Fill in the Blanks (Reading & Writing)

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Many languages around the world are spoken by only a handful of elderly people and are at risk of disappearing within a generation. When the last fluent speakers die without passing the language to younger people, a unique way of describing the world is lost, along with stories, songs, and local knowledge. To prevent this, communities and linguists record speakers, create dictionaries, and set up classes so that children can learn the language while there is still time.

A language becomes endangered when older speakers do not —passtranslatesell it to younger generations, so communities try to —preserveabandonsimplify it by recording speakers and teaching children.