While 375 million people around the globe use English as their native language, the number of people using it as a second language has already been well over that figure (數(shù)字).

It is said that by the end of 2000, one billion people could use English to communicate with others, including both native speakers and non-native speakers.

“The rise and fall of a language is closely connected with that country’s economic(經(jīng)濟(jì)的) strength and development potential (潛力).” Rhodri Jones, the English 2000 manager of the ELT group of the British Council said.

An expert who has given many lectures on the future of English said the economic boots（快速發(fā)展）in Asia would raise(提高) the position of the Chinese and Hindi languages. Therefore, the English language is facing a serious problem. Where will English turn in the next fifty years or the century?

The recently introduced book from Britain “Future of English” might give people concerned with their question some enlightenments (啟發(fā)). The book helps to help English teachers, planners, managers and decision makers with a professional interest in the development of English worldwide.

With the book translated into Chinese and to be published soon, the book might be brought to wider sphere (范圍)of people.

“From the book, we learn many facts about the English language, and we may be able to predict (預(yù)測) its future after reading it.” said Dorothy Humphrey, who used to be a senior English teacher for the British Council.

1.The reason why some language rises in the world depends on _______ .

A.the population of the country

B.the country’s economic strength in the world

C.the number of the population who use it

D.the country’s economic strength and development potential

2. The book “Future of English” helps to _______ .

A. improve the standard of people’s learning English

B. adds to people’s interest toward English

C. emphasize (強(qiáng)調(diào)) the importance in the world

D. make people interested in the development of English worldwide

3. After reading “Future of English” we know _______ .

A.English is the language that the people who speak it is the most in the world

B.English may disappear sooner or later

C.the world is keeping changing all the time

D.what the future of the English language is

4. The main idea of the passage is _______ .

A.why English has been popular in the world

B.how to improve people’s ability of learning English

C.English has a bright future

D.the usage of English may become less in the world one day

5. According to this passage, English may not be a world language forever because _______

A.more and more people will come to visit China

B.people in the world won’t like English in the future.

C.the economic boots in Asia would raise the position of the Chinese and Hindi languages

D.China and India will be more developed than those English-speaking countries