第三部分　阅读理解(共20小题;每小题2分，满分40分)

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项。

A

What is language for?Some people seem to think it’s for practising grammar rules and learning lists of words-the longer the lists，the better.That’s wrong.Language is for the exchange(交流)of ideas and information.It’s meaningless knowing all about a language if you can’t use it freely.Many students I have met know hundreds of grammar rules，but they can’t speak correctly or fluently(流利地).They are afraid of making mistakes.One shouldn’t be afraid of making mistakes when speaking a foreign language.Native speakers make mistakes and break rules，too.Bernard Shaw once wrote，“Foreigners often speak English too correctly.”But the mistakes that native speakers make are different from those that Chinese students make.They’re English mistakes in the English language.And if enough native speakers break a rule，it is no longer a rule.What used to be wrong，becomes right.People not only make history，they make language.But a people can only make its own language.It can’t make another people’s language.So Chinese students of English should pay attention to grammar，but they shouldn’t overdo(做过头)it.They should put communication(交际)first.

56.Language is used to________.

A.express oneself

B.practise grammar rules

C.talk with foreigners only

D.learn lists of words

解析：选A。细节理解题。由第四句“Language is for the exchange of ideas and information.”可知语言是用来交流的，因此应选择express oneself，其含义是“表达自己的意图;让别人明白自己”。

57.Generally，when an American or an Englishman speaks English，he or she________.

A.never makes mistakes

B.often makes mistakes

C.can’t avoid making mistakes

D.always makes mistakes

解析：选C。文中提到“Native speakers make mistakes and break rules，too”，而且下文也提到类似的情况，所以答案为C项，“不可避免地犯错误”。

58.The sentence“Foreigners often speak English too correctly.”means that________.

A.foreigners speak correct English

B.foreigners speak incorrect English

C.foreigners speak English according to the grammar rules

D.foreigners never make mistakes when they speak English

解析：选C。根据上下文可知，母语不是英语的人在学英语时，首先要学许多的语法规则，所以他们说话时总是套规则。

59.When we speak a foreign language，we should________.

A.speak in Chinese way

B.speak by the rules

C.speak to native speakers

D.not be afraid of making mistakes

解析：选D。推理判断题。通过文章我们知道语言的作用是交流，而且更明确在学习外语时，我们不仅要学语法，更重要的是学会使用这种语言交往，当然不能怕犯错误。