The Second Written Test, group B

Read the text.

I Write minimum 5 sentences about the text - what it is about (15 points)

II Match words with definitions:

Adopt; attempt; bilingual; citizen; embrace; native speaker; mother tongue; spread out
(8x2 = 16 points)

Speaking two languages equally fluently

A person who has spoken some language since they were a

baby

To accept and start using something new

Somebody who lives in a country

To move apart so as to live in different places across a large area

To accept something readily and willingly

To make an effort; to try

The language you first learn to speak when you are a child

III Are sentences True, False, or Doesn’t say? (14 points)

1. In Babel, people spoke many different languages. _____
2. The citizens of Babel learnt all the world’s languages. _____
3. Today, there are more than 5,000 languages in the world. _____
4. Only Chinese, Spanish and English will exist in 100 years’ time. _____
5. Zamenhof wanted Esperanto to bring people together. _____
6. Nowadays, people in many countries speak Esperanto. _____
7. English is the most popular language online nowadays. _____

IV Answer the questions: (10 points)

1. How might languages become extinct?

2. What reason is given for Esperanto’s failure?

3. According to Dr McWhorter, why won’t we use Textspeak to talk?