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Why do We Learn English — Зачем мы изучаем английский язык

Why do We Learn English?

People began to speak many centuries ago, and since then they have been speaking different languages. Every language reflects the soul, behaviour and temperament of each nationality. Peoples created their own alphabets and rules, but they always wanted to communicate with each other, to understand and to know more about each other.
Languages help people to understand each other better, they help them to solve different economic and political problems, which stands before them, and so people learn foreign languages.
All languages are different. Some are very hard, some are easier, some are similar, but there are no identical languages in the whole world. There are more than 2,700 languages in the world. Many of them are «alive» because people use them, but there are some «dead» languages, for example Latin.
Two thousands years ago, Latin was the world’s most important international language. Today this title belongs

to English. It’s a global language of travel, business, pop culture, sport and science.
Over one billion people speak English. That’s almost one fifth of the world’s population. For over 400 million it’s their first language. For the other 600 million it’s either a second language or a foreign language.
Today, in fact, over 250 million people are learning English. That’s more than the population of the USA.
The average person in Britain has a vocabulary of between 10,000 and 15,000 words. In his plays William Shakespeare used a vocabulary of about 30,000 words. Shakespeare was born over 400 years ago. At that time, only six or seven million people spoke English.
Now English is spoken practically all over the world, it has become the world’s most important language in politics, science, trade and cultural relations. It is spoken as a mother tongue in Great Britain, the United States of America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Besides, a lot of people speak English in Japan, India, China, Africa and many other countries. English is one of the official languages
of the United Nation Organisation. Half of the world’s scientific literature is in English. It is the language of computer technology.
To my mind English is worth studying. There is a proverb: «A new language is a new world». «Knowledge is a power», one great man said. Speaking a foreign language one can not only read the papers, magazines and original books by outstanding writers, but as well watch satellite programmes, travel easily to different parts of the world. Besides, understanding and speaking a foreign language became necessary while applying for a good and well-paid job.
Now I know that it is a must for XXI century professional no matter what job to choose. The world is getting smaller and international connections tighter. A lot of foreign delegations keep coming to our country, hundreds of joint ventures have appeared in every city of our country recently. So without doubt you can’t do without learning this beautiful language.

Зачем мы изучаем английский язык?

Люди начали говорить много столетий назад, и с тех пор они говорили на различных языках. Каждый язык отражает душу, манеры и характер каждой национальности. Народы создавали свой собственный алфавит и правила, но они всегда хотели общаться друг с другом, понимать и знать больше друг о друге.
Языки помогают людям понимать друг друга лучше, они помогают им решать различные экономические и политические проблемы, которые стоят перед ними, и поэтому люди изучают иностранные языки.
Все языки различны. Некоторые очень трудны, некоторые более легкие, некоторые подобны, но в целом мире нет одинаковых языков. В мире более 2,700 языков. Многие из их «действующие», потому что люди пользуются ими, но есть «мертвые» языки, например латынь.
Две тысячи лет назад, латынь была наиболее важным международным языком в мире. Сегодня это право принадлежит английскому языку. Это глобальный язык путешествий, бизнеса, поп культуры, спорта и науки.
Свыше миллиарда людей говорят на английском языке. Это почти пятая часть населения мира. Для более 400 миллионов это их родной язык. Для других 600 миллионов он является или вторым языком, или иностранным языком.
Сегодня, фактически, более чем 250 миллионов людей изучают английский язык. Это больше, чем население США.
Словарь среднего человека в Великобритании включает 10,000-15,000 слов. В своих пьесах Вильям Шекспир использовал словарь приблизительно в 30,000 слов. Шекспир родился около 400 лет назад. В то время только шесть или семь миллионов людей говорили на английском языке.
Сейчас на английском языке говорят фактически во всем мире, он стал самым важным языком в политике, науке, торговых и культурных отношениях. Это родной язык в Великобритании, Соединенных Штатах Америки, Канаде, Австралии и Новой Зеландии. Кроме того, много людей говорят на английском в Японии, Индии, Китае, Африке и многих других странах. Английский язык — один из официальных языков Организации Объединенных Наций. Половина всемирной научной литературы написана по-английски. Это язык компьютерных технологий.
На мой взгляд, английский язык стоит изучать. Существует пословица: «Новый язык — новый мир». «Знание — это сила», — сказал один известный человек. Зная иностранный язык, можно не только читать газеты, журналы и книги выдающихся писателей в оригинале, но также смотреть спутниковые программы, легко путешествовать в разные части мира. Кроме того, понимать и говорить на иностранном языке стало необходимым при получении хорошей и хорошо оплачиваемой работы.
Теперь я знаю, что для профессионала XXI столетия, независимо от того, какую работу выбирать, — это обязательное условие. Мир становится меньше, а международные связи крепче. Много иностранных делегаций продолжают прибывать в нашу страну, сотни совместных предприятий появились в каждом городе нашей страны за последнее время. Так что без сомнения, Вы не сможете обойтись без изучения этого прекрасного языка.

Questions:

1. What was the world’s most important international language two thousands years ago?
2. How many people speak English as their first language, a second language or a foreign language?
3. How many languages are there in the world?
4. How large is the vocabulary of the average British person?
5. Where is English spoken?
6. Why do you learn English?

Vocabulary:

To reflect — отражать
soul — душа
behaviour — образ действий, манеры, поведение
to create — создавать
similar(to) — подобный, похожий, сходный
average — нормальный, обыкновенный, обычный, средний
a mother tongue — родной язык
worth — достойный, заслуживающий
satellite — спутниковый
to apply for — обращаться с просьбой, заявлением (особ, в письменной форме); for — за чем-л.
well-paid job — хорошо оплачиваемая работа
joint venture — совместное предприятие
do without — обходиться без

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