourteen-year-old Umar is 40 when people comment on the fact that he is able to speak Arabic. Umar’s mother points out: “In U.S.A, it’s not 41 for kids to be bilingual. But, if you speak another language to your children in U.S.A, it is thought that you are not helping them to 42 society.”
But in fact, the general 43 among experts is that learning a second language is good for children. Experts believe that bilinguals – people who speak __44 languages – have a clear learning advantage 45 their monolingual schoolmates. This 46 on how much of each language they can speak, not on which language is used, 47 they are learning Arabic, French, Chinese or any other language.
Vinss Millon, a professor of Foreign Language Training, says: “A lot of studies have 48 that children who speak more than one language sometimes learn one language more 49 , but in the end they do as well as their monolingual schoolmates, and often better, in other subjects.”
The view is that there is a(n) 50 from the effort of learning another language. A few other 51 agree that “Bilinguals tend to use language better as a whole. They also 52 greater creativity and problem-solving ability, and they learn further languages more easily”.
With all of the benefits, why do we not show more 53 for learning other languages? Parents and teachers 54 in bilingual education say it is pressure from friends at school, general 55 to other languages in English-speaking countries, and problems in the school system that are to blame.
36. A. And B. So C. But D. Thus
37. A. minimum B. maximum C. minority D. majority
38. A. claim B. pretend C. decide D. plan
39. A. more than B. less than C. rather than D. other than
40. A. excited B. embarrassed C. disappointed D. appreciated
41. A. common B. unusual C. unique D. general
42. A. fit in B. build up C. contribute to D. figure out
43. A. distinction B. commission C. announcement D. agreement
44. A. one B. two C. three D. more
45. A. beneath B. beyond C. over D. of
46. A. determines B. focuses C. comments D. depends
47. A. if B. whether C. when D. because
48. A. rejected B. released C. revealed D. reminded
49. A. slowly B. rapidly C. easily D. efficiently
50. A. outcome B. improvement C. advantage D. tendency
51. A. parents B. learners C. schoolmates D. professors
52. A. display B. produce C. inspire D. discover
53. A. concern B. respect C. enthusiasm D. intelligence
54. A. involved B. impressed C. competing D. replacing
55. A. opinions B. obstacles C. senses D. attitudes