Studing foreign languages can change your life

1 When did you start school?

languages. They became important especially at the present time. Foreign languages are needed as the main and most efficient means of information exchange between the people of our planet. Today English is the language of the world. Over 350 (three hundred and fifty) million people speak it as a mother tongue. The native speakers of English live in Great Britain, in the United States of America, Austral­ ia and New Zealand. English is one of the official languages in the Irish Republic, Canada and South African Republic. As a second language it is used in the former British and US colonies. It is the major international language for communication in such areas as science, technology, business and mass media. English ought to be used as one of the official languages of the United Nations Organisation and other political organisations. It is the language of computer software, literature, education, modern music, international tourism. Learning a foreign language is not an easy thing. It is a long and slow process that takes a lot of time and patience. But every educated person, every good specialist has to know English, because it is absolutely necessary «• nowadays. It is well known that reading books in the original, talking with the English speaking people will help a lot. When learning a foreign language you are to learn the culture and history of the native speakers. You may learn any foreign language. They are all important. Questions Урок 13 1. Why do we need to learn foreign languages now? 2. How many people in the world speak English? 3. What are English-speaking countries? 4. In what areas is English mostly used? 5. What are the difficulties in learning foreign languages? 6. Is the knowledge of English necessary nowadays and why?

Fashion, composer, newspapers and magazines, luck, public (n), point of view, identical, instrumentality, to conserve, previous, to argue, to surpass

текст: Language belongs to each of us. Everyone uses words. What is it about the language that makes people so curious? The answer is that there is almost nothing in our lives that is not touched by language. We live in and by language. We all speak and we all listen: so we are all interested in the origin of words, in how they appear and die.
Nowadays it’s especially important to know foreign languages. Some people learn languages because they need them for their work, others travel abroad, for the third studying foreign languages is a hobby. Everyone, who knows foreign languages can speak to people from other countries, read foreign authors in the original, which makes your outlook wider. Knowledge of foreign languages helps us to develop friendship and understanding among people.
“Do you speak English?” – With this phrase begins the conversation between two people, who speak different languages and want to find a common language. It’s very good when you hear: “Yes, I do”, and start talking. English today is more widely spoken and written, than any other language has ever been. It has become the language of the planet, the first truly global language.
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. Many new words were brought by traders and travelers. 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.
The rise of English is a remarkable success story. When Julius Caesar landed in Britain nearly two thousand years ago, English did not exist. Today English is used by at least 750 million people, and barely half of those speak it as a mother tongue. The native speakers of English live 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. As a second language it is used in the former British and US colonies. It is one of six official languages of the United Nations Organization.
Three-quarters of the world’s mail, and its telexes and cables, are in English. So are more than half the world’s technical and scientific periodicals. English is the medium for 80 per cent of the information stored in the world’s computers. Nearly half of all business deals in Europe are conducted in English. It is the language of sports and glamour: the official language of the Olympics and the Miss Universe Competition. English is the official voice of the air and sea, and of Christianity. The largest broadcasting companies in the world (CBS, NBS, ABC, BBC) transmit in English to audiences that regularly exceed one hundred million.
English has no equals! Dispute it if you can!