In what countries is English

a) the only official language;

b) one of the existing official languages?

ENGLISH AS A WORLD LANGUAGE

English has become a world language. In Shakespeare’s time it was a “provincial” language of secondary importance with only six million native speakers. Nowadays English has become the world’s most important language in politics, science, trade and cultural relations. In a number of speakers (400 million) it is second only to Chinese. It 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. English is used as one of the official languages in Canada, the Republic of South Africa and the Irish Republic. It is also spoken as a second language by many people in India, Pakistan, numerous countries in Africa.

Even more widely English is studied and used as a foreign language. In this respect it acquired an international status. It is used for communication, listening to broadcasts, reading books and newspapers, in commerce and travel. Half of the world’s scientific literature is in English. English is associated with technological and economic development and it is the principal language of international aid. It is the language of automation and computer technology. It is not only the universal language of international aviation, shipping and sport. It is to a considerable degree the universal language of literacy and public communication. It is the major language of diplomacy, and is the most frequently used language both in the debates in the United Nations and in the general conduct of the UN business.

English has become a world language because of its establishment as a mother tongue outside England. This exporting of English began in the seventeenth century with the first settlements in North America. The English had visited America at different times. But they had never stayed very long. The companies were not successful. In the year 1606, some English people decided they did not like the way their king, James the First, was treating them. They formed a group, which they called the London Company, and made plans to sail for America. The London Company sent three ships to America.

Above all it is the greatest growth of population in the United States assisted by massive immigration in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries that has given the English language its present standing in the world.

1.1.3. Прочитайте текст еще раз. Укажите, какие предложения соответствуют содержанию текста. Подтвердите свои ответы фактами из текста.

1. English has become the world’s language in the course of the last decade.

2. In a number of speakers it is the first language in the world.

3. It is one of the official languages in Canada.

4. English has got an international status because it is widely used as a foreign language.

5. Many people in different countries of Africa speak English as a second language.

6. One third of the world’s scientific literature is in English.

7. English is the major language of international aid.

8. French is the principal language for the debates in the United Nations.

9. English has become a world language only because it is widely studied as a foreign language.

10. It is used only as a foreign language outside Great Britain.

1.1.4. Ответьте на данные вопросы (работа в парах).

1. When did English become a world language?

2. In what spheres is English the world’s most important language?

3. Where is it the only one official language?

4. Where is it used as one of the official languages?

5. Where is English spoken as a second language?

6. In what way is it used more widely?

7. Where is English the major language?

8. What is the reason of English becoming a world language?

1.2.5. Просмотрите текст и найдите фразам, данным в левой колонке (1-8) подходящее завершение в правой колонке (a-h).