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Ex.3. Translate the following word combinations and reproduce sentences in which they were used in the text:
Главный язык, мировые организации, мировой язык, родной язык, первые поселения, все время, требовать усилий, относительно недавняя вещь, использовать для практической цели, Северная Америка, исследования области использования, второй язык, двуязычное общество, окружать как море, изменять значение, заимствовать слова, относиться к чему-то, названия продуктов питания, во времена Шекспира, из-за, вне пределов Англии, относиться к одной из трех групп, профессиональный или образовательный, проведенные ЮНЕСКО, полуофициальный язык, согласно чему-либо, носители языка, более чем две трети, радио программы, несколько путей. Южная Америка, самые знаменитые в мире, напряжение воображения, другие народы Европы, быть вынужденным, быть известным, один человек из семи, остальные страны мира, все население мира, принадлежать к группе, говорить по-английски, в девятнадцатом веке, на всех континентах земного шара, распространение английского языка, в двадцатом веке, большой прирост населения, сопровождаемый чем-либо, Соединенные Штаты, репутация в настоящее время, массовая миграция, достаточно невероятно, мировая переписка, телефонные звонки в мире, общие статистические данные, усиливать впечатление, занимать важное место, предварительные подсчеты, электронные системы поиска информации, на начальном уровне, говорить как на иностранном языке, мировые ученые, на среднем уровне, быть полным тайн, быть постоянно меняющимся, появляться в языке, привезти новые растения, картофель, помидор и табак, это естественно, многие из этих слов.
Ex.4. Pick out from the text all word combinations with the word language.
Ex.5. What do these numbers refer to?
16th century; 75%; 17th century; 6; 80%; 300 million; 20; 80 million; 19th-20th centuries; 60%; 50 million; over 2/3; 100 million; 120; 60;1 in 7; 3.
Ex.6. Say if the statements are true or false. Correct the false statement and expand the true one. Use the following phrases:
- Yes, I agree entirely here.
- I couldn’t agree more.
- It goes without saying that …
- Not in the least! I see your point but …
- I’ve got some reasons to disagree.
- Just the other way round!
1) English is now one of the main languages in the world.
2) Very many people spoke English in Shakespeare’s time.
3) English was considered to be very important in Europe in the 17th century.
4) English has become a world language because the Queen of Great Britain spoke it.
5) Owing to the first settlements in the North America English began its spread in the world.
6) The growth of population in the United States assisted the development of English.
7) There was massive immigration of people in the USA in the 19-20th centuries.
8) People who speak English can be divided into one of three groups.
9) One person in five in the world’s entire population belongs to one of these three groups.
10) Surveys of range of use of English carried out by UNESCO didn’t confirm the general statistic data.
11) The English language is compared in the text with the waters of a deep sea.
12) In the course of time English isn’t changing very much.
13) The words that are borrowed tell us about the countries they come from.
14) Many borrowed words are names of clothes.
Ex.7. Answer the questions on the text:
1) What is one of the main languages in the world?
2) Was it the same in Shakespeare’s time?
3) How many people spoke English in the 16th century?
4) Why has English become a world language?
5) When did the expansion of English begin?
6) What factors has given the English language its present standing in the world?
7) The text says that it is because of the United States that English is a world language. Why?
8) When was there the great growth of population in the United States?
9) What are three groups of English speakers?
10) What figures prove that English is the most widespread language in the world?
11) What are the basic characteristics that contribute to English being a world language?
12) What historic factors promoted English into the world-spread language?
13) What is the English language compared with in the text? Why?
14) What happens to the vocabulary of the English language in the course of time?
15) What are the ways to add new words to the language?
16) What languages have English words been borrowed from?
17) What did Columbus bring home except new plants?
18) How did the words potatoes, tomatoes, tobacco appear in English?
19) What information can we perceive with a word? Give examples.
20) Which of the three groups of English speakers do you belong to? What is your reason for learning English?
