Reading Comprehension

Read the text and choose the correct answer (1-5).

Do you know what the official language of the United States is? If you answered English, guess again. Although, at the moment English is the most widely spoken language in the nation, Spanish is catching up with over forty million Hispanics speaking their native language at home, at work, and in their daily lives.

This brings us to another point: Why does the US, which is considered an English-speaking country, feel obliged to offer services for Spanish speakers and those speaking many other languages, some of which you might not even know about?

Well, let's not forget that since 1776 the US has been - and continues to be a multilingual nation. Back then, it wasn't uncommon to hear up to 20 different languages spoken in daily life.

Today 322 languages are spoken in the country. So having one official language would limit the rights of individuals who cannot communicate in English, individuals who are paying taxes and who should have the same rights as those who speak English.

Nevertheless, in 1780, John Adams proposed to the Continental Congress that English should be declared the official language of the United States. Debate over the official language has been going on for years, with people on both sides of the fence, but so far a decision has not been made. This doesn't mean that the individual states have not declared an official language because many already have. Twenty-seven states, to be exact, have declared English as their official language.

But, to protect the rights of those speaking any other languages, there is something called Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Although twenty-seven states have declared English as their official language, in order to receive federal financial assistance these states still have to follow Title VI, which requires that important materials be available in the language the person speaks if they want to be subsidised by the Federal Government.

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the 2000 Executive Order No 13166 require that public  organizations   receiving federal funds must have all vital documents available in every language that their clients speak; every language, not just Spanish. Why? Because the US has never declared an official language and because of this, the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 still applies.

1 What is NOT true about the Spanish language in the US?

2 Why isn't there an official language in the US?

3 What language was suggested to be made the official language of the US in the 18th c.?

4 Where in the US is English the official language?

5 What language must all important documents be in?

Choose the correct answer to complete the sentence

The person on the TV news was arrested for _______

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........ is someone who commits a crime.

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.......steals things from a bank or a shop.

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........breaks into a house and steals things.

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.........damages or breaks public property.

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Burglars _____ into shops and houses.

People who_____ the law should be punished.

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........attacks ships in order to steal from them.