Very few of us become fluent in another language by learning it in high school.
I went to university and then moved across the country to seek a 1.A job for a high salary, married and raised children. I made an effort to 2.C the little bit of French I learned in school，but eventually I realized that this was really 3.B . I was quite aware that new languages are best learned when young, and that our abilities in that regard decline with 4.D .
However, just before my 50th birthday, I 5.C French classes. After I was tested to see which group I belonged to, I was placed at almost the introductory 6.A . When I looked around at my first class, I was 7.B that many of the students were learning French as a third ，fourth or even fifth language.
Contrary to my 8.C that learning a new language was impossibly difficult, there were people who learned new languages as a matter of course. While I had always thought of myself as a 9.D learner，that was no longer the case. I 10.A new vocabulary rather slowly. What I learned one week seemed to 11.C as soon as I learned the next skill. I had to look up the 12.B words and language structures over and over. Now, after several years of learning, I can listen to the news in French and 13.A 90% of it on the first try, read a novel if the language isn't too 14.C and do well in a conversation if it doesn't go too fast.
I've learned so much beyond grammar and vocabulary. I've met people from around the world and all walks of life who have the 15.C to make fools of themselves in order to learn something new. I've been taught by 16.B and inspirational teachers from many corners of the world. Listening to the news as it is 17.D to the people of France, I have a renewed understanding of how something can look 18.A different from another viewpoint. I've learned that a language is not just a set of words，but a way of 19.B . But most of all，I've learned that it is never too 20.C to learn something new.
文章大意：作者以前认为学习新语言的最佳时候是年轻的时候，随着年龄的增长，我们的语言学习能力会下降。但是作者在50岁之前却报了法语班去学法语，其当时只有初级水平，但经过几年学习后，作者的法语水平有了很大的提高。从而，作者意识到，学习新事物什么时候都不晚。
1．A.demanding B．temporary
C．meaningful D．steady
解析：根据该句中的“for a high salary”和生活常识可推知，作者找的工作应该是要求高的，一般来说做这样的工作才能拿到高工资。demanding“要求高的”。
2．A.understand B．review
C．keep D．master
解析：根据该句中的定语从句“I learned in school”和语境可推知，作者想留住在学校里学的那一点点法语，但是作者最终发现那实际上是徒劳的。
3．A.helpful B．pointless
C．worthwhile D．necessary
解析：参见上题解析。pointless“无用的”。
4．A.health B．concern
C．interest D．age
解析：根据该句中的“I was quite aware that new languages are best learned when young”可推知，语言学习能力随着年龄的增长而下降。
5．A.got ready for B．got on with
C．signed up for D．fell in love with
解析：根据下一句中的“After I was tested to see which group I belonged to”可推知，作者在50岁前报名参加了法语培训班。sign up for“报名参加”。
6．A.level B．position
C．attempt D．test
解析：根据该句中的“After I was tested to see which group I belonged to”可知，作者在上课前参加了分班考试，被分到了几乎是初级水平的班。
7．A.disappointed B．amazed
C．annoyed D．excited
解析：根据该句中的“many of the students were learning French as a third, fourth or even fifth language”和语境可推知，作者很吃惊班里许多学生把法语作为第三、第四甚至第五语言来学习。
8．A.agreement B．research
C．assumption D．conclusion
解析：根据第一段“Very few of us become fluent in another language by learning it in high school.”和对第二段的整体理解可推知，作者之前认为学习一门新语言会困难得不可思议。assumption“假定，假设”。
9．A.clumsy B．confident
C．serious D．quick
解析：根据该句中的“that was no longer the case”和下一句“I 10 new vocabulary rather slowly”可推知，作者之前一直认为自己是学得快的人。quick“敏捷的，迅速的”。
10．A.absorbed B．consulted
C．created D．recognized
解析：根据上一句中的“learner”可推知，作者学新词汇学得相当慢。absorb“吸收”。
11．A.go down B．pay off
C．slip away D．build up
解析：根据空后一句可推知，作者学了一个星期的东西很快就忘了。slip away“消失”符合语境。
12．A.key B．same
C．fresh D．complex
解析：根据该句中的“over and over”，可推知，同样的单词和语言结构作者要反复查看才行。
13．A.catch B．recite
C．guess D．hear
解析：根据该句中的“Now，after several years of learning”和语境可推知，作者的法语水平有了很大的提高，可以一遍听懂90%的法语新闻。catch“领会”。
14．A.changeable B．international
C．difficult D．native
解析：根据该句中的“do well in a conversation if it doesn't go too fast”可推知，如果小说不太难的话作者还是能够读懂的。
15．A.chance B．trick
C．courage D．desire
解析：根据该句中的“make fools of themselves in order to learn something new”可推知，为了学习语言而让自己出丑，这需要勇气。
16．A.strict B．patient
C．polite D．simple
解析：根据语境和空后的“inspirational”可知，作者遇到了有耐心(patient)且有感召力的老师。simple“普通的，平凡的，一般的”不符合语境。
17．A.announced B．sent
C．returned D．presented
解析：作者也听给法国人听的新闻。present“展示”符合语境。
18．A.completely B．equally
C．roughly D．slightly
解析：根据该句中的“from another viewpoint”并结合语境和常识可推知，此处表示“某些事物从另一个角度看是如何完全不同的”。
19．A.challenging B．thinking
C．living D．learning
解析：根据上一句中的“I have a renewed understanding of how something can look 18 different from another viewpoint”可推知，作者意识到语言也是一种思维方式。
20．A.slow B．impossible
C．late D．inconvenient
解析：根据上文可知，作者在50岁之前报法语班学习法语，其当时只有初级水平，但经过几年学习后，其法语水平有了很大的提高，由此可推知，作者意识到学习新事物什么时候都不晚。