Ex.8. Translate the following sentences into English:
1) Много слов было заимствовано из других языков: картофель, чай, табак, помидор, опера. 2) Язык, как живое существо, постоянно меняется. 3) Эта земля полна тайн, и люди, населяющие ее, говорят на незнакомом языке. 4) Какой ваш родной язык? – Я родился в России и мой родной язык русский. 5) Общество, в котором люди говорят на двух языках, называется двуязычным. 6) Потребуется немало усилий, чтобы перевести текст с японского на английский. 7) Во время деловой поездки глава делегации вынужден бы л воспользоваться услугами переводчика. 8) По данным опроса, большинство людей пользуются электронными системами поиска информации. 9) Область применения компьютерных технологий значительно увеличилась за последнее время. 10) Все население этого поселка говорит на незнакомом диалекте. 11) Выдающийся писатель помог установить дипломатические отношения между двумя странами. 12) Необходимоукреплять дружеские отношения между странами. 13) Можно только приблизительно подсчитать количество существующих в мире языков.
Ex.9. Write the plan of the text. Give a summary of it.
Ex.10. Retell the text.
Ex.11. Comment on the following statement:
“To have another language is to possess a second soul”.
Ex.12. Read the Info Box. Tell the main idea of it.
Info Box
How many new words enter the English language every year?
Unfortunately no list is kept. In France there is the Académie Française which approves new words but in England there are only dictionaries. The most authoritative of these is the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) which has 20 volumes, but this does not make rules about the language. It simply records the development of English worldwide as best it can. It accepts about 4000 new words (or new meanings) every year. The OED has readers in all English-speaking parts of the world, who record repeated uses of new words, including numerous technical terms. Some words take a surprisingly long time to enter the OED. For example ‘acid rain’ was first used in 1859, but its usage was rare for over 100 years and it didn’t appear in the dictionary until the 1980s.
Section IV
Pre-reading Work
Ex.1. Read and translate the poem.
The English Language
On every hand, in every land,
it’s thoroughly agreed,
the English language to explain
is very hard indeed.
Some people say that you’re a dear,
yet dear is far from cheap.
A jumper is a thing you wear,
yet a jumper has to leap.
It’s very clear, it’s very queer,
and pray who is to blame
for different meanings to some words,
pronounced and spelt, the same?
A little journey is a trip,
a trip is when you fall.
It doesn’t mean you have to dance
whene’er you hold a ball.
Now here’s a thing that puzzles me:
musicians of good taste
will very often form a band —
I’ve one around my waist!
You spin a top, go for a spin,
or spin a yarn may be —
yet every spin’s a different spin,
as you can plainly see.
Now here’s a most peculiar thing —
’twas told me as a joke —
a dumb man wouldn’t speak a word,
yet seized a wheel and spoke.
A door may often be ajar,
but give the door a slam,
and then your nerves receive a jar —
and then there’s jars of jam.
You’ve heard, of course, of traffic jams,
and jams you give your thumbs.
And adders, too, one is a snake,
the other adds up sums.
A policeman is a copper,
it’s a nickname (impolite!)
yet a copper in the kitchen
is an article you light.
On every hand, in every land,
it’s thoroughly agreed —
the English language to explain
is very hard indeed!
(Written by Harry Hemsley)
Ex.2. Give the pairs of words compared in the poem. In what are they similar / different?
Ex.3. Explain in your own words why the English language is considered to be so hard.
Ex.4. Transcribe and learn to read the following words:
Century, singular, the Earth, technology, although, German, to contribute, purist, widespread, aviation.
Ex.5. Read and translate the text:
Text IV
Basic Characteristics of the English language
Simplicity of Form. Old English like modern German, French, Russian and Greek, had many inflections to show singular and plural, tense, person, etc., but over the centuries words have been simplified. Verbs now have very few inflections. And adjectives do not change according to the noun.
Flexibility. As the result of the loss of inflections, English has become, over the past five centuries a very flexible language. Without inflections, the same word can operate as many different parts of speech. Many nouns and verbs have the same form, for example, swim, drink, kiss, look, and smile. We can talk about water to drink and to water the flowers; time to go and to time a race; a paper to read and to paper a bedroom. Adjectives can be used as verbs. We warm our hands in front of a fire; if clothes are dirtied they need to be cleaned and dried. Prepositions too are flexible. A sixty-year old man is nearing retirement; we can talk about a round of golf, cards or drinks.
