TOPIC № 7 REASONS FOR LEARNING FOREIGN LANGUAGES

I. Study the vocabulary:

1. Appear - появляться

2. Appearance - появление

3. Contemporary - современный

4. Demand - требовать

5. Dominant - доминирующий

6. Efficient - эффективный

7. Enable - позволять

8. Enormous - огромный

9. Equal - равный

10. Influence - влияние

11. Preference – предпочтение

12. Previously - прежде

13. Regard - считать

14. Tongue – язык

15. Well-round education – общее образование

II. Read the text:

Language is the means of communication. The most common way of expressing an idea for people is to say it aloud. Language enables people to understand each other. At the same moment, language can be a major barrier to understanding because there are thousands of different languages on our planet. From the earliest time, with the development of trade and exchange of ideas and techniques people saw the necessity of learning foreign languages.

A language that is used as a means of communication by people of different nations is called international. International language helps people of different nations to understand each other. Different epochs had different international languages. As a rule, the existence of the language as an international one is determined by political, cultural, and economic development of the country which language is spoken as international. It should be said that not all the languages had equal importance in different centuries in the world. Preference was given to that one which country was more powerful at that time. In the first half of the 20-th century, during the period between two World Wars, English started gradually to replace French as the international language. Moreover, in the second half of the 20-th century the United States became the world's dominant power. The USA had enormous political, economic, and cultural influence on the Western world. The leadership of English in the modern world can be explained by numerous factors. Over 300 million people who live in Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America speak English is as a mother tongue. English is one of the official languages in the Irish Republic, Canada, and the South African Republic. It is also the second official language used in the former British and US colonies. English is one of the official languages of the United Nations Organization and other political organizations. It is the language of literature, education, modern music, international tourism. The dominance of English in the contemporary world is explained by the appearance of lots of people who want to learn English not for pleasure or prestige but because English has become the key to international scientific, technological and commercial innovations of today.

Previously the reason for learning any foreign language was not well defined. Knowledge of foreign languages was regarded as a sign of a well-rounded education, but few had really questioned why it was necessary. The problem of learning languages is very important today, foreign languages are socially demanded especially at the present time when the progress in science and technology has led to an explosion of knowledge. The total knowledge of humanity doubles every seven years. English is needed as the main and the most efficient means of information exchange. With the acceptance of English as the international language of technology and commerce appears a new generation of people who know why they are learning the language. Scientists and scholars need it to keep up with developments hi their fields. Many students need English because their course of studies includes textbooks available only in English. Young people around the world need English in order to be able to use the Internet, communicate with their partners in other countries, and understand films and songs.

Unfortunately, there is no universal or ideal method of learning languages. Everybody has his own way. Sometimes it is boring to study grammar or learn new words. But it is well known that reading books in the original, listening to the BBC news, communicating with native speakers will help a lot. When learning one learns the culture and history of the native speakers. One must work hard to learn any foreign language.

III. True or false:

1) A language can't be barrier to understanding between people.

2) Not all the languages had equal importance in different centuries in the world.

3) One of learning languages method is reading books in the original.

4) Today knowledge of foreign languages is regarded as a sign of a well-rounded education.

5) In the first half of the 20-th century French started gradually to replace English as the international language.

6) Different epochs had different international languages.

7) The choice of a language as an international one is determined by cultural and economic development of the country.

8) The total knowledge of humanity doubles every seven years, because of it English is needed as the international language.

9) English is one of the official languages of the United Nations Organization because it is a mother tongue for many people.

10) In the second half of the 20-th century the UК became the world's dominant power.

IV. Answer the questions:

1. Does the language enable people to understand each other?

2. What is the most widespread language on the Earth? 3. Young people around the world need English in order to be able to use Internet, do not they?

What is one of the official languages of the United Nations Organization?

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