TOPIC1. english as an international language.

There are over 2,700 languages in the world, but English today is the most important international language. Four hun­dred million people speak English as their first language. Six hundred million people speak it either as a second or as a for­eign language. That is 20 percent of the world's population. English has become a world language, because it is spoken as a mother tongue in all the continents of the world. In the 17th century it was brought to North America by the first colonisers. Then in the 18th century English was brought to Australia, later on to Africa and India. English is spoken practically all over the world. It is spoken as the mother tongue in Great Britain, the United States of America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. A lot of people speak English in China, Japan, India, Africa and other countries. It is studied as a foreign language in many schools.

England’s history helps to understand the present condition of English. Many English words were borrowed from the language of Angles and Saxons. Hundreds of French words came into English. These French words didn't crowd out corresponding Anglo-Saxon words. There exist "act" and "deed", "beautiful" and "pretty", "form" and "shape".

Many new words were brought by traders and travellers. These words came from all parts of the world: "umbrella" — from Italian, "skates" — from Dutch, "tea" — from Chinese, "cigar" — from Spanish. Some words came into English directly from Latin, which was the language of the church and the universities in the Middle Ages.

Some of the English words of today are derivatives. One way of creating new words is to put together two or more older English words. For example, the words "railway", "football", "newspaper" are made in this way.

Many of the new English words — especially new scientific ones — have been made from Latin and Greek words instead of English ones. "Telephone" for instance, was made from Greek words "far" and "talk". Millions of people are learning English today. It is the lan­guage of summit meetings and international conferences. It's also the language of the United Nations. Foreign political leaders usually speak to international journalists in English. The latest discoveries and ideas in all spheres of science and medicine appear in special international journals, of which 60 percent are in English. 80 percent of all information in the world's computers is in English. Besides, there are a lot of brilliant world-famous English, American, Canadian and Australian writers and poets who gave the world their wonderful works. The reader can fully appreciate them only in the original. And finally, many young people learn English as a foreign language because it is the language of rock and pop music. So, English can be used for many different purposes and serve as a key to other cultures and their riches.

Vocabulary

over — более

important — важный

first language, mother tongue — родной язык

20 percent — 20 процентов

population — население

summit meeting — совещание в верхах

the United Nations — ООН

international journalists — международные корреспонденты

sphere — сфера, область

science — наука

to appear — появляться

besides — кроме того

brilliant — великолепный, замечательный

wonderful — прекрасный

to appreciate — понимать, ценить

in the original — в оригинале

finally — наконец

to use — использовать

different — разный, различный

purpose — цель

to serve — служить

key — ключ

riches — богатство to borrow – заимствовать to exist – существовать to crowd out – вытеснять derivative – производное слово Angles and Saxons – англы и саксы

topic2. my future career.

When I was at school, I knew I would continue my educa­tion after finishing school. The question was what to choose. Now I know that I want to become a psychologist.

Psychology is a very useful and important subject because it deals with people, their behaviour, their relationships. It can help people in all spheres of their life. For example, children's psychology helps bring up children in the family, it also helps teachers at school. Psychology helps people solve their person­al problems and communicate with other people. Psycholo­gists are necessary at kindergardens, at schools, at factories and offices. Special psychological tests can help us choose our future career and are useful for administrators and managers in hiring their employees.

Psychology as a subject is studied now in many universi­ties, institutes and colleges. Every specialist who is going to deal with people is supposed to know psychology. But I want to make a special study of psychology and become a psychother­apist. I feel that I can make a good specialist. That's why I want to enter the Department of Psychology of the South Urals State University.

If I am lucky, I'll have a chance to study different aspects of psychology, listen to lectures and attend seminars of famous professors and lecturers. To be able to read literature on psy­chology in English, I must know English well. I am going to work hard at my English and improve it at the University. I am glad to have become the student of the South Urals State University, the 9^th best university among Russian polytechnical higher education establishments. Students' life is interesting and eventful. I want to be an active participant of all students' events and amateur activities. Today Russian higher education like European and American education is divided into two steps: bachelors and masters of science or arts. As the competition is great in the home and foreign labor markets, I’m going to take the bachelor and master of arts degrees and continue postgraduate education to take the doctor of arts degree. Maybe it is worth taking another education in scientific sphere. Career choosing depends on your personal qualities: your ability to communicate with other people, stressproofness, mentality, your personal ambitions, working ability, adaptation to different conditions and the labor market demand.