Section B: Information Matching
Directions: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.
Is computer coding a foreign language?
[A] As computer coding has become an increasingly sought-after skill, more K-12 schools are working it into their curriculums. Some states have considered allowing students to forgo foreign language for coding classes, despite opposition from educators.
[B] There’s a debate over whether it’s appropriate to teach coding in elementary schools, with fierce opinions on each side. When it comes to allowing coding to fill foreign language requirements, though, most educators agree: Coding should be added to curriculums, but not at the expense of foreign language classes.
[C] The idea is that computer programming is a language, allowing people to communicate with machines and programs. It’s the language of the 21st century and more valuable than a natural language, some advocates argue. The computer science field is growing faster than schools can keep up because of budget constraints and a lack of skills training for teachers.
[D] According to the 2016 U.S. News/Raytheon STEM Index, computer science jobs have helped boost wages in the U.S., and computer-related jobs hold the top seven positions in STEM fields for highest number of workers. Foreign language interest, on the other hand, is declining for the first time since 1995. The number of higher education language enrollments declined between 2009 and 2013 by more than 111,000 spots, according to the Modern Language Association of America.
[E] “I think the opportunity to give people a choice is important,” says Florida state Senator Jeremy Ring, who introduced a bill last year that would allow Florida students to choose between foreign language and coding classes for the purpose of university admissions requirements. “I think if you’re going to give two years of language in high school, you might as well do computer coding.”
[F] The Florida bill died this year after passing 35:5 in the state Senate when the full Legislature failed to take action. It would have been the first state to try this initiative. Ring says that although he will be out of office, an identical bill will be reintroduced within the next year by others on his behalf. “In the speech I gave on the Senate floor, I said, ‘We can be the first state to do this, or we can be the 50th state to do it. It’s our choice. It’s going to happen,’” Ring says.
[G] A Kentucky bill similar to the one in Florida was met with complaints from educators, and was then amended to promote computer science education initiatives with no mention of foreign language requirements. Instead, the state will provide support for higher quality certified teachers for programming classes. Under the Washington bill, public universities would accept two years of computer science classes in place of two years of foreign language for admission purposes. A report detailing the opinions of state university officials is due to the Legislature by November 2017.
[H] Texas passed a bill in 2013 that allows students to substitute computer coding only after they have attempted and performed poorly in a foreign language class. Srini Mandyam, CTO and co-founder of kid-friendly instructional coding company Tynker, believes allowing students to forgo foreign language because they struggle with it is unproductive because every subject, whether art, math or language, is a significant contribution to a well-rounded existence. “Many students don’t fare well with algebra but we never discuss eliminating it or… say chemistry is now counted as an algebra class,” he said via email. “We teach algebra because it’s important and we should teach foreign language and coding for the same reason. Exposure to a wide breadth of subjects and material results in well-rounded students who are able to make informed decisions… about what they want to pursue.”
[I] Computer science courses already fulfill a math or science high school graduation requirement in 28 states and the District of Columbia, up from only 12 states in 2013. And while advocates of the bills say they should count as foreign language instead, opponents stress the importance of balancing computer and foreign language skills.
[J] Studies show that bilingualism correlates with cognitive development, intelligence, memory and problem solving abilities, according to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. A 2007 study showed that foreign language students outperformed their non-foreign language peers on standardized tests after only two to three years of study. And while a 2014 report from German and American universities suggests that programmers are using language (but not mathematical) regions of the brain when understanding code, critics remain wary. They say that regardless of cognitive functions, being monolingual is a disadvantage in the increasingly international economy, even if English has become the de facto language of business.
[K] “Our world is shrinking but its problems are really growing,” says ACTFL National Language Teacher of the Year Ted Zarrow, who teaches high school Latin in Westwood, Massachusetts, and has also studied Spanish, French, German, Italian and Greek. “We need to find a way to put ourselves at the global table and to treat each other with mutual respect. And learning languages allows us to do that because language is not part of culture, language is culture.”
[L] Even with the benefits and skills sets languages provide, recruiters and employers value computer skills more. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ 2016 report, study abroad and foreign language fluency were not very influential in the employee hiring processes, but 55 percent of employers looked for computer skills on applicants’ resumes. However, although 2016 computer science graduates can expect to make the second highest starting salary compared with other jobs this year, the Bureau of Labor predicts the demand for computer programmers will decrease 8 percent or by 26,500 jobs by 2024.
