Text B. Learning Languages

The problem of learning languages is very important today. Foreign languages are socially demanded (соціально затребувані) especially at the present time when the progress in science and technology has led to an explosion of knowledge and has contributed to an overflow (надмір) of information. The total knowledge of mankind doubles every seven years. Foreign languages are needed as the main and most efficient means of information exchange of the people of our planet.

Today English is the language of the world. Over 350 million people speak it as a mother tongue. The native speakers of English live in Great Britain, the United States of America, Australia and New Zealand. English is one of the official languages in the Irish Republic, Canada, the 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 entertainment. English is one of the official languages of the United Nations Organization and other political organization. It is the language of the literature, education, modern music, international tourism.

Ukraine is integrating into the world community, and the problem of learning English for communication is especially important today. Learning a foreign language is not as easy thing. It is a long and slow process that takes a lot of time and patience. But to know English is absolutely necessary for every educated person, for every good specialist. It is well known that reading books in the original, listening to the BBC news, communicating with the English-speaking people will help a lot. When learning a foreign language you learn the culture and history of the native speakers. One must work hard to learn any foreign language.

Unit 4

Text A. Coffee-Time at the Language School--------

It is coffee time on Tuesday morning at The English Language College. Arturo is standing near Angela Leach's desk in reception. He sees Rosa coming down the stairs.

"Hello! Rosa!" he says. He does not want to speak Spanish because Angela is listening to him. She tells the Course Director everything!

"Rosa! Do you like your new class?" he asks.

"I'm not sure," she answers. "The teacher is good, but the course book is very easy."

"Don't worry!" says Arturo. "The first lessons in course books are always very easy. I'm sure your book will get more difficult."

"Well, how about your class?" asks Rosa.

"I like it when the teacher's speaking," says Arturo, "but there's too much pairwork."

"What's pairwork?" asks Rosa.

"It's when you practise your English by speaking to the person next to you," Arturo explains.

"But that's good!" says Rosa. "All the students have more speaking time!"

"It isn't good for me!" Arturo answers. The student next to me reads his dictionary all the time. He looks for words to say, but he says nothing. When I speak to him, he doesn't understand me!"

"Don't worry!" says Rosa. "Pairwork is very difficult the first time. Tomorrow it will be very easy!"

"Don't make fun of me!" says Arturo. "You're a very bad person, so I'm only going to ask you one more question."

"What?" asks Rosa.

"I'm alone here in England. Would you like to go shopping and sightseeing with me on Saturday?"

"I'm a very bad person," says Rosa, "so the answer to your question is yes!"