Task 3

本刊试题研究中心

People always say that the earlier one learns a language, the easier it is to do so, and in theory it is that. In my opinion,__1__, that refers to spoken language. Capability to practice some essential____2_of a language and read between the lines can only be trained through proper reading ways and hard work step by step. So spending money helping children learn English may__3__up with disappointment. It is likely that the more you__4__, the more you are let down.

The daughter of one of my friends__5__English in primary school,__6__her foreign teacher's blindness__7__psychology. She did not want to go on learning English until middle school,__8__a college student studying English slowly__9__her interest in the language.

It is better to have the child learn Chinese than to have some difficulty__10__learning English for several years. Having been engaged in English education, I find that despite their excellent__11__,many students have__12__command of English words and phrases. So I suggest that children__1___3 classical Chinese prose (散文),__14__cause them to learn English hurriedly. Otherwise, they may__1__5_the best time to improve the language ability of their mother tongue.

1. A. but B. however C. though D. yet

2. A. opinions B. regards C. requests D. expressions

3. A. put B. start C. finish D. end

4. A. pay B. get C. buy D. take

5. A. loved B. seized C. disliked D. learned

6. A. because of B. regardless of C. instead of D. in case of

7. A. of B. at C. on D. to

8. A. while B. where C. when D. though

9. A. introduced B. practised C. explained D. developed

10. A. in B. with C. at D. for

11. A. pronunciation B. phrase C. language D. writing

12. A. few B. less C. little D. fewer

13. A. write B. do C. remember D. memorize

14. A. other than B. better than C. rather than D. more than

15. A. get back B. let go C. bring in D. go away