What is the best language for learning Maths?
Chinese, Japanese and Korean all have simpler number words. They express Maths concepts(概念) more clearly than English. Several studies have linked(联系) weaker Maths abilities in English-speaking children to English number words.
Chinese, for example, has just ten basic number words. English, however, has more than two dozen(二十几个). The trouble starts at "11". English has a word "eleven" for that number. Chinese, Japanese and Korean have words that can be translated as "ten-one"—spoken with the "ten" first. That makes it easier for children to understand the place value(位值). Students can easily see that the number system is based on units of 10.
English number words over 10 don't make the place value clear. Children are more likely to mistake 17 for 71. So, children working with English number words have a harder time doing calculations(计算). They make more mistakes.
It seems easier for Chinese speakers than for English speakers to use the "make-a-ten" method(十进制). When adding two numbers, Chinese students often break down the numbers into parts and regroup them into tens and ones. For example, 9 plus 5 becomes 9 plus 1 plus 4.
Now, we should feel lucky that we are learning Maths in China.
Thanks to our mother language, all the Maths problems have become less difficult and less confusing(不清楚的).
(
C
) 1. According to the passage, studies have found a relationship between English number words and
C
.
A. weaker Maths abilities in young learners of English
B. stronger Maths abilities in young learners of English
C. weaker Maths abilities in English-speaking children
D. stronger Maths abilities in English-speaking children
(
C
) 2. What can we learn from the first three paragraphs?
A. Chinese is the world's best language for learning Maths.
B. English is the world's worst language for learning Maths.
C. Chinese number words over 10 make the place value clear.
D. Japanese is a better language for learning Maths than Korean.
(
D
) 3. According to the passage, if you use the "make-a-ten" method to work out Maths problems, "8+7" will become "
D
".
A. 6+4+5 B. 7+1+7 C. 8+1+6 D. 8+2+5
(
B
) 4. "
B
" can take the place of the underlined part "Thanks to" in the last paragraph.
A. Next to B. Because of C. According to D. Replying to
