Тексти для перевірки навичок читання. Prepare 7 (НУШ). Unit 16

Colours in language

How many colours are there in the world? There are so many that we can’t count them. How many colours can we name? That depends on what language we speak.

English has 11 basic colour words: black, white, red, green, yellow, blue, pink, grey, brown, orange and purple. If we want to describe a colour more exactly, we often use ‘light’ or ‘dark’, for example light blue. However, in Ukrainian, light blue and dark blue are different colours with completely different names.

Of course, we describe colours with other words, too. We might say something is lilac, for example, but this is the name of a plant. Or we may say something is coffee-coloured or lime green, etc. We also borrow words from other languages. Maroon is a kind of dark red in English, taken from the French marron – the word for chestnut.

Do we see things differently if our language has more or fewer words for colours? Probably not. But we don’t always have the same feelings about a colour.

Blue is a ‘cold’ colour and in many languages, there is a phrase like the English ‘blue with cold’. Red is ‘warm’, so we sometimes describe feelings of anger using the colour red. ‘She saw red’ means she got angry in English, and there are similar phrases in many languages. That isn’t hard to explain: an angry person might get a red face, and fire can be red. But in Germany they can also ‘go green and blue with anger’, and Dutch speakers ‘go purple’.

Black or grey days are bad in a lot of languages, but people who see things in pink, or ‘through rose-coloured glasses’, don’t have grey days. They are cheerful and see only the good things, which is nice but may not always help them in real life.

We also agree in many languages that people without much experience are green, but French speakers talk about blue flowers to describe people with little experience, and in Germany they say such a person has blue eyes.

Not all feelings have a colour, of course. What colour is envy? In English, we go ‘green with envy’, but in Germany they say ‘I’m yellow with envy.’ What about your language? Does envy have a colour?

 

Are the sentences true or false? Correct the false sentences.

1. Different languages have different numbers of words for colours.

2. English has more words to describe blue than Ukrainian.

3. Maroon is a word that comes from the French language.

4. There are phrases in many languages that use red to describe anger.

5. It’s always good to see things ‘through rose-coloured glasses’.

6. Emotions are described using the same colours in German and English.

 

What country are these sayings from? What do they mean?

1. He`s blue with cold.

2. Our teacher saw red.

3. I’m yellow with envy.

4. He sees the world through rose-coloured glasses.

5. They went purple.

6. He has blue eyes.

 

Endangered languages

There are around 7,000 languages spoken in the world today, but many of them are in danger of disappearing. Experts say that about one language dies out every two weeks. Why does this happen?

One reason is globalization. People move to big cities, where they use popular languages like English, Spanish or Chinese to find work and communicate. They stop using their native language, and their children don’t learn it. Over time, fewer and fewer people speak the language until no one remembers it.

Another reason is education. In many countries, schools teach only the official language. Children grow up speaking the national language, but they don’t know how to write or read in their parents' native tongue.

Some governments and communities are working to save endangered languages. For example, in New Zealand, the Māori language almost disappeared, but now there are schools that teach in Māori and TV channels that broadcast in it.

Saving a language is not easy, but it’s important. A language is not just words — it carries traditions, stories, songs and the identity of a people. When a language disappears, a unique way of seeing the world is lost forever.

 

Are the sentences true or false? Correct the false sentences.

1. There are around 7,000 languages spoken today.
2. Every year, one language dies out.
3. Globalization helps endangered languages survive.
4. Schools sometimes don’t teach local languages.
5. In New Zealand, Māori completely disappeared.
6. A language is just a way of speaking, nothing more.

 

Answer the questions.

1. How often does one language disappear?
2. Why do people stop using their native language?
3. What is one reason schools may harm small languages?
4. How is the Māori language being saved?
5. Why is saving a language important?
6. What happens when a language disappears?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The origin of English words

The English language is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world today, but did you know that many English words come from other languages? In fact, English has borrowed words from hundreds of different languages over time.