Openness of Vocabulary. This involves the free admission of words from other languages and the easy creation of compounds and derivatives. Most world languages have contributed some words to English at some time, and the process is now being reversed. Purists of the French, Russian and Japanese languages are resisting the arrival of English in their vocabulary.
The Future of English. Geographically, English is the most widespread language on the Earth, second only to Mandarin Chinese in the number of people who speak it. It is the language of business, technology, aviation and sport. This will no doubt continue, although the proposition that all other languages will die out is absurd.
(Headway Upper-Intermediate, 1998; Cambridge Advanced English, 1992)
Vocabulary and Speech Exercises:
Ex.1. Enumerate the words denoting grammatical categories you have picked out from the text.
e. g. существительное, число, падеж, глагол и т. д.
Ex.2. Find in the text derivatives of the following: e.g. to differ – different
Simple, to flex, to admit, to arrive, to inflect, to propose, to retire, to admit, to create.
Ex.3. Translate the following word combinations and reproduce sentences in which they were used in the text:
Согласно чему-либо, количество людей, без сомнения, в результате, единственное и множественное число, распространенный язык, утрата окончаний, за последние столетия, функционировать в качестве, соответственно существительному, за последние пять столетий, упрощать слова, язык делового общения, авиация и спорт, разные части речи, много окончаний, легко поддающийся влиянию, одинаковая форма, создание сложных и производных слов.
Ex.4. Answer the questions on the text:
1) Why does the English language have the simplicity of form? In what way can it be seen?
2) Owing to what fact has English become very flexible? Give examples of this fact. What parts of speech can be flexible?
3) What are the facts to show the openness of the English vocabulary? What process in the English language is now being reversed? Who are purists of a language?
4) What is the future of English according to the contents of the text? Do you agree with this statement?
5) What are the main characteristics of the English language?
Ex.5. It is said in the poem, that the English language is hard. Why has English acquired such popularity in the world then? Compare English and your native language. In what way are they similar / different?
Ex.6. Comment on the following statement: “Language is a part of our organism and no less complicated than it”.
British English and American English
Ex.7. Compare the opinions of different people about the two variants of the English language. Are they contradictory or alike? What is the main idea of each quotation?
Each intelligent person should be aware of the differences in the British and American English in order to make correct use of those. Which dialect to choose is the matter that can be decided by each individual depending on whom he is speaking to – an American or Englishman?
1) “Most of Oxford English Dictionary’s words are just as much my vocabulary as they are Queen Elizabeth’s; we speak them a bit differently, but … these differences are more amusing than troubling, more interesting than inconvenient.”
Kenneth G. Wilson, 1986
2) “The two varieties of English have never been so different as people have imagined, and the dominant tendency, for several decades now, has clearly been that of convergence and even greater similarity.”
Albert H. Marckwardt and Sir Randolf Quirk, 1964
3) “The English used in the United States and that used in England are so overwhelmingly alike that such differences as do exist hardly justify anyone in advancing a claim of superior excellence for either the so-called American language or the English language. The really surprising thing about the English of England and that of the United States is not that they differ slightly, but that their difference is as slight as it is.”
Milford M. Mathews, 1931
4) There is not the faintest chance of there ever being an American language as apart from English.”
Stephen Leacock, 1943
Ex.8. Explain why it is important to know the differences between British and American English.
Ex.9. Comment on the quotation of George Bernard Shaw:
“England and America are two countries separated by the same language.”
Section V
Text V
Pre-reading exercises:
Ex.1. Transcribe and practice reading the following words:
Interviewer, year, interpreter, learn, can’t, without, foundations, half, together, wildlife, isolation, rather, by heart, to memorize, idiom, enough, to laugh, average, awful, rude, both, polite, example, afterwards, to guess, though, feature, behavior, phrasal verb, old-fashioned, expression, pronunciation.
Ex.2. Read the following word combinations. Mind linking “r” at the juncture.
For almost, after all, better if, grammar and, grammar is, for example, to ask for information, feature of a language, formal or informal.
Ex.3. Read and translate the dialogue
Are You Happy with the Way, You are Taught English?
