Divide the text into paragraphs and entitle them. Pick up key words from every paragraph. Give the general idea of every part using these words

Grammar practice

Passive Voice is used to emphasize the action (the verb) and the object of a sentence rather than subject. This means that the subject is either less important than the action itself or that we don’t know who or what the subject is. F.ex. After the earthquake, aid was sent to the people of Haiti.

Note: Verbs that have no object (no one to “receive” the action) cannot be put into the passive, such as, arrive, come, die, exist, go, happen, have, live, occur, sleep, etc.

1. In the text there are some sentences where Passive Voice is used. Find them and try to reproduce. If possible transform sentences with Active Voice into the ones with Passive Voice.

2. Use Passive Voice to emphasizethe focus on the action.

1. Global anti-seismic system (to launch) … to prevent earthquakes and other natural disasters.

2. Great efforts (to make) for eco-tourism to become more attractive and enjoyable for potential customers.

3. Whales must (to protect) … by an international ban on whaling.

4. Some people feel that too much attention (to pay) … by television, newspapers, magazines, and other media to celebrities and their private life.

5. The youth policy in our country (to support) … by a National Strategic Plan for Youth Development.

Discussion

Discuss the following:

1) Why is multilingualism a social phenomenon?

2) What does statistics say about the number of people who speak only one foreign language and people who speak several foreign languages?

3) What are the advantages for multilingual employees?

4) What are the initiatives of the European Union which concern the support of multilingualism?

5) What does European Union Council Resolution on aEuropean strategy for multilingualism promote?

Team work

Read and discuss