Текст 3
English as a universal language
There is no doubt that English has become a universal language. Today, English is used by at least 750 million people around the world, either as a first or a second language.
The huge Oxford English Dictionary lists about 500,000 English words. A further half-million technical and scientific words, most of them very new and often changing in meaning as they become more widely used, remain uncataloged.
Three-quarters of the world's mail, telexes, and cables are in English. More than half of the world's technical and scientific periodicals are in English. Eighty percent of the information stored in the world's computers is in English. English is the official language of aviation and of shipping; it is the official language of the Olympic games.
This rise of English to international prominence is particularly remarkable considering that the language didn't exist two thousand years ago when the Romans conquered Britain.
Ответьте на вопросы:
Why doesn't the Oxford English Dictionary include every word currently used in English?
Why is the rise of English as a world language so remarkable?
Текст 4
THE USE OF ENGLISH AS A GLOBAL TONGUE IS BOOMING
Throughout Europe, English is growing in use and acceptability. European Universities, particularly in Northern Europe, are giving courses in science, philosophy and business in English. Even some companies like the French telecommunications giant Alcatel now use English as their internal language.
But the growing use of English is not going down easily everywhere. In many places and in many ways, Europe is debating the growing prominence of English.
Some see it as the language that might bind the Continent together. In one European Union survey, 70 percent of those surveyed agreed with the proposition that everybody should speak English. But nearly as many said their own language needed to be protected. Capturing the right balance is a subject of debate.
Answer the following questions according to the text.
a. According to the text, where in Europe, is English increasing in use?
b. What do the defenders of using English as a global language contend?
c. According to the article, what seems to be the opinion of the majority of Europeans?
Complete the following paragraph with the correct form of the verb in brackets.
In Switzerland, some politicians and editorial writers (attack) ___________ the program in Thalwil with passion, asking why in a country with four national languages children (learn) _________ English as their first foreign language. However, the fiercest defenders of their language (be) _________ the French. Numerous laws (establish)__________ in France in the last decade intended to protect the French language. But France and Switzerland (be) ________ not alone in considering legal action to protect national languages.
Текст 5
THE SPREAD OF ENGLISH
The cross-cultural spread of English is unprecedented in other ways. It is more widely used than any of the other colonial languages like French, Portuguese or Spanish. It even has a wider use than some of the languages associated with international non-Western religious traditions, like Arabic or Sanskrit. In countries like India and Nigeria, English is used at all levels of society: in local English- language newspapers and broadcasting, in public administration, in university education, in the major industries, the courts and the civil service. Indeed, with nearly 200 languages, India needs English to unify the country.
Professor Lal, a champion of Indian English, who runs a well-known writers’ workshop, claims that in simple numerical terms, in a country of 840 million, ‘more Indians speak English and write English than in England itself ... You know what Malcolm Muggeridge said: “The last Englishman left will be an Indian.”
Answer the following questions using your own words.
a. Why is English more important than other colonial languages?
b. Why is English so important in India?
Are the following statements true or false?
a. Professor Lal manages a writers’ workshop in India.
b. Malcom Muggeridge said that Indians are left-handed.
Choose a, b or c in each question below.
1. The way English is spreading is
a. something normal.
b. absolutely unusual.
c. quite uncertain.
2. The use of English is
a. as frequent as other colonial languages.
b. less frequent than other colonial languages.
c. more frequent than other colonial languages.
3. In India and Nigeria, English
a. has a general use.
b. is used only in the streets.
c. is used by newspapers and the people who read it.
4. India
a. has fewer English speakers than Great Britain.
b. has 840 different languages.
c. has more English speakers than Great Britain.