Education and role of foreign languages

 

Education is very important in our life. An educated person is one who knows a lot about many things. He always tries to learn, find out, and discover more about the world around him. He gets knowledge at school, from books, magazines, from TV educational programs. The pupils can get deeper knowledge in different optional courses in different subjects and school offers these opportunities. They can deepen and improve their knowledge by attending different optional courses in different subjects. The result of the educative process is the capacity for Further education. Nowadays the students of secondary schools have opportunities to continue their education by entering gymnasiums, lyceums, colleges. But the road to learning is not easy. There is no royal road to learning. To be successful in studies one must work hard. It’s for you to decide to learn and make progress or not to learn and lose your time.

The role of foreign languages is also increasing today. Thanks to the knowledge of foreign languages one can read books, magazines in the original, talk to foreigners, translate various technical articles. Moreover, joint ventures which have recently appeared in our country need specialists with profound knowledge of foreign languages like English, German or French. To know foreign languages is absolute necessary for every educated person, for good specialists. Our country is transferring to a market economy. Research and innovations should improve living, working conditions of our people. That is why it is so important to be persistent in studies.

A language that came from nowhere to conquer the world… The movement of English around the world began with the pioneering voyages to the Americas and Asia, continued with the 19th century colonial developments in Africa and the South Pacific, and took a significant further step when it was adopted in the 20th century as an official or semiofficial language by many newly-independent states. English is now the dominant or official language by many newly-independent states. English is now the dominant or official language in over 60 countries, and is represented in every continent and in the three major oceans - Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific. This spread of representation makes the application of the term “world language” a reality.

The present-day world status of English is the result of two factors: the expansion of British colonial power, which peaked towards the end of the 19th century, and the emergence of the United States as the leading economic power of the 20th century. There are many different reasons why people study foreign languages, English in particular. Here are some of them: to travel abroad; to get good job; to have something to do in your spare time; to be better educated; to be familiar with social and cultural life in other countries; to be able to participate in conversations with people from English-speaking countries. English is the language of international air traffic control, and is currently developing its role in international maritime, policing, and emergency services. English is the chief language of international business and academic conferences, and the leading language of international tourism. English is the main language of popular music, advertising, satellite broadcasting, home computers, and video games. A foreign language is not just a subject learnt in the classrooms. It’s something which is used in real life situations.

There are many reasons why we begin to study foreign languages. First of all it’s an effective medium of international communication. I’m convinced if we are working in any branch of science we must read books and magazines in other languages. Learning foreign languages opens up opportunities and careers that didn’t even exist some years ago. Knowing foreign languages can help us to find a job in such fields as science and technology, foreign trade and banking, international transportation communication, teaching, librarian science and others. A more general aim is to make our intellectual and cultures. Learning a foreign language also include learning culture, traditions and mode of thought of different people. Of course speaking and writing in a foreign language is a difficult art and it has to be learned. It has replaced French in the world of diplomacy and German in the field of science. As for me, I’m completely convinced that to know a foreign language is absolutely necessary for all educated person and modern specialists. Everything depends on our own efforts.

Vocabulary Bank

education	образование
to find out	узнавать
discover	открывать
optional courses	курсы по выбору
to deepen	углублять
to attend	посещать
capacity	способность
successful	успешный
increasing	возрастающий
thanks to	благодаря
joint ventures	совместное предприятие
recently	недавно, за недавнее время
to appear	появляться
profound knowledge	глубокие знания
to transfer	передавать
persistent	постоянный
to conquer	завоевывать
significant	значимый, важный
spread	распространение
expansion	расширение
emergence	появление, возникновение

Exercises

1. Answer the following questions.

1. Why is education very important nowadays?

2. How can you describe an educated person?

3. How can pupils deepen and improve their knowledge?

4. The role of foreign languages is also increasing today, isn’t it? Give your reasons.

5. Why should we learn foreign languages?

6. When did the movement of English begin?

7. Are you persistent in your studies?

8. Why is English considered to be the world language at present?

 

2. Make these sentences negative and interrogative.

1. Education is very important in our life.

2. He always tries to learn.

3. The role of foreign languages is also increasing today.

4. Research and innovations should improve living.

5. A language that came from nowhere to conquer the world.

6. There are many reasons why we begin to study foreign languages.

7. It has replaced French in the world of diplomacy.

 

3. Find the definitions of the following words using the dictionary.

Education, knowledge, to increase, innovation, to conquer, official language, science, communication.

 

4. Find some interesting facts about English-speaking countries using the Internet.

5. Open the brackets. Use the Passive Voice. Tell the students why the young man liked his holiday.

LEARNING ENGLISH ABROAD

Last summer I went abroad for my holiday which included a short course of English. All arrangements for the holiday (to make) by the travel agent: the tickets (buy), hotel accommodation (to book), I (to admit) to a language school. At the airports (in Moscow and at the destination) my visa (to check), my luggage (to examine), some forms (to fill in); some points (to clear up), particularly about my English school.

When I arrived at the hotel, I (to expect). I (to ask) about my name, nationality and address. I (to give) a nice room. My luggage (to take) to my room by the porter. The hotel was very comfortable. All my things (to wash/press) in the hotel laundry. Different meals (to serve) at the restaurant from seven in the morning to twelve at night. A table (to reserve) for me in the restaurant. The cuisine was wonderful. The guests (to offer) European and local dishes. In the evening dances (to put on).Every day excursions (to arrange) for the holiday-makers.

Unfortunately I missed them sometimes because I had English classes every day. English (to teach) to the students by native speakers. As the students came from different countries only English (to speak) at the lessons. At first it was difficult. But as more and more exercises (to do), tapes (to listen to), and different languages games (to play), we began to understand our teachers better.

On the day of my departure I was afraid to oversleep my early morning flight. I (to wake) by the receptionist. Breakfast (to bring) to my room. A taxi (to book) to take me to the airport. I enjoyed my holiday tremendously and improved my English.