Задание по английскому языку

English as a World Language. Read the text. 1) Today English is the language of the world. 2) It is only in the course of the last hundred years that English has become a world language. 3) In Shakespeare's time it was a «provincial» language of secondary importance with only 6 million native speakers. 4) Nowadays over 1 billion people speak it as a mother tongue. 5) English is the official language of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the United States of America, of Australia and New Zealand. 6) It is used as one of the official languages in Canada, the Republic of South Africa and the Irish Republic. 7) English is also spoken as a second language in the former British and US colonies. 8) In a number of speakers (400 million) it is third to Chinese and Spanish. 9) English is the major international language of communication in such areas as science, technology and business. 10) It is the language of literature, education, modem music, and international tourism. 11) English is the major language of diplomacy, it is one of the official languages of the United Nation organization and other political organizations. 12) Russia is integrating into the world community and the problem of learning English for the purpose of communication is especially urgent today. 13) One should say that English is not an easy language to learn. 14) There is a big problem of spelling, of the large number of exceptions to any rule. 15) This language is very idiomatic and the prepositions are terrible. 16) English is one of those languages which may seem easy in the beginning, but then the bridge between basic knowledge and mastery takes a long time to cross. 17) But if you cross this bridge it will give you great satisfaction. 18) You will be able to speak to people from other countries, to read foreign authors in the original, which makes your outlook wider. 19) To know English today is absolutely necessary for every educated man, for every good specialist. Exercise 1. Answer the questions. 1. What is the language of international communication? 2. Why do people learn foreign language? 3. Is English the official language of Russia? 4. Do many people speak English? 5. Do you know many words and expressions? 6. How often do you make mistakes? 7. Do you like to speak English on the lessons? 8. Do you work hard on the English lessons? Exercise 2. Find in the text equivalents to the following words and phrases. To compare, desks, широко распространенный, обычно, different tests, different texts, пересказывать, работать много, foreign language, easy, длинный, медленный процесс, compulsory, secondary school, высшая школа, начинать, usually, to ask questions, новые слова, новые выражения, text-books, to answer questions, важный, общаться с другими людьми Exercise 3. Translate the following sentences. 1. English is the language of the world. 2. English is the most widespread language on the Earth. 3. We repeat old words and expressions. 4. We write different words and sentences on the blackboard. 5. We read different texts in the text-books. 6. The teacher asks us different questions. Exercise 4. Replace the words in brackets with the corresponding English words. 1. We can (понимать) each other if we speak English. 2. On the English lessons the teacher (задавать вопросы). 3. We try (отвечать) well and (получать) excellent marks. 4. We take our text-books and (читать) different texts. 5. Foreign language helps us (развивать) mutual friendship and understanding. 6. Over 350 million people (говорить) it.