Myth or Fact??

True or False
_____ 1.) It is just as easy to learn a second language as an adult as it is for a child.
_____ 2.) Due to the rise of slang and street talk some people do not speak correctly
anymore.
_____ 3.) More than half of the worlds languages have no written form.
_____ 4.) Most people in the world are monolingual; that is, they only know how to speak
one language.
_____ 5.) Most people who speak more than one language learn their second and third
languages in school.
_____ 6.) If you trace them back far enough, all languages are related to each other.
Multiple Choice
7.) Around how many languages are spoken in the world today>
a.) 70

b.) 700

c.) 7,000

d.) 70,000

8.) What percent of the worlds languages are expected to disappear during this century?
a.) 1%

b.) 5%

c.) 25%

d. 50%

9.) What continent holds the largest number of languages?

a.) Asia

b.) Africa

c.) South America

10.) Which list includes the three languages with the most speakers?
a.) English, French, Russian
b.) Hindi, English, Mandarin
c.) Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic
11.) Around how many people worldwide speak English as a first language?
a.) 100 million

b.) 350 million

c.) 500 million

d.) 750 million

12.) Around how many languages are spoken in the U.S. today?
a.) 50

b.) 300

c.) 700

d.) 1,000

Myth or Fact
Answer Key
1,) F
2.) F
3.) T (75% have no written language)
4.) F
5.) F
6.) F
7.) C
8.) D
9.) A
10.) B
11.) B
12.) B