Interviewer: Anna, I know you have been learning English for almost five years and you are planning to become an interpreter. What do you feel about learning grammar? Do you think your teacher spends too much or too little time on it?
Anna: Of course, you must learn grammar in any language. After all you can’t build a house without foundations. But that’s all we do at school – grammar, grammar and more grammar, for half an hour four times a week! We have too many drills.
Int: So, grammar is important, but too much of it. But should it be taught in isolation?
Anna: No, you need to practice grammar together with vocabulary. It’s not good when you learn new words but don’t have much practice using them with the grammar you’ve learnt.
Int: With vocabulary – is it better to learn a few words at a time and practice them, rather than a lot of words by heart?
Anna: Practice helps you to memorize the words. Also I remember words better if they are related to my interests. I have no problem learning words connected with my hobby which is animals and wildlife.
Int: One of the problems for learners of English is phrasal verbs – to get on, to get along with and so on, and, of course, idioms. Is it a problem for you? Have you learnt enough idioms to cope with?
Anna: They are very difficult. And you have to keep yourself up-to-date with them too. For example, when I first came to England, I used the idiom “It’s raining cats and dogs” very proudly, and everyone laughed at me because it’s so old-fashioned and the average English person doesn’t use that expression.
Int: So, make sure the idioms you learnt are up-to-date. Now how about pronunciation? A lot of students find that hard.
Anna: English intonation is awful! I mean, it’s the most difficult part of pronunciation, because if you get it wrong, people think you’re rude. Intonation is far more difficult than learning to pronounce words correctly. It’s important to learn both formal and informal English – how to ask for information, how to be polite. Let me give you an example. My English teacher phoned me yesterday asking about something he wanted to know and I just said “no”. Then, when I thought about it afterwards, I realized that I had sounded rude. I should have said “I’m afraid I don’t know” – or something like that. Learning social English is very useful, take writing letters in English for example.
Int: What advice would you give to people who are just beginning to learn English?
Anna: I find reading very helpful – I read books, newspapers, magazines and other periodicals. I try to guess the meaning of words I don’t know from their context. This helps me to read more quickly. But I also look words up in the dictionary and make a note of the most useful ones.
Int: How about listening to pop music?
Anna: Yes – that can be useful. I was a bit disappointed actually, because some things have such silly words, though the music is lovely. Listening to the radio and watching videos and educational TV programmes in English help me, too, especially listening to the news. I was very proud when I realized that I could easily get the idea of what I was listening to.
Int: As I can see, learning a language isn’t as simple as all that. You can learn rules for grammar and pronunciation and also for vocabulary, but the most difficult feature of any language is perhaps learning the elements for which there are no written rules for example “social English”. This means learning about expected ways of behaviour, knowing what sort of English to use in different situations, formal or informal and how to understand what is said, all that is so easy and natural in your mother tongue.
Vocabulary and Speech Exercises:
Ex.1. Match the phrases in English and Russian, find and read out the sentences with them in the dialogue.
1. what do you feel about…?
2. to get (have) an/the idea of smth (how to do smth)
3. to find smth hard
4. I’m afraid, I don’t know
5. far more difficult
6. I have no problem (learning words)
7. to make a note (notes) of smth
8. to do/to get smth wrong
9. to keep yourself up-to-date with idioms
10. to ask for information
11. a few words at a time
12. to make sure
13. to cope with
a) допустить ошибку
б) выяснить что-то, получить сведения
в) несколько слов за один раз
г) боюсь, что я не знаю
д) испытывать трудности в чем-либо
е) гораздо труднее
з) я без труда заучиваю слова
и) понять что-либо
к)стараться не использовать устаревшие выражения
л) что ты думаешь по поводу …?
м) записывать что-то
н) справиться с чем-то
о) удостовериться, убедиться
Ex.2. Express the same idea using the phrases above.
