Тема 5. Foreign Languages in Our Life
Word list
·
a means of communication — средство общения
·
convey — передавать
·
have a good command of the language — хорошо владеть языком
·
be of great help — приносить большую
пользу
·
be of little help — приносить мало
пользы
·
be of no help — быть бесполезным
·
rewarding — стоящий, приносящий
удовлетворение
·
lose the chance — упустить
возможность
·
academic year — учебный год
·
break — перемена
·
crash course — ускоренный курс
·
refresher course — курсы переподготовки
·
foundation course — программа
подготовки к поступлению в ВУЗ
·
take a course — проходить курс
·
sign up for a course — записаться на курс
·
dropout — тот, кто бросил работу
или учебу
·
skip a lecture — прогулять лекцию
·
attend a lecture — посетить лекцию
·
low/high marks — низкие/высокие
оценки
·
numerate — подсчитывать
·
to mark — ставить оценку
·
to find your vocation — найти свое призвание
·
secondary education — среднее
образование
·
scholarship — стипендия, грант
Learning a foreign language is not an easy thing. It is
a long and slow process that takes a lot of time and efforts. Nowadays it is
especially important to know foreign languages. Some people learn languages
because they need them for their work, others travel abroad, for the third
studying languages is a hobby. Everyone, who knows foreign languages can speak
to people from other countries, read foreign writers in the original, which
makes your outlook wider.
It is not surprising that many intellectuals and
well-educated people are polyglots. I study English. Nowadays English has
become the world’s most important language in politics, science, trade and
cultural relations.
Over 300 million people speak it as a mother tongue.
The native speakers of English live in Great Britain, the United States of
America, Australia and New Zealand. English is one of the official languages in
the Irish Republic, Canada, the South Africa Republic.
English is one of the official languages of the United
Nations Organization and other political organizations. Half of the world’s
scientific literature is in English. It is the language of computer technology.
To know English today is absolutely necessary for
every educated person, for every good specialist. The English language is a
wonderful language. It is the language of the great literature. It is the
language of William Shakespeare, Jonathan Swift, Walter Scott, Charles Dickens.
The great German poet Goethe once said, “He, who knows no foreign language,
does not know his own one”. That is why in order to understand oneself and
environment one has to study foreign languages.
Foreign
Languages In My Life
Language is an essential form of communication. So,
the more languages you speak, the more friends you have. My parents have always
wanted me to know several languages. I started learning English and French at
the age of 6.
When I was a child, I didn’t understand how important
it is to learn at least one foreign language. Now I know that learning
languages helps you in many ways. First of all, I started paying more attention
to grammar and overall structure of my native language. Secondly, I’m going to
pass an English language exam next year. I’m pretty sure that it will be fine,
as I’ve been a diligent student. Besides, my parents and teachers say I’m
capable of learning several languages. I have a good memory and good linguistic
ability. Thirdly, I’m sure that the knowledge of foreign languages will be
beneficial for my future career.
Moreover, it is a good way to find new penfriends from
different countries and to keep in touch with them. That’s how I learned some
peculiarities of English and French culture. On top of that, last year I
participated in an international exchange program, which was a good way to
practice my speaking skills. We went to London and stayed there for a week with
our English friends. Then, we hosted them in our town.
After I graduate from school, I want to enter a
linguistic university to become an interpreter. But that’s not all. After the
university, I’d like to continue my studies abroad in the English or French
speaking environment. In my opinion, it is the best way to improve the language
skills and to make new friends.
__________________________________________________________
In this day and age where the world is so easily
connected via technology and social networking, being at least bilingual is
becoming more and more commonplace as it opens so many more doors to all kinds
of different opportunities. Learning a foreign language is so important, and
comes with many benefits that you might never have expected. Of course,
learning a foreign language comes with its own inherent challenges and
difficulties. As you may have heard, language learning is a marathon, not a
sprint. Sure, it’s something that takes a considerable amount of time and
effort, but at the end it will be well worth it.
