Foreign Language as a Means of Cross-Cultural Communication

LEAD-IN

Task 1. Answer the following questions.

1. Have you ever communicated with someone who doesn’t know your language? How did you communicate, what language did you use?

2. Do you use English in your life? Where?

3. Which languages in your opinion had, have or will have the same popularity as English language has now?

Task 2. Work in pairs. How far do you agree with these opinions on language? Talk about them with your partner(s).

1. The number of languages you speak is the number of times you are human.

2. If the whole world learned English, there would be fewer communication problems.

3. To be successful in the world, it is now better to learn Chinese.

4. English should become the official world language.

5. The English language is a form of imperialism. It erodes other cultures.

6. It is a sin for any nation not to make its citizens at least bilingual.

7. There should be just one world language in the future.

8. My mother tongue is too beautiful to die.

Task 3. Chart the history of your English language learning over the years on a piece of paper. Can you remember your first lesson and teacher? What have been the low points and high points? Are you happy with your current level? In pairs / groups, talk about your charted histories.

VOCABULARY

 

Task 4. Match the words and phrases on the left with their synonyms.

 

1. Lingua franca 2. Essential 3. To get a deep understanding of 4. To rely on 5. To conduct business 6. Airplane announcements 7. To access 8. Enormous number

a. To know something very good b. Huge number c. To do business d. Notices in airport e. To get to f. Interlanguage g. To count on h. Necessary

Task 5. Complete the sentences with the correct word from the list.

health benefits An enormous number street signs official language an active mind conduct business language of diplomacy improve life

 

1. Attention was also drawn to the _______ of walking.

2. _______of development policies, however, affect this social group in both positive and negative ways.

3. They did a study saying that _______are more noticeable if only the first letter is capitalized, not the whole name.

4. It also stated that the _______ of communication was English.

5. _______, able to range freely and widely, is one of the joys and rewards of human existence.

6. At present many organizations and consumers remain reluctant to _______electronically, for example on the Internet.

7. French was the _______.

8. That is a positive sign that may _______ in that city and in the entire region.

 

Task 6. Match the name of an international organization with its definition:

1. European Union (EU) 2. United Nations (UN) 3. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) 4. European Free Trade Association (EFTA)

a. a regional trade organization and free trade area consisting of four European states: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland b. an intergovernmental military alliance between three of the five official nuclear-weapon states c. a political and economic union of 28 member states that are located primarily in Europe d. an intergovernmental organization tasked to promote international cooperation and to create and maintain international order

 

Task 7. Translate the sentences into English.

1. Если ты решил изучать иностранный язык, тебе следует глубже понимать культуру народов, говорящих на этом языке.

2. Английский язык стал языком межнационального общения, как когда-то латынь.

3. На земле существует огромное количество языков, но самым распространенным языком является английский язык.

4. Вы можете легко добраться до остальных районов города отсюда.

5. Департаменту следует ускорить создание эффективной системы управления информацией о чрезвычайных ситуациях.

6. Теперь компании стало легче вести дела со своими партнерами.

7. Он может рассчитывать на поддержку Европейского союза, его государств-членов и всего международного сообщества.

8. Мы ставим цель обретения навыков, необходимых для достижения независимости, в частности, это изучение иностранного языка.

 

READING

Why Should I Learn English? [1]

 

There are many reasons why learning a new language is a good idea. It allows you to communicate with new people. It helps you to get a deeper understanding of another culture.

It even has health benefits, as studies have shown that people who speak two or more languages have more active minds later in life! Those are all reasons to learn any language – but did you know that there are 6,500 languages still spoken in the world today?With such an enormous number to choose from, why pick English?

Here are five big reasons that learning English can improve your life.