Section VII Discussion Points

Ex.1. Comment on the quotations of the lesson.

What message does each of them convey to the reader?

Why did Goethe consider it important to know foreign languages?

Why is language considered to be the treasure of the nation?

Ex.2. Comment on the following statements.

1) Language is the weapon of a writer as a soldier rifle – the better the weapon, the stronger the warrior.

2) Language and gold – this is our dagger and poison.

3) Language in the right hands and experienced mouths is beautiful, melodious, expressive, flexible, obedient, agile and capacious.

4) Though speaking hundred languages, don’t forget your native language.

5) “If we spoke a different language, we would perceive a somewhat different world” (Ludvig Wittgenstein)

6) “A different language is a different vision of life” (Federico Fellini)

7) “Man invented language to satisfy his deep need to complain” (Lily Tomlin)

8) “Language exerts hidden power, like the moon on the tides” (Rita Mae Brown)

Ex.3. Comment on the following proverbs:

1. The tongue of idle persons is never idle.

2. A fool’s tongue runs before his wit.

3. The tongue is not steel, yet it cuts.

4. My tongue is my enemy.

5. A clever tongue will get you anywhere.

Ex.4. Agree or disagree with the following. Give your arguments.

1) You’ll forget a language if you don’t use it.

2) You can learn a language outside the classroom.

3) The best way to learn a language is to go to the country where it is spoken.

4) You should always use the dictionary if you don’t understand a word.

5) Don’t worry about making mistakes; it’s more important to make yourself understood.

6) Learning grammar is very useful.

7) Listening, especially to native speakers, is the most difficult skill to develop.

8) Children find it easier to learn a foreign language.

Ex.5. Answer the following questions:

1) Do you think a person must have a gift for languages to acquire any new language?

2) What should be essential elements of foreign language learning for it to be of great effect?

3) What do you like most and least about learning English? Give your own arguments in favour of foreign language learning.

4) How much has English influenced your thinking and your culture?

5) Do you think English will oust other languages in future? What factors would enable this to happen, and what factors might prevent it?

6) Should foreign languages be taught in schools in America, Australia and Britain?

7) When you learn a foreign language, apart from the language what else do you learn about?

8) What languages are spoken in your country? What languages have the state status? Are you happy with the present language situation in the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic?

Listening

Ex.6. Listen to the recording (Timesaver Elementary listening Edited by Judith Greet № 25 (track 2/6) page 48 “A typical English person”)

Answer the following questions:

What is your image of a typical English person (his preferences in food, tea drinking, favourite sport, animals, opinion of the weather in Great Britain)?