Words and word-combinations

Recognize v — визнавати Conquest n — завоювання

Official language — офіційна мова Common language — загальна мова

Global language — світова мова Mother tongue — рідна мова

Replace v — замінювати Influence v — впливати

Various adj — різноманітний Expansion n — розширення

Spread v — поширювати, Contribute v — робити внесок

розповсюджувати Establish v — встановлювати

Settle v — оселятись Awareness n — усвідомлення

Assume v — допускати, вважати Meaning n — значення

Bother v — турбуватись, Knowledge n — знання

хвилюватись

Text 1a

The Roots of English

English began as a West Germanic language which was brought to England by the Saxons around 400 AD. Old English was the spoken and written language of England between 400 and 1100 AD. Many words used today come from Old English, including man, woman, king, mother, give and wash. But Old English was very different from modern English and only a few words can be easily recognized.- In the 9th and 10th centuries, when Vikings invaded England, Old Norse words, e.g. Sky, lake, get and many place names, entered the language.

From the Norman Conquest (1066) until the late 12th century English, as the official language, was replaced by Norman French, though English was still used by the lower classes. English from about 1300 to 1500 is known as Middle English. It was influenced by French and also Latin in vocabulary and pronunciation. French brought many words connected with government, e.g. sovereign, royal, court, legal and government itself. Latin was the language of religion and learning and gave to English words such as minister, angel, school and grammar. Literature began to be written in English. One of the most famous Middle English works is Chaucer's The Canterbery Tales.

Modern English developed from the Middle English dialect. English changed a great deal from this time until the end of the 18th century. During the Renaissance, many words were introduced from Greek and Latin to express new ideas, especially in science, medicine and philosophy. They included physics, species, architecture, encyclopedia, hypothesis and others. In the 16th century several versions of the Bible helped bring written English to ordinary people. The Elizabethan period is also famous for its drama, and the plays of Marlow and Shakespeare were seen by many people.

World English

English is the most widely spoken language in the world. It is the first language or mother tongue of around 400 million people living in Britain, Ireland, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa and it is spoken as a second language by another 300 million people. Many more people learn English as a foreign language.

English has achieved the status of a world language over a long period of time, and for various historical and cultural reasons. In the 17 century English was spread by the settlers going from Britain to America, and in the 18^,h and 19^th centuries by the expansion of the British Empire. Many countries, which were part of the empire kept English as their official language after independence. More recently the military and political power of the US has contributed to the spread of English. Since the middle of the 20^th century, English has been an official language of international organizations such as the United Nations.

Economic factors are also important. Britain and the US are both major business and financial centers, and many multinational corporations started in these countries. Elsewhere, knowledge of English is often seen as necessary for success in business.

Advances in technology and telecommunications have also helped to establish English as a global language. Now, major computer systems and software developers are based in the US, and English is common language of the Internet.

The status of English as a global language has unfortunately tended to mean that British and American people assume everyone speaks English, so they do not bother to learn foreign languages. However, better language teaching and awareness of the advantages of speaking another language are slowly changing the situation.

Завдання до тексту 1A.

Перекладіть на рідну мову наступні англійські словосполучення.

• To enter the language, to bring many words, to connect with government, especially in science, several versions, ordinary people, mother tongue, foreign language, over a long period of time, more recently, since the Middle century, the United Nations, software developer.

Знайдіть в тексті англійські еквіваленти наступних слів.

• Версія, завойовувати, знання, заміняти, переваги, розповсюдження, на жаль, причина, поселенці, багатонаціональні, головний центр, прогрес, однак, повільно, різноманітний, незалежний, сприяти, універсальна мова, декілька слів, хоча, замінювати, особливо, широко.

Вставте в пропуски дані слова. Прочитайте та відтворіть діалоги.

• Difficult easy English heart hard

A: I am studying ……now.

B: Really? They say it’s ….

A: I don’t think ….is…….

B: Why do you think so?

A: Because I have to work….learning a lot by……

B: I think you have good memory and it’s not a problem for you to do that.

A: In some way, yes but it’s a question of time.

B: Oh, we are always short of time.

• Translate dictionary science article

A: I’d like to have a good Ukrainian-English ……..on…….and technology. I have to……an……from Ukrainian into English.

B: Sorry, but we haven’t any.

A: It’s a pity! I must have this…..translated as quickly as possible.

B: I can recommend a general Ukrainian-English dictionary. At least it may be of some help.

A: Yes, I’ll take it, of course. It’s a pity that you have not a specialized…..

• History drawback exams worked all right

A: So you’ve passed your…..

B: It wasn’t very difficult.

A: It’s because you……hard, I think.

B: Well, I was……in……, but I didn’t do so well in Literature.

A: And what about your English?

B: Not so good, only so-so.

A: It’s a pity. English is very important now.

B: I know, and I think I’ll do my best in future to remove this…..

Дайте відповіді на наступні запитання.

1. What has recently contributed to the spread of the English Language?

2. What English is called Middle English?

3. What was Elizabethan period famous for?

4. Why is English often seen as necessary for success in business?

5. Why do American and British people assume everyone speaks English?

6. What languages was the English language influenced by?

7. What have also helped to establish English as global language?

8. Do you study a foreign language?

9. Do you speak English?

10. Do you have English lessons every day?

11. Why do you study foreign languages?

12. Why can’t you speak English well?

13. Why do you learn grammar?

14. Are you sometimes tired after lessons?