1) What does Anna think about learning grammar? 2) Anna thinks that learning idioms is not easy. 3) Anna finds learning idioms much more difficult than learning words. 4) Anna knows the way how to learn grammar. 5) Anna finds it easy to learn words connected with her interests. 6) It is important not to use old-fashioned idioms. 7) If you make a mistake in intonation, people may think you’re rude. 8) It’s important to know how to find things out. 9) It’s much more polite to say, “I’m sorry, I don’t know” than just “I don’t know”. 10) Some people find it useful to write down words memorize them. 11) It’s good to know that you can easily understand what you are listening to. 12) Be sure to do your homework before five o’clock. 13) I am sure he can do the job well.
Ex.3. Translate the following word combinations and reproduce sentences in which they were used in the text:
Изучаться изолированно, дать совет, гордиться чем-либо, получить представление о чем-либо, быть разочарованным, быть в курсе событий, относится к чему-либо, смеяться над чем-либо, смотреть слова в словаре, понять что-либо неправильно, быть вежливым, манеры поведения, догадаться о значении слова, считать что-то трудным, фразовый глагол, трудная черта, записать что-либо, выучить много слов за раз, тратить время на что-то, быть связанным с чем-то, справиться с чем-то, убедиться, язык официального общения, иметь желание сделать что-то, практиковать упражнения, запомнить наизусть, устаревшее произношение, средний Англичанин, грубая интонация, слушать правила, грамматические правила.
Ex.4. Imagine that you’re Anna and answer these questions:
1) Is it necessary to learn grammar? 2) Should one practice grammar and vocabulary together or in isolation? 3) Which is better: to practice using new words or learn them by heart? 4) Are idioms easy to learn? 5) Why is it important to keep yourself up-to-date with idioms? 6) Why is it important to use the right intonation when you talk to people? 7) Why is it useful to try to guess the meaning of words from the context? 8) What can one do to learn to understand spoken English? 9) What is the most difficult feature of learning a language? 10) What does “social English” mean?
Ex.5. Look through the dialogue again and say what Anna thinks about:
1) learning grammar 2) learning vocabulary (words and idioms) 3) learning pronunciation 4) reading 5) learning social English 6) listening to pop music, the radio, watching videos and educational TV programmes.
Ex.6. Translate the sentences from Russian into English using the vocabulary of the lesson for the underlined words:
1) Если я не могу догадаться о значении слова из контекста, я смотрю его в словаре. 2) Я нахожу трудным заучивание фразовых глаголов и идиом. 3) Невозможно выучить сто слов наизустьза раз. 4) Я всегда стараюсь быть в курсе новых лингвистических исследований. 5) Вы уверены, что правильно поняли их произношение? 6) Любой язык делится на разговорный и литературный. 7) Все смеялись над его старомодной шляпой. 8) Студенты должны записывать лекции. Если им что-то непонятно, они могут спросить. 9) Я хорошо запоминаю слова, которые связаны с моими интересами. 10) Многие слова в этой статье относятся к сфере компьютерных технологий. 11) Слова не должны заучиваться отдельно (изолированно), а вместе с грамматическими правилами. 12) Если вы хотите узнать информацию, будьте вежливы. 13) Я разочарованманерами его поведения. 14) Как насчет того, чтобывыполнить эти упражнения в письменной форме? 15) Переводчик должен иметь хороший словарный запас. 16) Простота грамматических форм и гибкость – основные черты английского языка. 17) В нашей республике три официальных языка, и мы гордимся этим. 18) Вам следует избегать такой интонации. Это звучит грубо. 19) Нам было нелегко справиться с задачей, но все получилось. 20) На каждом уроке студент должен запоминать, в среднем, пять новых выражений.
Ex.7. Answer the following questions:
1) What does an interpreter deal with?
2) Should people live in isolation?
3) What do you call a dress which is no longer in fashion?
4) What is your reaction to a very funny joke?
5) What do you do if you don’t know a word?
6) What should students usually do at lectures?
7) What polite expressions can be used while asking for something?
8) What is the difference between formal and informal language?
9) Are you disappointed with your English vocabulary?
10) Would you like to become an interpreter? Why / why not?
Ex.8. Act out the dialogue with your partner.
