第 41 題至第 45 題，請依文意，從四個選項中選出最合適者

     Taiwan ranked ninth among 12 Asian countries rated in an English skills index, outperforming only Vietnam, China and Thailand. The  41  was reported by Education First, an international education company, that rated 1.7 million adults from 54 countries globally from 2009 - 11 based on tests covering English listening and reading proficiency. Taiwan ranked ninth in Asia and 30th in the world and its global ranking was  42  the 26th - 38th range that represents low proficiency, according to the company’s English Proficiency Index.

     Commenting on Singapore and Malaysia’s English skills, Education First Senior Vice President Christopher McCormick said the two nations have higher proficiencies because their populations are composed of multiple  43  groups who rely on English to communicate.  44  South Korea（21st overall）and Japan（22nd overall）put a high priority on education, the lack of an English-speaking environment, the focus on memorization and the passive interaction  45  teachers and students led to their proficiency levels falling below the OECD average, he said.

第46 題至第 50 題為題組

    In 1945, leaders from 51 countries met in San Francisco, California, where the United Nations (UN) was organized. At that time, World War II had just ended. People hoped they could build a future of world peace through this new organization. Today almost every country in the world is a member of the UN. Each country has signed an agreement that says:

1. All members are equal.

2. All members promise to solve international problems in a peaceful way.

3. No member will use force against another member.

4. All members will help the UN in its actions.

5. The UN will not try to solve problems within countries except to enforce international peace.

    Obviously, the United Nations has not been completely successful in its actions. There have been several wars since 1945. However, the organization has helped bring peace to some countries that were at war. Besides, it has helped people who left their countries because of wars. It has also helped bring independence to colonies.

    The main UN organization is in New York City, but the UN has a “family” of other related organizations all over the world. These organizations try to provide a better life for everyone. One example is UNICEF, an organization that provides poor children with food, medical care, and many other services. Another example is the World Health Organization, which develops medical programs all over the world. There are thousands of UN workers in developing countries. They work as planners to increase production in farming and industry. They provide medical services, improve education programs, and spread scientific information. They develop programs that provide jobs and better living conditions. They help countries control their population growth. The UN also holds large international conferences, where people meet to discuss important world issues. One conference was about the uses and ownership of oceans. Another was about women. There are also International Years for people to work together to improve situations and solve problems.