[M] Ring says foreign language skills are important, but expresses doubt that school districts could work both coding and language into their curriculum in a significant way because they lack the time in the school day. “Nothing against language,” he says. “I just think it’s something you have to start early and not just have something that you do for a couple of years in high school,” he says.
[N] Zarrow agrees that foreign language education should begin earlier, but says it is possible to work both computer programming and foreign language learning into schools evenly. He suggests an immersive, dual language program where students spend half the day in English and half the day in another language, as several schools around the country have successfully implemented. “The study of language fosters a respect for diversity, a respect for ethnicity and really a respect for language,” Zarrow says.
[O] Though the benefits of computer programming skills are vast, foreign language and coding experts agree that computer science should be negotiated into curriculums rather than replacing foreign language outright. Mandyam says the two skill sets are essential but unrelated. “Coding is an incredibly important 21st century skill for our kids to learn, and that’s why we spend so much time trying to teach it,” Mandyam says via email. “But I believe it is the same as or even really comparable to learning a foreign language. It would be a shame to lose something so important for the sake of adding something else, even something as important as coding. Clearly, education leaders must figure out a way to teach both.”
36. Employers attach more importance to applicants’ computer skills than their language competence.
37. One U.S. state senator proposed that high school students be allowed to study either foreign language or computer coding.
38. Learning languages broadens students’ international perspective and nurtures mutual respect among peoples, according to a high school language teacher.
39. One U.S. state will see to it that programming classes are taught by quality teachers.
40. Statistics show while computer-related jobs have been on the rise, foreign languages have become less appealing to American students since mid-1990s.
41. All school subjects are said to be essential to students’ well-rounded development.
42. There is consensus among most educators that coding should be taught in schools but should not replace foreign language.
43. One study showed that foreign language learning improved students’ academic performance.
44. Being short of funding and qualified teachers, schools lag behind the fast developing computer science field.
45. A distinguished high school language teacher also believes it is advisable to start learning a foreign language at an earlier age.
Answers & Explanations (答案与解析)
36. L。解析：题干 Employers attach more importance to applicants’ computer skills than their language competence. 对应 [L] 段 ...recruiters and employers value computer skills more. According to the National Association... foreign language fluency were not very influential... but 55 percent of employers looked for computer skills... attach more importance 对应 value ... more。
