PHRASESto avoid smth (dictionary dependence) to be loaded with smth (idioms) to be spoken the length and breadth of smth... to bridge a gap between smth (languages) to flex smth (one's creative muscles) to get a good work-out to have a competitive edge to have a good ear for sounds, etc. to have smth under one's belt to make a point of smth (simplifying spelling) to monitor smth (one's speech) to pick up smth (the subtleties of communication) to rise to the challenge to seek out smb (native speakers) to spring to one's mind to steer clear of smth (crash courses) to tackle smth (a language)
Video ENGLISH AS THE WORLD LANGUAGE Do you think these statements true or false? 1. The underground music in the former Soviet Union used to be in Russian. 2. The iron curtain and the superpower politics to hide East from West set borders for the English language. 3. Italian pilots flying an international jet into Italian air space contact Italian ground control speaking in Italian. 4. The Iranians are demonstrating in Arabic. 5. The dominant language of the world of movies, jazz, Rock-and-roll, pop is German. 6. All the members of the Mc Neil clan speak the same language and sound the same. 7. Mc Neil from North Scotia (USA) sounds the same as Mc Neil in Carolina or New Zealand. 8. In fact, the idea of a correct or proper way to speak English is surprisingly new. 9. People using public school or RP accent are more intelligent, more trustworthy and even better looking. 10. Quite a lot of people speak the superdialect in Great Britain. 11. Radio did for the spoken language what printing had done for the written one. 12. The British left India and the English language did the same. 13. India doesn’t need a ligua-franca. 14. Fifty cuntries in Africa retained English after decolonization. 15. American English willingly accepts a lot of slangs.
Answer the questions
1. Are there any borders for languages? 2. What is the most influencial language the world has ever known? Give facts from the film. 3. What is the universal language of air traffic control? 4. How much is English used in telephone calls, faxes, publications etc? 5. What language dominates the world’s airways in news? 6. Why can’t we definitely say that English is a language without frontiers? 7. Is English as widely spread in all parts of Great Britain as it is all over the world? 8. Why and the result of what do even members of the same family, clan speak varieties of English? 9. How is correct or proper English reffered to? 10. Where did public school English echo round first? Where was it born? 11. What is the role of public schools in the development of a superdialect? 12. Why can we say that World War ll was the finest hour for BBC English? 13. Why was the power of British English replaced by the power of American one? 14. What new era started after the World War ll? 15. Why does India need a lonk language? 16. Why can’t Hindi act the role of a link language? 17. Why is English so widely spread in India? 18. What is the role of English for a new generation? 19. How is Creole English spreading in Africa? 20. The impact of which English (British or American) is greater? 21. What are the basic characteristics of American English?
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