五、閱讀測驗 (20%) The land we now call British Columbia is home to more First Nations languages than any other part of Canada. About32 First Nations languages are spoken here. But many of these languages are at risk. For example, there are now fewer than10 people who can speak the language of the Skwomesh Nation. Most of the speakers are over the age of 65.There is a young man named Khelsilem Rivers. Khelsilem is 24 years old. He has learned the Skwomesh language. Hespends much of his time working to keep the Skwomesh language alive. Khelsilem lives in a house with other young peoplewho want to speak their traditional language every day.
Why is language so important? Language is how we practice our culture. We share our stories, our songs, our history, and our teachings through language. Language is part of our identity. People in our families who were alive before us arecalled our ancestors. Language is joined with our ancestors. Knowing our language helps us be healthy in mind, body, andspirit.
Native people are now being helped by university departments to help preserve their languages. In the past, manyCanadians did not respect aboriginal languages and this was wrong. Hopefully, in the future, native people like KhelsilemRivers will keep the Skwomesh, and many other native languages alive. This will help Canada’s aboriginal peoples preservetheir culture. British Columbia 加拿大卑詩省 First Nation 加拿大原住民 alive 活著的 traditional 傳統的identity 身份 aboriginal 原住民的 native 本地的 university 大學 preserve 保存 respect 尊重system 系統 professor 教授 record 記錄 alphabet 字母

【題組】1. What do you think "at risk" means?
(A) safe
(B) healthy
(C) something that could be gone
(D) not interesting