1. It opens you up to tons of new people
It can be hard to get started with learning a foreign
language. Especially if you’re learning by yourself! Sometimes, you might just
be in a slump and can’t work up the motivation to finish what you set out to
do. This all takes a turn for the better when you start meeting native speakers
and/or fellow learners of your target language. There are plenty of language
exchange sites out there that connect you with people from all over the world
who are more than willing to give you a helping hand. Take advantage of this
and meet some new friends while you’re at it!
Not only does knowing another language enable you to
communicate with more of the world’s people and befriend them, but the practice
of learning will also expose you to like-minded people. You’ll meet lots of
great people that you otherwise likely wouldn’t have had the chance to meet if
it wasn’t for language learning.
2. Learning about different countries’ cultures
By learning a foreign language, you are essentially
learning about one of the most important elements of a country’s culture. By
learning the language of a particular country, you are opening yourself to all
kinds of new cultural insights that you hadn't known about before. There’s so
much more than meets the eye that you’ll get exposed to when you start to adopt
their language. Music, food, theatre, literature, and history are just a few
things among many others that you’ll be able to learn more about as you learn
more about the language.
3. It opens the door for new opportunities
Whether this be a study abroad, a new job, a romantic
partner, a business venture, or any other opportunity that involves you moving to
a new country, there’s no doubt that knowing another language opens doors that
you might not have known were even there in the first place. If you’re a
student looking to study abroad in either a student exchange program or an
international student program, you’ll find that you’ll be much better off
knowing the language of that country. Quite a few international student
programs are actually in that country’s language, so you’ll have to know it
anyways in order to keep up. And also, when you’re going about your daily life,
it’s much easier to get around and perform your everyday activities when you
know the language.
From a business standpoint, it’s always going to be
easier for others to communicate with you when you know their language. Whether
they be potential clients, business partners, or coworkers, things are likely
to go much more smoothly when there are no language barrier issues. Plus,
knowing another language is a big boost to your resume even for domestic jobs
as many businesses value candidates who are bilingual and have had experience
with international markets.
4. Becoming a smarter and more well-rounded person
Not only does learning a new language impact the kind
of person you are in the sense that it gives you a new perspective on a lot of things
in life, but it also impacts the way your brain actually works. Those who learn
another language become better able to retain and process new information,
which leads to better results even in completely unrelated aspects.
Language learning and its effect on the brain has been
likened to how lifting weights builds muscles. Learning new languages helps
increase our brain’s functionality and ability to learn just about anything
better and more efficiently. This makes us better able to remember things, process
information, think, and become more knowledgeable across the board.
5. Adding to your repertoire of skills
Who wouldn’t find it impressive if you could nail the
pronunciation of each item on Italian restaurant’s menu or effortlessly
converse with someone in France about recent events? This is the difference
between simply being fluent and sounding like a native speaker. And of course,
if you’re able to speak several languages fluently among other skills, you will
seem much more capable overall. Nothing impresses people more than being able
to do all kinds of things and having many different skills.
6. Boosting your confidence
It has long been said that learning a foreign language
is a source of happiness, pride, and confidence for many people. Learning new
languages and using them in the real world can be very effective in teaching
confidence-boosting skills that we may not have known we needed. Some of these
include public speaking, thinking on your feet, and initiative.
7.
Traveling or living abroad
Last but not least, the obvious benefit to learning a
new language is that your itinerary will get a serious boost when you travel!
One of the great parts of travel is the people that you encounter along the
way. By learning the language of the country, your travel experiences will
become much more authentic, and really give you a feel for that country and its
people.
Get Started on Your Language Learning Journey
Language a new language is so much more than meets the
eye. In addition to the obvious benefits, there are so many more intrinsic
aspects of various countries' cultures that you would otherwise be missing out
on. Language helps you in many more ways than you’d expect, as this list shows,
that are not necessarily limited to foreign experiences. You never know how a
new language may change your life for the better, so it's time to get started
on your language learning journey today.
___________________________________________
7 Reasons to Learn a Foreign Language
In this day and age where the world is so easily
connected via technology and social networking, being at least bilingual is
becoming more and more commonplace as it opens so many more doors to all kinds
of different opportunities. Learning a foreign language is so important, and
comes with many benefits that you might never have expected. Of course,
learning a foreign language comes with its own inherent challenges and
difficulties. As you may have heard, language learning is a marathon, not a
sprint. Sure, it’s something that takes a considerable amount of time and
effort, but at the end it will be well worth it.