37. E。解析：题干 One U.S. state senator proposed that high school students be allowed to study either foreign language or computer coding. 对应 [E] 段 ...Florida state Senator Jeremy Ring, who introduced a bill... allow Florida students to choose between foreign language and coding classes... senator proposed 对应 Senator... introduced a bill，study either... or 对应 choose between。
38. K。解析：题干 Learning languages broadens students’ international perspective and nurtures mutual respect among peoples, according to a high school language teacher. 对应 [K] 段 ...says ACTFL National Language Teacher of the Year Ted Zarrow... “We need to find a way to put ourselves at the global table and to treat each other with mutual respect. And learning languages allows us to do that...” broadens international perspective 对应 put ourselves at the global table，nurtures mutual respect 对应 treat each other with mutual respect。
39. G。解析：题干 One U.S. state will see to it that programming classes are taught by quality teachers. 对应 [G] 段 Instead, the state will provide support for higher quality certified teachers for programming classes. see to it that 对应 provide support for，quality teachers 对应 higher quality certified teachers。
40. D。解析：题干 Statistics show while computer-related jobs have been on the rise, foreign languages have become less appealing to American students since mid-1990s. 对应 [D] 段 According to the 2016... computer science jobs have helped boost wages... Foreign language interest, on the other hand, is declining for the first time since 1995. less appealing 对应 interest... is declining，mid-1990s 对应 1995。
41. H。解析：题干 All school subjects are said to be essential to students’ well-rounded development. 对应 [H] 段 ...every subject, whether art, math or language, is a significant contribution to a well-rounded existence. All school subjects 对应 every subject，well-rounded development 对应 well-rounded existence。
42. B。解析：题干 There is consensus among most educators that coding should be taught in schools but should not replace foreign language. 对应 [B] 段 ...most educators agree: Coding should be added to curriculums, but not at the expense of foreign language classes. consensus among most educators 对应 most educators agree，should not replace 对应 not at the expense of。
43. J。解析：题干 One study showed that foreign language learning improved students’ academic performance. 对应 [J] 段 A 2007 study showed that foreign language students outperformed their non-foreign language peers on standardized tests... improved academic performance 对应 outperformed... on standardized tests。
44. C。解析：题干 Being short of funding and qualified teachers, schools lag behind the fast developing computer science field. 对应 [C] 段 The computer science field is growing faster than schools can keep up because of budget constraints and a lack of skills training for teachers. lag behind 对应 growing faster than schools can keep up，short of funding 对应 budget constraints。
45. N。解析：题干 A distinguished high school language teacher also believes it is advisable to start learning a foreign language at an earlier age. 对应 [N] 段 Zarrow agrees that foreign language education should begin earlier... (Zarrow前文已提及是年度最佳外语教师)，start learning... at an earlier age 对应 begin earlier。
全文翻译
[A] 随着计算机编程成为越来越抢手的技能，越来越多的K-12学校将其纳入课程。一些州已经考虑允许学生用编程课替代外语课，尽管遭到教育者的反对。
[B] 关于在小学教授编程是否合适存在争论，双方意见都很激烈。然而，在允许用编程替代外语要求的问题上，大多数教育者意见一致：编程应该加入课程，但不能以牺牲外语课为代价。
