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Skimming for Main Ideas

Read these paragraphs quickly, without using a dictionary. After each paragraph, choose the sentence that best expresses the main idea.


1	A Have you ever tried cwrw or eaten sgod a sglod? Well, if you've had a beer and fish and chips then you have. These words come from Cymraeg, or Welsh, the language spoken in Wales, located in the United Kingdom just southwest of England. Like the Basque language of Spain and France, Welsh is one of Europe's oldest living languages. It is currently experiencing a revival that will most likely save it from being forgotten forever. In Cymru (pronounced CUM-ree), or Wales as it is known in English, all government documents and street signs are written in both languages. Children now have to learn Welsh in school. English still remains the predominant language in the more populous parts of the country, such as the Southeast (home to the cities of Cardiff and Swansea) where Welsh is usually spoken as a second language, if at all. However, in the north and west, especially in Gwynedd and Dyfed, Welsh has a strong presence and is often the primary language spoken. In fact, more than a half million of Wales's three million inhabitants speak Welsh.
		A)	Half a million people speak Welsh.
		B)	Welsh is the language spoken in Wales.
		C)	Welsh is one of Europe's oldest languages.
		D)	The Welsh language is experiencing a revival in Wales.


2	B The Welsh language is part of the national identity of this tiny country, an identity which has become stronger over the past few years, especially among young people. Popular rock bands, such as the Manic Street Preachers and Catatonia, sing some of their songs in Welsh. Newspapers and magazines highlight the careers of popular Welsh entertainers, such as the actor Catherine Zeta-Jones or the singer Tom Jones. Although the Welsh have often viewed themselves as second-class citizens—second to the English—Welshness and the Welsh language have now become a source of national pride. In a country where the major industry of coal mining has totally declined, where English culture seems to dominate, and where the national dish is cheese on toast (Welsh rarebit), such a sense of pride has at times been difficult.
		A)	Citizens of Wales have traditionally felt inferior.
		B)	Welsh is a source of national pride for Welsh people.
		C)	The Welsh are second-class citizens.
		D)	The Welsh are proud people.


3	C If you go to Wales today, you will see the language everywhere. In fact, Welsh has become so prevalent that it is practically a prerequisite for finding a job, especially in fields such as the media. Even with a university degree, if you don't speak Welsh, it may be hard to find a good job without learning the language first—and that's a tall order. Welsh belongs to the Celtic branch of Indo-European languages, similar to Scots Gaelic, Irish Gaelic, and Breton, spoken in the north of France. Consequently, for most language learners, mastering the language can be quite difficult. For instance, the alphabet is a little different than English. It consists of 28 letters: A, B ,C ,Ch, D, Dd, E, F, Ff, G, Ng, H, I, L, Ll, M, N, O, P, Ph, R, Rh, S, T, Th, U, W, Y. You'll notice that Welsh doesn't have J, K, Q, V, X or Z, however these letters are often "borrowed"—taken—from English. Even more difficult is the pronunciation of the words. If you are in a Welsh-speaking part of the country and need to use the bathroom, good luck! Bathroom is ystafell ymolchfi. After you learn some of the basics, try tackling the name of a village in North Wales: Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.
		A)	Welsh is a Celtic language that is difficult to learn, but important to know if you live in Wales.
		B)	Welsh is a Celtic language, similar to Gaelic.
		C)	It's hard to find a good job in Wales.
		D)	Place names in Wales are extremely long and difficult to pronounce.


4	D Welsh has made contributions that reach outside of Wales as well. Because of the influx of Welsh settlers to the U.S. in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, some place names come from Welsh, such as Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, or Brynffynnon, Tennessee. Names such as Rhys, Owen, or Elwyn and last names such as Jones, Davies, Williams, and Evans are all from Wales. In addition, the Argentine province of Chubut lays claim to the largest population of Welsh speakers outside of Wales. The language is undergoing a revival there, too, and speaking Welsh is so popular, it has even become trendy for the non-Welsh!
		A)	Welsh has an influence outside of Wales.
		B)	Welsh is a popular language in Argentina.
		C)	Many popular last names are actually Welsh.
		D)	Welsh people emigrated to the United States in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.


5	E Considering the roadblocks presented to the preservation of the language, it is a wonder that the Welsh language has not disappeared. Many cultures have invaded Wales over the centuries, including Romans, Goths, and Saxons. In 1300 the country was "annexed" by England, and the English have asserted their influence ever since (Wales did not regain its own parliament until 2001). While the Welsh language appeared romantic to some, the government in London viewed it as barbaric and instituted an "English only" rule in Welsh schools in the 1900s. Speaking Welsh could lead to punishment. In 1840, one author of a letter to the newspaper The Cambrian wrote "The Welshman is a fool, his language is his folly." This chauvinistic attitude persists among a small minority of English today. The survival of Welsh through all of this is a testament to (proof of) its strength and importance in Welsh society and the role it serves preserving Welsh identity.
		A)	Many cultures have invaded Wales over the centuries.
		B)	Welsh has survived against all odds.
		C)	There is a strong English influence in Wales.
		D)	The Welsh language has survived even though it is not very important.

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