1. It opens you up to tons of new people
It can be hard to get started with learning a foreign
language. Especially if you’re learning by yourself! Sometimes, you might just
be in a slump and can’t work up the motivation to finish what you set out to
do. This all takes a turn for the better when you start meeting native speakers
and/or fellow learners of your target language. There are plenty of language
exchange sites out there that connect you with people from all over the world
who are more than willing to give you a helping hand. Take advantage of this
and meet some new friends while you’re at it!
Not only does knowing another language enable you to
communicate with more of the world’s people and befriend them, but the practice
of learning will also expose you to like-minded people. You’ll meet lots of
great people that you otherwise likely wouldn’t have had the chance to meet if
it wasn’t for language learning.
2. Learning about different countries’ cultures
By learning a foreign language, you are essentially
learning about one of the most important elements of a country’s culture. By
learning the language of a particular country, you are opening yourself to all
kinds of new cultural insights that you hadn't known about before. There’s so
much more than meets the eye that you’ll get exposed to when you start to adopt
their language. Music, food, theatre, literature, and history are just a few
things among many others that you’ll be able to learn more about as you learn
more about the language.
3. It opens the door for new opportunities
Whether this be a study abroad, a new job, a romantic
partner, a business venture, or any other opportunity that involves you moving to
a new country, there’s no doubt that knowing another language opens doors that
you might not have known were even there in the first place. If you’re a
student looking to study abroad in either a student exchange program or an
international student program, you’ll find that you’ll be much better off
knowing the language of that country. Quite a few international student
programs are actually in that country’s language, so you’ll have to know it
anyways in order to keep up. And also, when you’re going about your daily life,
it’s much easier to get around and perform your everyday activities when you
know the language.
From a business standpoint, it’s always going to be
easier for others to communicate with you when you know their language. Whether
they be potential clients, business partners, or coworkers, things are likely
to go much more smoothly when there are no language barrier issues. Plus,
knowing another language is a big boost to your resume even for domestic jobs
as many businesses value candidates who are bilingual and have had experience
with international markets.
4. Becoming a smarter and more well-rounded person
Not only does learning a new language impact the kind
of person you are in the sense that it gives you a new perspective on a lot of things
in life, but it also impacts the way your brain actually works. Those who learn
another language become better able to retain and process new information,
which leads to better results even in completely unrelated aspects.
Language learning and its effect on the brain has been
likened to how lifting weights builds muscles. Learning new languages helps
increase our brain’s functionality and ability to learn just about anything
better and more efficiently. This makes us better able to remember things, process
information, think, and become more knowledgeable across the board.
5. Adding to your repertoire of skills
Who wouldn’t find it impressive if you could nail the
pronunciation of each item on Italian restaurant’s menu or effortlessly
converse with someone in France about recent events? This is the difference
between simply being fluent and sounding like a native speaker. And of course,
if you’re able to speak several languages fluently among other skills, you will
seem much more capable overall. Nothing impresses people more than being able
to do all kinds of things and having many different skills.
6. Boosting your confidence
It has long been said that learning a foreign language
is a source of happiness, pride, and confidence for many people. Learning new
languages and using them in the real world can be very effective in teaching
confidence-boosting skills that we may not have known we needed. Some of these
include public speaking, thinking on your feet, and initiative.
7.
Traveling or living abroad
Last but not least, the obvious benefit to learning a
new language is that your itinerary will get a serious boost when you travel!
One of the great parts of travel is the people that you encounter along the
way. By learning the language of the country, your travel experiences will
become much more authentic, and really give you a feel for that country and its
people.
Get Started on Your Language Learning Journey
Language a new language is so much more than meets the
eye. In addition to the obvious benefits, there are so many more intrinsic
aspects of various countries' cultures that you would otherwise be missing out
on. Language helps you in many more ways than you’d expect, as this list shows,
that are not necessarily limited to foreign experiences. You never know how a
new language may change your life for the better, so it's time to get started
on your language learning journey today.
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