English around the world

Unit 12 The Way I Study a Foreign Language

Task 1. Prepare a retelling of the text.

"Do you speak English?" – this question is most frequently heard when people from different countries gather. Although there are almost five thousand languages, English is the most universal. It is the official language in over forty countries and the most used language in

international business, science and medicine.

Some people believe that English should be the international language; they think things would run more smoothly if everyone spoke the same language.

It is important to learn English to feel confident. English is everywhere. It is in signs, clothing, soft drinks and household products around the world. The names of pop groups, computer software and magazines are often presented in English. English words are also used as an element of magic to be included on T-shirts, sweat shirts, caps etc. Some think English is chic, English is stylish, even when the English on these designed items makes no sense. Sometimes we use English words for effect rather than as a language, for example adding "O.K!" or "No problem" to the end of our talk. I don't think whether it is good or not. It's our reality, and we live in it.

Learning English is important for you if you want to know what is going on in the world. With recent advances in technology, the world is changing rapidly in many fields, such as business, arts and medicine. These changes will affect you soon and it is important for you to read and keep up with these changes. In fact, learning English is the answer to a lot of things that you need and want.

Task 2. Discuss in pairs why it is important to learn a foreign language.