Номер 1, страница 176 - гдз по английскому языку 11 класс учебник Афанасьева, Михеева

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Reporter: Today in our studio we have Mrs Patricia O'Neil, an expert in the development of languages which exist on our planet. Welcome Mrs O'Neil.

Patricia: Thank you, please call me Patricia.

Reporter: Okay. We've invited you Patricia to discuss the place of English in the world.

Patricia: I think it is a very interesting subject. Nobody I hope will deny the fact that English is widely spoken these days. It is often referred to as a global language. Though it is not an official language in many countries, more and more people over the world are trying to learn English as a second language.

Reporter: That's true. In Russia for example the majority of parents would like their children to learn English and it is the foreign language most often taught in our secondary schools.

Patricia: That is fairly understandable. By the way, the situation is the same around the world. English can help a lot in practically all the spheres of our life.

Reporter: There is no doubt about it. But analyzing the status of the English language, experts also express concern because there are arguments for and against this.

Patricia: I agree absolutely. On the one hand, it is very convenient to have a language that is able to unite people. If we all share one and the same means of communication, it is easier for us to understand each other.

Reporter: Yes it is, and in my opinion, it is very important for politicians.

Patricia: Not only politicians. World trade, science and technology are also extremely significant and very dependent on the use of English. Frankly speaking, if you know English, you have a lot of advantages, especially abroad.

Reporter: That is evident. The benefits of being able to speak English are not disputed. But what are the disadvantages of English language expansion throughout the globe?

Patricia: In my view, it can lead to the dominance of the English speaking countries in the field of culture. And then this process can result in minority languages disappearing.

Reporter: We know such examples from history.

Patricia: We certainly do. Language death caused by English used to be particularly common in areas like Australia and North America. For example, during the colonization, many languages of North American Indians were absorbed by speakers of English.

Reporter: Can you comment on the process of borrowing words from English?

Patricia: Just as English itself borrowed words from many different languages over its history, English words appear and are highly used in a great number of languages around the world now. In my opinion, it is only natural.