2003年在职攻读硕士学位全国联考英语考试试卷
heard yet." Thibaut says the best time to expose children to language is from birth to 3 years old.
For the last 30 years, the school has been using what it calls the Thibaut Technique, a system that
combines language lessons with child's play.
"I always wanted to learn Spanish, but by the time I got to high school it was too late to
pick it up and speak fluently," said Marc Lazare, who enrolled his son at the school. "I figured at
this age, two, it's a perfect time for him to learn."
Aside from learning a language, the kids also gain a tremendous sense of confidence. One
young student boasted that aside from French, she can speak five languages (though that included
"monkey" and "lion"). The school gives children the tools to communicate, and sometimes that
gives them an advantage over their parents. "I think they sometimes speak French when they think
I won't understand them," said parent Foster Gibbons.
Depending on the age group, classes run from 45 minutes up to 2 hours. Even when students
are not in class, the program is designed to make sure the learning continues at home. Tapes and
books are included so kids can practice on their own.
46. The word "bilingual" in the first paragraph probably means _________
A. capable of using two languages
B. both clever and confident
C. aware of their own limitations and strengths
D. independent of their parents
47. The passage tells us that the best time for a child to learn languages is _______
A. before seven years old
B. from birth to three years old
C. in his childhood
D. in his teens
48. According to Thibaut, it is possible ________
A. for children to take advantage of their parents by using a foreign language
B. to expose children to a foreign language after they can speak English
C. to combine language lessons with sports games
D. for children to learn several languages at the same time
49. The school teaches languages by _______
A. exposing children to the new environment
B. using modem facilities and equipment
C. combining language lessons with games
D. giving children confidence
50. The best title for this text is
A. A Unique Language School for Children
B. The Foreign Language for Children to Learn
C. Special Songs and Visual Aids in Learning
D. The Best Way to Learn a Foreign Language
Passage Four
The girls in this sixth grade class in East Palo Alto, California, all have the same access to
computers as boys.. But researchers say, by the time they get to high school, they are victims of
what the researchers call a major new gender (性别) gap in technology. Janice Weinman of the
American Association of University Women says, "Girls tend to be less comfortable than boys