Write a short article to the university newspaper about the necessity of learning foreign languages for a future professional

TOP 10 REASONS TO STUDY A FOREIGN LANGUAGE

In each paragraph point out key phrases and words that explain the reason to study languages. Fill in the table.

Reason	Explanation
Emigration	to communicate and integrate with the local community

Team work

1. Discuss the reasons to study languages mentioned above with your group mates. What do you agree with, or what ideas are absolutely fake? Try to develop the list of reasons.

2. Enjoy some more ideas that will definitely convince you of the importance of foreign language learning!

10. You won’t have to read the subtitles at foreign films.

9. You will increase the number of brain cells you have.

8. You will impress your date at a fancy restaurant by ordering dishes like Boeuf Bourguignon, using correct pronunciation.

7. You can drop names like Ibsen, Confucius, Nietzsche, Camus, Cicero, Dostoevsky, and Cervantes at cocktail parties after having read them, in the original!

6. You will know what words like deja vu, Perestroika, Tiananmen, smorgasbord, Zeitgeist, and macho REALLY mean.

5. You can get on track early with foreign language classes to prepare for study or internships abroad for a year, a semester, or a summer.

4. When you travel abroad you will be able to talk to people in their language, thus experience up close and personal the local culture.

3. You will understand the English language and American culture better through exposure to another language and culture.

2. You will acquire a highly marketable supporting area of study enhancing any major from A nthropology to Z oology, and thus get a job that will make your friends envious and your parents relieved.

1. You will become a more well-rounded WORLD CITIZEN!!!

Writing

Project work

1. Sometimes inability to speak foreign languages can result not only in funny situations but also cause some problems. Watch the video on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh5xu35bAxA which is called “FUNNY! SOS! MAYDAY! SINKING!” The German Coast Guard officer should obviously have studied English better!

Think of any other situations when serious problems can arise due to inability of some professionals to speak foreign languages. Some ideas for you:

- an air traffic controller;

- a waiter in a restaurant;

- a doctor in a clinic;

- a manager in a car-rental office;

- a policeman;

- your choice.

2. No matter what time you live in: prehistoric, Renaissance, or globalization, LOVE makes the world go round! Now you will have a splendid opportunity to learn how to say “I love you” to your sweetheart in many languages! So, enjoy it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AZ2P3jca20!

Final Activity: a WebQuest

You should perform the webquest “Globalization and the English Language” following all the instructions. The link to this quest is http://questgarden.com/123/84/6/110410174505/

Unit 3. Learning a Foreign Language

Lead-in

Ø European Commission presents new Rethinking Education strategy.

A new benchmark on foreign language learning: by 2020, at least 50% of 15 year olds should have knowledge of a first foreign language (up from 42% today) and at least 75% should study a second foreign language (61% today).

(http://ec.europa.eu/education/news/20121120_en.html)

Ø How do find the process of foreign language learning: interesting, exciting, difficult, and boring?

Ø Are you satisfied with the results of your study? Was the process effective? Did you achieve any progress? What do you find most difficult about learning English: understanding grammar, memorizing words, linking words together, etc.

Ø Do you know any strategies aimed at making the process of learning easy and productive?

It is interesting to know…

Tony Buzan, in his book 'Using your Memory', points out that just 100 words comprise 50% of all words used in conversation in a language. Learning these core 100 words gets you a long way towards being able to speak that language, though at a basic level. The 100 basic words used in conversation are shown below:

1. A,an	2. After	3. Again	4. All	5. Almost
6. Also	7. Always	8. And	9. Because	10. Before
11. Big	12. But	13. (I) can	14. (I) come	15. Either/or
16. (I) find	17. First	18. For	19. Friend	20. From
21. (I) go	22. Good	23. Good-bye	24. Happy	25. (I) have
26. He	27. Hello	28. Here	29. How	30. I
31. (I) am	32. If	33. In	34. (I) know	35. Last
36. (I) like	37. Little	38. (I) love	39. (I) make	40. Many
41. One	42. More	43. Most	44. Much	45. My
46. New	47. No	48. Not	49. Now	50. Of
51. Often	52. On	53. One	54. Only	55. Or
56. Other	57. Our	58. Out	59. Over	60. People
61. Place	62. Please	63. Same	64. (I) see	65. She
66. So	67. Some	68. Sometimes	69. Still	70. Such
71. (I) tell	72. Thank you	73. That	74. The	75. Their
76. Them	77. Then	78. There is	79. They	80. Thing
81. (I) think	82. This	83. Time	84. To	85. Under
86. Up	87. Us	88. (I) use	89. Very	90. We
91. What	92. When	93. Where	94. Which	95. Who
96. Why	97. With	98. Yes	99. You	100. Your

(Extract reproduced from Use Your Memory by Tony Buzan with the permission of BBC Worldwide Limited, © Tony Buzan)

Reading and Vocabulary

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