Widespread, along with, German, progressive science and technology, native speakers, foreign language, intellectual vitality, field of knowledge, exceptions to any rule, the latter, is being reversed.
Give the English equivalents of the following Russian words and word combinations.
, , , , , , , , , , , .
6. Find in the text the names of different languages. Make the table and distribute them according to their endings: -ese, -an, -ish, etc. Give other examples of the same formation.
| - ish | -(i)an | -ese | others |
| English | Italian | Japanese | French |
Find in the text six cases of Passive Voice and translate them into Russian (see Appendix 1).
Match the words in column A to those close in meanings in column B.
| A | B |
| 1. native language | a. to take |
| 2. to borrow | b. popular |
| 3. to print | c. mother tongue |
| 4. word | d. difficult |
| 5. to exceed | e. exclusion |
| 6. exception | f. term |
| 7. widespread | g. to publish |
| 8. easy | h. to surpass |
| 9. complicated | i. to discover |
| 10. to find | j. simple |
Complete the following sentences inserting the proper prepositions or adverbs.
1. Many people study foreign languages to be informed ___their field of knowledge.
2. English is the language ___ diplomacy.
3. This book is written ___ English.
4. Many people use English ___ a second language.
5. It is a necessity ___ any scientist to study a foreign language.
6. In English there is a large number ___ exceptions ___ any rule.
Agree or disagree with the following statement (see Appendix 3). Support your judgement.
1. People all over the world study foreign languages.
2. English is the major language of diplomacy.
3. English is spoken as a second language in Germany.
4. A lot of educated people all over the world want to know as many foreign languages as possible.
5. It is necessary for any good specialist to study a foreign language.
6. English is a difficult language to learn.
Answer the following questions.
1. In what countries do people speak English?
2. How many words and technical terms are there in English vocabulary?
3. Is English or Chinese the most widespread language on Earth?
4. How many people speak English?
5. What problems do we come across while studying English?
6. What are the basic characteristics of English?
7. Has English ever borrowed any words from other languages?
8. What English words can you find in sport terminology?
Look through the text and answer the following questions.
1. How many people speaking English live in North America?
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2. What varieties of English are mentioned in the text?
3. What languages has the American English borrowed words from?
4. What words were borrowed from French?
The English Language in North America
Of all the people in the world who speak English as their mother tongue, more than 200 million people live in North America. The majority of the population of North American colonies in the 17th and 18th centuries spoke English.
Canadian English as a variety stands between British and American English. The features of American English dominate. American English reflects numerous non-English cultures which colonists met in their conquest of the continent. The American variety of English has borrowed many words from the vocabulary of the French, Dutch, Spanish and German-speaking settlers.
The French borrowings tend generally to fall into several groups. There are a number of words dealing with exploration and travel, or descriptive features of the landscape. The most productive one of the latter is prairie, which can be found in more than in more than eighty combinations in Websters Dictionary.
Read the text carefully and choose the best answer for each question in the task after the text.
A Short Refresher Course
by Angus McGill
The truth is that English is now the worlds most widely spoken second language. It would be the worlds most widely spoken first language too if it wasnt for the Chinese. I expect you are surprised to hear that the Chinese prefer their language to ours. I too find it difficult to grasp and not at all to their credit.
The Russians, on the other hand, really make an effort. In fact it is said that more people speak English in Russia than speak it in England! I wouldnt think about this too much. It might keep you awake at night. As a rule the Russians learn their English in Russia which doesnt sound a good idea to me. But just about everyone else tries to get to London where you can get a free English lesson and much else besides merely by asking passers-by questions.
One humid morning last week I went along to International House in Shaftesbury Avenue where 4,000 foreign students learn English every year and, with the permission of the director, slipped into one of the English classes. Fifteen students from Iran, Syria, Tunisia, France, Italy, Spain sat around the room, facing a lively attractive girl with grey eyes and blue fingernails. My teachers were never thus.
Im Hazel, she said. Welcome to the class. She smiled, I smiled, the class smiled. Then she resumed her lesson, everyone concentrating like mad. What are these? she said, holding up a packet of needles. Needless, said a dark young man. Dles, said Hazel. Nee-dles. Say it! and we all said Ndles. Nee-dles.Dles.Dles.... Hazel was pleased.
Other objects were produced. A pin.A safety pin.A drawing pin.A cigarette case.A cigarette packet.A bottle of tablets.A spray. We made sentences with them. We talked about them. We told each other what to do with them. Everyone was eager, talkative, alert. I was one of the best, I have to admit it. Still, the rest had only been learning English for about six weeks.
Hazel said she reckoned she could teach anyone to speak quite a lot of English in three months. In that time they should have a minimum vocabulary and know about the present perfect, unique to English and, in her view, the most useful of tenses. You know about the present perfect, of course, being English, so thats all right.
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Notes:
not at all to their credit -
everyone concentrating like mad -
1. I too find it difficult to grasp means that the author
A) couldnt understand this fact;
B) didnt learn the language;
C) wasnt able to take this.
2. What does the author feels about the number of Russians learning English?
A) He is scared;
B) He is astonished;
C) He is indifferent.
3. The author thinks that the best way to learn English is
A) to study it in Russia;
B) to ask people in the streets;
C) to go to London and study there.
4. Hazel is a good teacher because
A) she is friendly and professional;
B) she is rather beautiful, with blue fingernails;
C) she is quite talkative.
5. The author was one of the best students because
A) he was English;
B) he studied English for six weeks;
C) he was very eager.
6. Hazel can teach everyone to speak...
A) about Present Perfect;
B) some English in a short period of time;
C) some new vocabulary.
