【题文】The unusual whistle language used as a means of communication by villagers in the remote and mountainous northern Turkey has been added to the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The language is a highly developed high-pitch system of whistling to communicate in rugged（崎岖的）areas where people mostly cannot see each other. It can allow people to communicate across great distances, up to 5 kilometers. Compared with other similar whistle languages in Spain’s Canary Islands, in Mexico, or in Greek villages, it has a higher tone and larger vocabulary.

This unusual form of communication, which dates some 500 years ago, to the Ottoman Empire, was born from sheer necessity and widespread across the Black Sea regions.

But 50 years ago, it suffered the impact of the progression of technology and nowadays the rapid growth of cellular mobile systems has put this cultural heritage（遗产）under serious threat.

For centuries, the language has been passed on from grandparent to parent, from parent to child. Now, though, many of its most skilful speakers who use their tongue, teeth and fingers are aging all becoming physically weak. Young people are no longer interested in learning the language or in finding ways to update its vocabulary with new words, and in a few generations it may be gone for good.

“Our bird language is very convenient and efficient to communicate across the valleys. It has many benefits over yelling, which is bad for our throats.” said Avni Kocek, head of the bird village adding that despite setbacks because of technology, “Bird language is still used by many of us. Whistle language is transmitted from our elders to us and we have the duty to transmit it to our children. We are making efforts to keep our culture alive through the annual Bird Language Festival.”

Besides, the bird language has been required to be taught at primary schools since 2014 by district authorities in order to instil（逐步实施）the practice in younger generations.

【小题1】What is the bird language’s advantage over other similar whistle languages?

A．It is used as a means of communication.

B．It is older and has a larger number of users.

C．It can send more messages to farther places.

D．It is a completely different system of whistling.

【小题2】What’s the biggest threat to the bird language?

A．Other whistle languages are more effectively protected.

B．The need to use it in everyday life is disappearing.

C．Many of its most skilful speakers are growing old.

D．Young people find it too difficult to learn well enough.

【小题3】What’s the most effective measure so far taken to protect the bird language?

A．It has become a subject at primary schools.

B．Bird Language Festival is celebrated every month.

C．Cellular mobile systems are not allowed in the area.

D．All parents are required to transmit it to their children.

【小题4】Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Preserving the Endangered Bird language

B．The Story of a Bird Language Speaker

C．Celebrating the Bird Language Festival

D．The Disappearance of Bird Language

浙江省嘉兴市第五高级中学2020-2021学年高二上学期期中英语试题