Discussion Points
Ex.1. One of the reasons why a lot of people all over the world learn English is that English has taken the position of the world language. Prove this point of view using the following:
a) 750 million people all over the world use it
b) it has become the language of the planet
c) it’s the first truly global language
d) it’s the main language of business, sports, science
e) it’s one of the richest languages
f) there are many borrowings from English in other languages
g) three quarters of the world’s mail are in English
h) English is the world’s computer language
Ex.2. Choose the reasons why you learn English. Think of more reasons to give if asked why he or she wants to know English.
a) It’s fun
b) My parents want me to do it
c) I like reading English
d) I like speaking English
e) I want to use English in my future job
f) I want to use computer programmes
g) I like English songs
h) My friends learn English
i) I want to go to Britain or the USA or Australia some day
j) I want to travel and meet a lot of people, then I’ll talk to them in English
k) I would like to read books by English and American authors in the original
l) I don’t know
m) ……..
Ex.3. Discuss what people usually do to master any foreign language. Add any other ways you know.
a) have grammar and vocabulary drills
b) read texts, poems etc.
c) write tests, dictations etc.
d) sing songs and play games in English
e) speak about different things
f) make up and act out dialogues
g) watch videos and educational programmes
h) translate texts and poems into Russian
i) learn things by heart
j) learn words in isolation/in context
k) learn … words at a time
Ex.4. Discuss the ways people learn foreign languages outside school or after classes.
a) borrow English books from the library and read them
b) watch English films, cartoons and educational programmes at home
c) put on/stage plays in English
d) have a student exchange with a foreign school and receive guests from abroad
e) have a pen friend (pen pal) and write letters to him/her
f) take an English course outside school
g) have private lessons at home
h) go to international summer camps
i) use educational computer programmes
j) go to an English-speaking country
k) make wall newspapers in English
l) have concerts and parties in English
WHAT MAKES A GOOD LANGUAGE LEARNER?
TEST YOUR APTITUDE FOR LEARNING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Test your aptitude for language learning by doing this quiz, adapted from The Sunday Times Magazine. Write your answers on a piece of paper, then add up your scores to find out how good a language learner you are.
Toalua – husband, Tamaloa – man, Tamaitiiti – child, Taulealea – youth, Loomatua – old woman.
Did you find this task
a) easy and fascinating? b) Very difficult? c) Not easy; the words look the same? d) So boring you didn’t even try?
What is a boolle?
a) a wild animal? b) A giant mosquito? c) A kind of noise? d) Don’t know
a) say it again but louder? b) get irritated and give up? c) draw him/her a map? d) find out if he/she speaks another language you know?
Ek kum chuchu – the train is coming
Ek namas chuchu – the train is very big
Nek kum niva chuchu – the train isn’t coming
Ek chuchu – it’s a train
How would you say it’s not a train?
a) nek chuchu niva b) ek niva chuchu c) nek niva chuchu d) don’t know
a) look for another job? b) say they’ve chosen the wrong person? c) worry a bit but reckon you’ll cope? d) long to get started?
a) I can always put into words exactly what I want to say. b) I don’t know. c) It depends on the situation. d) People sometimes say I am not clear.
a) yesterday b) I can’t remember c) last week d) last month
Have you got
a) a bilingual dictionary (English into your language)?
b) a monolingual dictionary English-English)?
c) both a bilingual and a monolingual dictionary?
d) no dictionary at all?
Read through this list of words, then write down as many of them as you can without looking.
Pin, church, identity, luxury, accelerate, carefully, miscalculate, occasional, anxious, knot, daffodil, impertinent
In one minute write a list of things you could do with a cabbage (apart from cooking or eating it).
In one minute write as many reasons as you can why it might be useful to learn Eskimo.
Fill in the blank with one of the words below.
Shakucomespiteare isos wonone ovofef tehe wororolid’s grematerest’s wririterners. Hehe wasis … onin Staratarafoorrd-inon-Aravont.
a) borotone b) born c) shororit d) don’t know
15. What is your attitude to learning about British culture (arts, institutions, way of life)?
a) I’m not interested in the slightest, I just need to learn the language.
b) I’m interested I little bit, but only out of curiosity.
c) I’m very interested to find out about the people behind the language.
16. What do the following words in Samoan mean?
Loomatua, tamaitiiti, tamaloa, taulealea, toalua
17. Are you male or female?
ANSWERS
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