Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.
English as a global language
People often talk about English as a global language or lingua franca. With more than 350 million people around the world speaking English as a first language and more than 430 million speaking it as a second language, there are English speakers in most countries around the world. Why is English so popular, though? And why has it become a global language?
People often call English the international language of business, and it's increasingly true as international trade expands every year, bringing new countries into contact. Most multinational companies require a certain degree of English proficiency from potential employees so in order to get a position with a top company, more and more people are learning English.
If your ambitions lie in science or medicine, you can't neglect English either. Much of the technical terminology is based on English words, and if you want to learn about the latest developments and discoveries from around the world, you'll read about them in journals and research reports published in English, no matter whether the scientists who wrote them are from China or Norway.
If you want a career in travel, English is absolutely essential. As the international language of aviation, pilots and cabin crew all need to speak English. Even if you're not up in the air, speaking English accurately will ensure you are able to communicate with clients and suppliers all over the world.
So, what's stopping you from learning this global language? With all the English resources available on the internet and so many other English speakers around the world to practice with, there's never been a better time to start learning English. Pick up a book, learn a few words, or even start a course today and take your first steps towards becoming one of nearly 800 million English speakers in the world.
