There are several reasons as to why a language can eventually die out. These range from natural disasters, such as hurricanes, to sociological factors, like cultural assimilation, in which the culture of a minority group is gradually replaced by a stronger one. The former can cause tribes to leave their natural habitat(栖息地) and therefore become fewer and fewer in number. However, it doesn't happen very frequently. In fact, the latter is a much bigger threat and it is responsible for the extinction of a lot of languages in countries like the USA and Australia. For instance, Chemehuevi is one of the languages which is really close to dying out since its sole speaker is an old, yet healthy, man named Johnny Hill, Jr.

　　It is very important for as many languages as possible to be preserved. Scientists have been trying to raise people's awareness on how certain tribes have specific words which cannot be expressed in let's say English simply because there is no equal meaning. Namely, the Yupik of Alaska have 99 names to describe different layers of ice formation, or how the Tofa of Siberia classify reindeer (驯鹿). In other words, when languages die out, mankind's wisdom reduces.

　　On a happier note, there are many famous cases which show what can be done to preserve languages in danger of extinction. In particular, the Maori in New Zealand have created so­called “language nests”： organizations which help children under five learn the language. They provide them with a setting where they are exposed to the language intensively so that they get to realise that communicating in Maori is as natural as communicating in English. There is always, of course, the risk that the children won't keep the language alive after they have left their “nests”. Nevertheless, hope dies hard.

【2017春高一英语一轮复习同步 Unit 2《English around the world》练习 （新人教版必修1）】相关文章：

★ 【北师大版】2014届高考英语一轮复习指导课时作业：Unit 7 B卷 Word版含解析

★ 2014届高考英语一轮复习课时作业(二十七)必修5Module 3《Adventure in Literature and the Cinema》（外研版）

★ 2017届江苏省淮安市新马中学高考牛津译林版英语一轮复习活动单：模块6 Unit 2《What is happiness to you》

★ 【浙江专用】2014届高考英语一轮复习课时作业(三十五)选修7Unit 5《Travelling abroad》

★ 2014届高考英语一轮复习课时作业(四十一)选修7Module 5《Ethnic Culture》（外研版）

★ 2014届高考英语一轮复习课时作业(四十七)选修8Module 5《The Conquest of the Universe》（外研版）

★ 2014届高考英语一轮复习选修7参考答案（外研版）

★ 北京市2014高考英语一轮复习 练习手册（34）选修7 Unit 4 Sharing（含解析）新人教版

★ 【三维设计】2017届高考英语（江苏专用）二轮复习课件：必修3 Unit 2《Language》

★ 2017届高考英语二轮复习课时训练：2（含解析）