For example, during the Norman invasion of England in 1066, the French language had a big influence on English. That’s why many English words for food, like ‘beef’ and ‘pork’, come from French. Later, English borrowed words from Latin and Greek, especially in science and medicine. Words like ‘biology’, ‘physics’, and ‘temperature’ all come from Latin or Greek roots.

English also took words from other parts of the world. From India, English got words like ‘shampoo’, ‘pyjamas’, and ‘bungalow’. The word ‘ketchup’ originally came from Chinese, while ‘robot’ is from Czech.

Because English has so many borrowed words, it is sometimes called a "mixed language." This makes English rich and flexible, but also sometimes difficult to spell or pronounce.

Learning where words come from can help students understand their meanings better and see how languages are connected all over the world.

 

Are the sentences true or false? Correct the false sentences.

1. English words come only from Latin and Greek.
2. French influenced English after the Norman invasion.
3. Words like ‘biology’ and ‘temperature’ come from Latin or Greek.
4. The word ‘ketchup’ comes from French.
5. English has borrowed words from many different languages.
6. Knowing the origin of words can help understand their meanings.

 

Answer the questions.

1. When did French start influencing English?
2. Which languages gave English many scientific words?
3. Name two words English borrowed from Indian languages.
4. Where does the word ‘robot’ come from?
5. Why is English called a "mixed language"?
6. How can learning about word origins help students?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why do people learn foreign languages?

In today’s world, learning a foreign language is more important than ever. People learn new languages for many different reasons.

One common reason is travel. When people visit other countries, knowing the local language helps them communicate, find places, and understand the culture. Another reason is work. Many companies do business with people from all over the world, so speaking languages like English, Chinese, or Spanish can open doors to better job opportunities.

Students also learn foreign languages at school. Some start with English, but many choose to learn a second or even third language. It helps them make new friends and learn about other countries.

Technology plays a role, too. The internet connects people from different parts of the world, so understanding more than one language helps people read websites, watch videos, and talk to others online.

Finally, some people learn languages just for fun! It’s a great way to exercise the brain, and studies show that learning languages can improve memory and problem-solving skills.

 

Are the sentences true or false? Correct the false sentences.

1. People only learn foreign languages for school.
2. Knowing a foreign language can help when travelling.
3. Speaking other languages can help people get better jobs.
4. Technology makes learning languages less useful.
5. Learning languages is good for the brain.
6. People never learn languages for fun.

 

Answer the questions.

1. Why do people learn foreign languages when they travel?
2. How can knowing another language help at work?
3. What role does technology play in learning languages?
4. How does learning languages help students at school?
5. Can learning languages improve memory?
6. Why might someone learn a language for fun?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Languages with no writing system

Most people think that every language has a way of writing, but that’s not true. Some languages in the world have no writing system at all! They exist only in spoken form.

Many of these languages belong to small communities, often in remote areas like the Amazon rainforest, parts of Africa, or islands in the Pacific Ocean. For example, some languages spoken by indigenous tribes in Papua New Guinea don’t have an alphabet. People pass down their stories, history, and traditions by speaking, not writing.

Because these languages aren’t written down, they can be lost easily. If younger generations stop speaking the language, it may disappear completely.

In recent years, linguists — scientists who study languages — have started working with these communities to create writing systems. They help design alphabets so that people can write books, record stories, and teach children their language at school.

Preserving these languages is important because they carry valuable cultural knowledge, like information about plants, animals, and ways of life that don’t exist anywhere else in the world.

 

Are the sentences true or false? Correct the false sentences.

1. All languages in the world have a writing system.
2. Some languages are only spoken, not written.
3. Indigenous tribes in Papua New Guinea often have written alphabets.
4. Linguists help create writing systems for unwritten languages.
5. When people stop speaking a language, it may disappear.
6. These small languages aren’t important for culture.

 

Answer the questions.

1. Do all languages have a writing system?
2. Where do many unwritten languages exist?
3. What happens if young people stop speaking these languages?
4. Who are linguists?
5. How do linguists help small language communities?
6. Why is it important to preserve these languages?