Young Britons shy away from learning languages

FOREIGN LANGUAGES

Knowledge of foreign languages is especially important today because they are the main and the most efficient means of information exchange between the people of our planet. Students should learn English as a foreign language because today English is the language of the world. Over 350million people speak it as a mother tongue. The native speakers of English live in Great Britain, in the United States of America, Australia and New Zealand. English is one of the official languages in the Irish Republic, Canada and 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 media. English is used as one of the official languages of the United Nations Organisation and other political organizations. It is the language of computer software, literature, education, modern music and international tourism.

Learning a foreign language is not an easy thing. It is a long and slow process that takes a lot of time and patience. But every educated person, every good specialist has to know English because it is absolutely necessary nowadays.

It is well known that reading books and magazines in the original, watching films and talking with the native speakers helps a lot. When learning a foreign language you learn the culture and history of the country where this language is spoken.

Vocabulary:

Exchange – обмен; software – компьютерные программы; patience – терпение, настойчивость; native speakers – носители языка (те, для кого язык родной); mass media – средства массовой информации

Answer the questions:

1. Why do we need to learn foreign languages?

2. How many people in the world speak English?

3. What English-speaking countries do you know?

4. In what areas is English mostly used?

5. What are the main difficulties for you in learning foreign lan

Two out of three teenagers in Britain are keen to work abroad but most of them don't speak foreign languages. Government figures show that 58% of 11-18 years old in the UK have no foreign language skills, and this has a negative effect on the economy.

Fact or fiction? Most British people are lazy when it comes to learning a foreign language.
Fact. Foreigners make it too easy for you because they speak English when you're abroad.

Those views on the streets of London are backed up by figures out this week. The British Government found that 58 percent of 11-18 year olds in the UK do NOT speak a second language. However two thirds of teenagers in Britain want to work abroad when they're older - the countries of choice being Italy, Spain, France or China.

The British Government admits there is a problem - that not enough young people continue learning a second language when they leave school. Teresa Tinley from the country's national centre of languages says it has big implications for the economy:

TINLEY:
We are in a competitive global market and we need to be able to speak to our customers and our potential customers. Our trade is very much geared towards English-speaking countries. Our research shows that our exports are suffering.

The research is seen as further evidence that most young people assume they can get by in a foreign country by speaking English - something the authorities in London want to change.

NOTES:

• fiction - вымысел
• are backed up by - подтверждаются
• out - зд. обнародованными
• admits - признает
• implications - негативное влияние, последствия
• potential customers - потенциальными клиентами
• is geared towards - ориентирована на
• further evidence - еще одно подтверждение
• assume - считают

get by - зд. прожить без знания языка страны, в которую приезжают работать

15.04. 1) Should we reward success?

Society is wrong to reward and try to emulate the most successful people in business - or indeed any sector. Instead we should be lauding those who are talented, but not as successful. Those are the findings of new research from academics at two British universities, who say that 'success' is often predicated on luck, a factor which is out of people's control.
The message that society's top performers are not the most skilled and shouldn't be emulated, appears to be counter-intuitive. Yet this report says that those who appear to have achieved the most in their particular field of expertise, are often the beneficiaries of luck, an external, random force.

The authors of this study point to the example of Bill Gates, the co-founder of the computing giant Microsoft, and one of the world's richest men. They say that although he is undoubtedly talented, he achieved his initial success because his affluent family were able to send him to a school where programming was on the curriculum - at a time when most Americans didn't have access to computers. Family connections also helped, according to Professor Chengwei Liu from Warwick University Business School.

That kind of luck is often at work in the lives of the most successful, argues Mr Liu, which means their achievements aren't completely attributable to their own skill. Instead, he advocates looking at those whom he calls 'the second best'. They aren't relying on lucky chances, so their performances offer an opportunity to measure real success. The study also argues that there are dangers if colleagues try to emulate the achievements of those who've been overly fortunate.

This could explain the global Banking crisis says Professor Liu, who also believes that studying the lives of people such as Bill Gates for tips on reaching the top is fruitless. Of course, some academics argue that individuals can in fact create their own lucky circumstances through using personal contacts and pursuing all available opportunities. This research though says that because those with the highest salaries haven't completely earned them through skill, they should be taxed more heavily - which would be very bad luck.

NOTES (лексика в контексте)

• (they) shouldn't be emulated - им не следует подражать
• counter-intuitive - противоречащим здравому смыслу
• field of expertise - сфере профессиональной деятельности
• beneficiaries of luck - счастливчиками
• affluent - состоятельная
• on the curriculum - в учебном плане
• attributable - обусловлены
• fortunate - удачливыми
• fruitless - бесполезно

Дата добавления: 2017-02-01