[C] 其理念是计算机编程是一种语言，允许人们与机器和程序交流。一些倡导者认为，这是21世纪的语言，比自然语言更有价值。由于预算限制和教师技能培训不足，计算机科学领域的发展速度快于学校能跟上的速度。
[D] 根据2016年《美国新闻与世界报道》/雷神STEM指数，计算机科学工作帮助提升了美国工资水平，计算机相关工作在STEM领域占据工人数量最多的前七个位置。另一方面，外语兴趣自1995年以来首次下降。根据美国现代语言协会的数据，2009年至2013年间高等教育语言注册人数减少了超过111,000个名额。
[E] 佛罗里达州参议员杰里米·林说："我认为给人们选择的机会很重要，"他去年提出一项法案，允许佛罗里达学生在大学入学要求的外语和编程课之间做出选择。"我认为如果你要在高中学两年语言，不妨学计算机编程。"
[F] 佛罗里达法案在州参议院以35:5通过后，因全部立法机构未能采取行动而于今年夭折。这本来会是第一个尝试这一举措的州。林说尽管他将离职，但其他人将代表他在明年内重新提出相同的法案。"我在参议院发言时说，'我们可以是第一个这样做的州，也可以是第五十个这样做的州。这是我们的选择。这终将发生，'"林说。
[G] 肯塔基州一项类似佛罗里达的法案遭到教育者投诉，随后被修改为推广计算机科学教育倡议，未提及外语要求。相反，该州将为编程课提供更高质量认证教师的支持。根据华盛顿州的法案，公立大学将接受两年计算机科学课程替代两年外语课程作为入学目的。一份详细说明州立大学官员意见的报告将于2017年11月提交立法机构。
[H] 德克萨斯州在2013年通过一项法案，允许学生仅在尝试外语课后表现不佳时才用计算机编程替代。儿童友好教学编程公司Tynker的CTO兼联合创始人斯里尼·曼迪亚姆认为，允许学生因为外语困难而放弃外语是不利于成长的，因为每一门学科，无论是艺术、数学还是语言，都是对全面发展的重要贡献。"许多学生对代数不擅长，但我们从未讨论取消它或……说化学现在算作代数课，"他通过电子邮件说。"我们教代数因为它重要，同样原因我们也应该教外语和编程。接触广泛的学科和材料能培养出全面发展的学生，他们能就自己想要追求什么做出明智的决定。"
[I] 计算机科学课程在28个州和哥伦比亚特区已经满足数学或科学的高中毕业要求，而2013年只有12个州。虽然法案倡导者认为它们应该算作外语替代，但反对者强调平衡计算机和外语技能的重要性。
[J] 根据美国外语教学委员会的研究，双语能力与认知发展、智力、记忆力和问题解决能力相关。2007年的一项研究显示，外语学生在标准化考试中仅经过两到三年的学习就超过了非外语学习的同龄人。虽然2014年德国和美国大学的一份报告表明程序员在理解代码时使用大脑的语言（而非数学）区域，但批评者仍然保持警惕。他们说，无论认知功能如何，在日益国际化的经济中只会一种语言是不利的，即使英语已成为事实上的商业语言。
[K] "我们的世界在缩小，但问题在真正增长，"ACTFL年度国家语言教师泰德·扎罗说，他在马萨诸塞州韦斯特伍德教高中拉丁语，也学习过西班牙语、法语、德语、意大利语和希腊语。"我们需要找到一种方法让自己坐在全球桌前，相互尊重对待。学习语言让我们能做到这一点，因为语言不是文化的一部分，语言就是文化。"
[L] 即使语言提供的益处和技能，招聘人员和雇主更看重计算机技能。根据全美大学与雇主协会2016年的报告，海外学习和外语流利度在员工招聘过程中的影响力不大，但55%的雇主在求职者简历中寻找计算机技能。然而，尽管2016年计算机科学毕业生的起薪预计在今年的所有工作中排名第二，劳工统计局预测到2024年对计算机程序员的需求将下降8%，即减少26,500个工作岗位。
[M] 林说外语技能很重要，但对学区能否将编程和语言都以有意义的方式纳入课程表示怀疑，因为他们在校日没有足够时间。"不是针对语言，"他说。"我只是认为这是你必须早点开始的事情，而不仅仅是高中做几年的事。"
[N] 扎罗同意外语教育应该更早开始，但表示可以将计算机编程和外语学习均匀地纳入学校。他建议一种沉浸式双语项目，学生半天用英语，半天用另一种语言，就像全国几所学校已经成功实施的那样。"语言学习培养了对多样性的尊重，对种族的尊重，真正对语言的尊重，"扎罗说。
[O] 尽管计算机编程技能的益处巨大，外语和编程专家一致认为计算机科学应该被协商纳入课程，而不是完全取代外语。曼迪亚姆说这两种技能都是必需但不相关的。"编程是我们孩子要学习的极其重要的21世纪技能，这就是为什么我们花这么多时间试图教它，"曼迪亚姆通过电子邮件说。"但我相信它与学习外语是相同的甚至是真正可比的。为了添加别的东西而失去如此重要的东西将是一种遗憾，即使是像编程这样重要的东西。显然，教育领导者必须找到一种方法同时教授两者。
核心搭配与高分句型
【核心搭配与高频短语】
sought-after：受追捧的，热门的（an increasingly sought-after skill）
at the expense of：以...为代价，牺牲...（not at the expense of foreign language classes）
in place of：代替，取代（accept... in place of two years of foreign language）
fare well：表现好，进展顺利（Many students don’t fare well with algebra）
de facto：事实上的（the de facto language of business）
for the sake of：为了...的缘故（lose something so important for the sake of adding something else）
【亮点句型解析】
Whether 引导的让步状语从句：
"...every subject, whether art, math or language, is a significant contribution to a well-rounded existence."
（...每一门学科，无论是艺术、数学还是语言，都对全面发展的人生有着重要贡献。）`whether A, B or C` 结构插入句中作让步状语，使论证更加严密全面。
"...every subject, whether art, math or language, is a significant contribution to a well-rounded existence."
（...每一门学科，无论是艺术、数学还是语言，都对全面发展的人生有着重要贡献。）`whether A, B or C` 结构插入句中作让步状语，使论证更加严密全面。
It is + a shame + to do 句型：
"It would be a shame to lose something so important for the sake of adding something else, even something as important as coding."
（为了增加其他东西而失去如此重要的东西将是一件憾事，即使增加的东西像编程一样重要。）使用 `It` 作形式主语，真正的主语是不定式短语，同时使用了 `for the sake of`，表达了强烈的惋惜和反对态度。
"It would be a shame to lose something so important for the sake of adding something else, even something as important as coding."
（为了增加其他东西而失去如此重要的东西将是一件憾事，即使增加的东西像编程一样重要。）使用 `It` 作形式主语，真正的主语是不定式短语，同时使用了 `for the sake of`，表达了强烈的惋惜和反对态度。