Emigration

Read the summary of following ideas of some people who participated in on-line public opinion polls about the necessity to speak foreign languages. Say what appeals to you the most.

Mark each statement as T (True) or F (or False). If false, make corrections.

	T	F
1) If you speak only one language then you don’t need to worry if it is a lingua franca.
2) Learning a foreign language helps to feel the beauty not only of this alien language but also admire the harmony of the historical and cultural background of the country where the language is spoken.
3) Learning a foreign language has nothing to do with cognitive, intellectual or analytical skills; it refers only to mechanical memorizing.
4) Learning a foreign language is a one-sided process which develops only your linguistic skills.
5) While learning a foreign language you get the whole picture of all aspects: history, geography, culture, fashion, etc.
6) Learning a new language is a kind of risky investment as nobody knows whether it will pay back or not.
7) People who have a limited set of linguistic skills for communication feel quite comfortable in a globalized world.
8) The global mission in present day society is to promote sport on a global scale.
9) Foreign languages help to destroy barriers and obstacles of all kinds and help to share information and knowledge.

3. In the text there is a word combination: “an edge over someone” which means “to have an advantage over someone, to be in superior position compared to others”. Answer the following question: what gives you an edge over other people in communication? Some ideas for you:

- intuition;

- in-born charisma;

- knowing one or several foreign languages;

- sincere interest in people;

- ability to adapt to any situation;

- psychological skills;

- your variant.

Discussion

WHY SHOULD I LEARN A LANGUAGE?

Learning a foreign language takes time and dedication. The reasons below may help to convince you to take the plunge. Some reasons are practical, some ambitious, some intellectual and others sentimental, but whatever your reasons, having a clear idea of why you're learning a language can help to motivate you in your studies.

When you move to a different country or region, learning the local language will help you to communicate and integrate with the local community. Even if many of the locals speak your language, for example if your L1 is English and you move to the Netherlands, it's still worth your while learning the local language. Doing so will demonstrate your interest and respect for the new country.

Дата добавления: 2014-12-23