Read the text. Which paragraph:
a) is about a man who invented a new
form of English with a smaller vocabulary?
b) is about a man who tried to change
the spelling of English?
c) introduces the topic?
d) is about how e-mail is changing
English?
e) is about a form of English that
people use at sea?
1.
English is an important global language. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy to
learn. Many experts have tried to make English easier for students to
learn-but they weren’t always successful.
2.
In 1990, professor CK Ogden of Cambridge University invented Basic English.
It had only 850 words (and just eighteen verbs) and Ogden said most people
could learn it in just thirty hours. The problem was that people who learned basic English could
write and say simple messages, but they couldn’t understand the understand
the answers ‘real’ English. It was
also impossible to explain a word if it wasn’t in the Basic English word
list. For example, if you wanted a water melon, you asked for ‘a large green
fruit with the form of an egg, which has a sweet red inside and a good taste’!
3.
RE Zachrisson, a university professor
in Sweden, decided that the biggest problem for learners of English was
spelling. ‘father’ became ‘faadher’, ‘new’ became ‘nue’ and ‘year’ became ‘
yeerz’. Unfortunately for some students of English, Anglic never became
popular.
4.
Even easier is the language with ships’ captains use: it’s called ‘Seaspeak.’
Seaspeak uses a few simple phrases for every possible situation. In Seaspeak,
you don’t say, ‘I’m sorry what did you say?’ or ‘ I didn’t understand, can you repeat that?’--- it’s just, ‘say
again.’ No more grammer!
5.
In the age of international communication through the internet who knows? – a
new form of English might appear. A large number of the world’s e-mails are
in English and include examples of ‘NetLingo’ like OIC (Oh, I see) and TTYL
(Talk to you later). In nother fifty years, English as we know it might not
exist--- we will probally all speak fluent Internetish!
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3. Work in pairs. Answer the questions.
a) When did Professor Ogden invent Basic
English?
How many words did it have?
b) Why did Professor Zachrisson invent
Anglic?
What happened to it?
c) Why is Seaspeak easier than ordinary
English?
d) What is ‘ Internetish’, do you think?
e) Is it a good idea to learn Anglic or
Seapeak instead of English?
4. Look at the unusual words people
sometimes use on the internet and match them with the phrase.
a. LOL By
The Way
b. ATM As
Soon As Possible
c. BTW Estimated
Time of Arrival
d. ASAP Laugh
Out loud
e. CUL8R At
The Moment
f. ETA Mind
You Own Business
g. FYI Have
A Nice Day
h. HAND See
You Later
i. MYOB For
Your Imformation
practice
2. finish the sentences using the ideas
in the box. Which the best reason for each.
Pass
his exams study French train as a nurse
Meet
some friends do some studying check something
Look
up a word buy a train ticket
borrow a book
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a) I went on the Internet ---- to find
some information.
b) She went to the library ----
c) I’m going up stair ----
d) He want to Paris----
e) Can I borrow your dictionary ----
f) She’s going back to college-----
g) I’m going into town ----
h) He worked very hard---
I) He wants to the station ----
j) I’m phoning the office----
Easy
English?
1. Discuss these questions.
a) Which foreign language to learn or
not?
b) Do you think English is an easy
language to learn or not?
c) Which of these areas of the languages
are easiest/hardest for foreign students do you think: grammar, pronunciation,
spelling or vocabulary? Why?
d) Is your languages easy for foreigners
to learn? Why?/ Why not?
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