English is the Language of Communication

«Do you speak English?» – with this phrase begins the conversation between two people that speak different languages and want to find a common language.

It's very good when you hear: «Yes, I do», and start talking. People of different countries and nations have to get along well with the progress in world trade and technology as well as with each other.

So it is very useful to learn foreign languages. Knowledge of foreign languages helps us to develop friendship and understanding among people.

English is very popular now. It's the language of computers, science, business, sport and politics. It's spoken all over the world. It is the official language of the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States of America, Canada, Australia. There are more than 1 billion speakers of English in the world.

Speaking a foreign language you can read papers, magazines and books in the original by great writers, watch satellite TV programmes. If you like travelling you can go anywhere without being afraid that other people will not understand you. English is very important to find a good job.

Exercise 2.1.1. Answer the questions.

1. Do you like to speak English?

2. Why do you study English?

3. Is it useful to learn foreign languages?

4. Is English the official language in the USA?

5. Does English help you make friends?

Exercise 2.1.2 Find these sentences in the text above and insert the prepositions where necessary.

1. Knowledge … foreign languages helps us to develop understanding among people.

2. People of different countries have to get along … each other.

3. There are more than 1 billion speakers … English …the world.

4. Speaking a foreign language you can read books in the original… great writers.

5. If you like traveling you can go anywhere … being afraid that other people will not understand you

Exercise 2.1.3. Translate from Russian into English using Present Simple

1. Знание иностранных языков помогаетмне понимать спортсменов из разных стран.

2. Люди во всем мире хорошо понимаютдруг друга

3. Я часто смотрюпрограммы на английском языке по спутниковому телевидению.

4. Команды из различных стран принимаютучастие в Олимпийских Играх.

5. Международная торговля позволяетразвивать экономику

Exercise 2.1.4. Check your memory. Why is it important to learn the English language? Express as many ideas from the text as you can. Add your own ideas.

Text 2.2. Readand translatethe text about sumo wrestling

MOUNTAIN MEN

The history of Sumo wrestling goes back over 2000 years. Its origins are connected to the Japanese belief in Shinto, the 'way of the gods', where winning gains favour with the gods. This is why the ritual of a sumo match is taken so seriously.

The clay fighting ring is itself a sacred shrine. On entering it, the enormous wrestler first claps, to attract the gods' attention and indicate his own purity of heart. Having done that, he shakes his apron to drive away evil spirits, and raises his arms to show he carries no weapons. Next comes his most dramatic gesture. With his left hand on his heart and his right arm extended to the east, the huge fighter raises his right leg as high as possible - to send it crashing down with all his force. Then he performs the same earth-shaking stamp with the other leg. After that, he purifies himself and the ring by throwing salt, wiping himself, and rinsing his mouth with water. Finally, the opponents spend three or four minutes trying to intimidate each other with grimaces and threatening postures.

The fight itself is brief and brutal and consists of a thunderous collision that rarely lasts more than ten seconds, which ends when one giant is pushed to the ground or outside the circle.

Exercise 2.2.1. Vocabulary. Learn the words and expressions from the text:

to gain favour

clay a sacred shrine

enormous

to clap

purity

apron

evil spirits

earth-shaking

to purify

to wipe oneself

to rinse

to intimidate

threatening postures

a thunderous collision

Exercise 2.2.2. Check your memory. Say as much as you can about sumo.

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