Languages. The English Language

1. Before reading the text answer the questions:

a) What are the most common languages spoken in the world today?

b) What languages do we use travelling abroad?

Read the text and compare your answers with the information in it.

Imagine a meeting between two people from different parts of the world – Russia and Mexico, let’s say, or Japan and Brazil – when neither speaks the other’s native language. How do they communicate? Nowadays, they would certainly use English.

Unofficially, English has become the international language of travel and tourism, technology and computers, business, medicine and so on.

Officially, it is the international language of air traffic control and shipping. Also, in countries with several tribal or ethnic groups speaking different languages, English has often been chosen as the official language of government, as in Nigeria, India and Papua New Guinea.

Noun(s) + Noun

Two (or more) nouns are often used together to mean one thing, person, idea etc. For example, world literature – мировая литература, book shop – книжный магазин, spelling system – система правописания, science fiction writer – писатель-фантаст.

The first noun is like an adjective – it tells what kind of thing, person, idea, etc:

London teacher – a teacher from London;

Language problems – problems of the language.

2. Translate the following sentences into Russian.

1. She has written a lot of business letters.

2. We met on a summer day.

3. English is spoken as a mother tongue in England.

4. English has become a world language.

5. 5.60 per cent of the world’s telephone calls are in English.

6. This reference book for students is interesting.