Reading and speaking section

Task 1.

Read an excerpt from The Origin and History of the English Language and answer the following questions:

• What language family does English belong to? What group?

• How many people speak English as their native language? As a second language? As a foreign language?

• In what spheres of life is it used?

• How many countries use English as the official or co-official language?

• In what country is it the only official language? One of the two official languages? One of the three or more official languages?

• What countries have majority English speaking populations?

• What makes the author think that English is becoming the world's unofficial international language?

English is a West-Germanic Language of the Indo-European Family. It is the second most spoken language in the world.

It is estimated that there are 300 million native speakers and 300 million who use English as a second language and a further 100 million use it as a foreign language. It is the language of science, aviation, computing, diplomacy, and tourism. It is listed as the official or co-official language of over 45 countries and is spoken extensively in other countries where it has no official status. This domination is unique in history. Speakers of languages like French, Spanish and Arabic may disagree, but English is on its way to becoming the world's unofficial international language. Mandarin (Chinese) is spoken by more people, but English is now the most widespread of the world's languages.

Half of all business deals are conducted in English. Two thirds of all scientific papers are written in English. Over 70% of all mail is written and addressed in English. Most international tourism, aviation and diplomacy is conducted in English.

English today

Today English is the language of aviation, international sport and pop music. 75% of the world's mail is in English, 60% of the world's radio stations broadcast in English and more than half of the world's periodicals are printed in English. It is an official language in 44 countries. In many others it is the language of business, commerce and technology. There are many varieties of English, but Scottish, Texan, Australian, Indian and Jamaican speakers of English, in spite of the differences in pronunciation, structure and vocabulary, would recognize that they are all speaking the same basic language.

Task 2. Read the essay below and say why learning English is important for the writer.

Learning english is important for me

When I first came to the United States of America, I found out the importance of knowing English. Whenever I went to the market to buy food, to the post office to mail a letter, or to bus to a bank, I had to communicate in English or things would not go smoothly. But the two most important reasons for learning English for me are to be able to go through the interview process to get a job and be able to read English and know what is going on in the world.

First, learning English is essential if I wish to go through the interview process to get a job. It is important to feel comfortable with the language and be able to converse without hesitation with the interviewer. Even if the interview may be in another language sometimes the interviewer will switch to English just to test your fluency. But conversation is not enough, I must be able to understand formal written English including contracts.

Second, learning English is important for me because I want to know what is going on around me in the world. When I read newspapers and magazines in my own language, I am not getting enough news of the world. I believe that Western reporters communicate all kinds of news in greater detail, and this will give me efferent perspective. Also, being able to read magazines and newspapers in English will keep me abreast of the technological changes that will be affecting us all. With recent advances in technology, the world is changing rapidly in many fields, such as business, arts, and medicine. These changes will affect me soon and it is important for me to read and keep up with these changes.

In conclusion, it is important for me to learn to feel confident about myself when I go for a job interview again. It is also important because I want to know what is happening in the world around me, and by learning English I can do this. In fact, learning English is the answer to a lot of the things that I need and want.

Task 3. Make a list of reasons why people learn foreign languages. Compare your list with your partner's and find similarities and differences. Share your findings with the group.

Read the following texts and add your other ideas to your list.