Unit 2.

Read the following remarks and write a word or phrase from the box in each gap.
People tend to be (1)_______________ – they speak the regional and a bit rusty
the national language and they (2)_______________ between accurately
languages with ease. aims an excellent
Lots of (3)_______________ are coming into the language, command
particularly from English, so my (4)_______________ is not at all bilingual
the same as it was, say, fifty years ago. fashionable
My English has got (5)_______________ because I don’t use it very loanwords
often. fluency
Living in the country, you just (6)_______________ the language highly articulate
naturally and that’s just about the best way to learn it. mother tongue
I aim to achieve (7)_______________ of English, which means pick up
becoming (8)_______________ and being able to use the language switch
(9)_______________ .
I wouldn’t consider accuracy to be as important as
(10)_______________ when learning a foreign language.
We should be teaching young people how they can use language
effectively to achieve their (11)_______________.

Listening. You will hear three different extracts.

You hear two travellers talking about language learning.
1. Why did the man learn the local language in Mongolia?
a. to deal with awkward situations
b. to learn other skills from local people
c. to have direct contact with the people around him
2. They both agree that people wanting to learn a new language must
a. have a talent for language learning.
b. be prepared to work hard.
c. be ready to take risks.

You hear two teachers, Rajiv and Susan, discussing the need for English spelling reform.
3. Rajiv argues that spelling should be reformed because it would
a. make learning more pleasant for young children.
b. reduce the number of mistakes his students make.
c. make written publications shorter.
4. Rajiv and Susan agree that simplified spelling would
a. reduce learning difficulties.
b. improve foreign learners' pronunciation.
c. produce substantial economic savings.

You hear an conversation between two researchers who have studied job interviews
conducted in English.
 5. What does the woman consider the main problem for non-native speakers?
a. Their English is not good enough.
b. Their body language may be misleading.
c. Their answers are unsuitable.
6. They agree that the recruitment process might be improved by:
a. Training interviewers to ask clearer questions.
b. Replacing interviews with practical tests.
c. Changing interviewers' expectations.

Vocabulary
make get do
Form collocations with the words in bold by writing make, get or do in the correct form in
the gaps in these extracts from Listening Part 1.
1. But you _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ a conscious decision to learn it when you were in
Mongolia, didn’t you?
2. What’s essential, though, is _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ an effort.
3. I remembered _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _those dictation exercises.
4. As a language teacher, it would _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ my life a lot easier.
5. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ the questions right would be useful training for many
interviewers.

Exam candidates often use the wrong verb with the words and phrases in the box. Write each
word or phrase in the correct column of the table below. Two words/phrases can be written in
more than one column.

a comment _ a course _ a decision _ a mistake _ a job_ an effort _ a point _ a proposal _ a

qualification_ a suggestion _ activities _ an apology _ business_ complaints _ changes_
exercise _ further information_ friends _ harm _ one's money back _ one's best_ some
shopping _ sport _ household chores _ the cooking_ the right choice _ use of something _
an improvement

make get do
a comment a job a job
Each of the sentences below contains a mistake made by candidates with a collocation of
make, do or get. Correct the mistakes.
1. Before working in our shop, you first make a one-week course in developing photos.
2. A lot of my time was wasted, so I think I should receive some of my money back.
3. She did everything possible to turn the trip more pleasant.
4. We were made to work very hard at school, and that certainly didn't do me any harm.
5. We need to reduce the time taken to achieve all the tasks mentioned above.
6. Other members of the club have given suggestions about a quiz or karaoke night to
form part of our social program.
7. We'd be very grateful if you'd make your best to solve this problem.
8. You can spend lots of time at this holiday camp practicing exercise and having a great
time!
Reading and Use of English

Which of the words in the box are spelled correctly? Correct the words which are spelled
incorrectly.

occurrence happenning developement statement referrence opening

realy factually beautifuly truthfull disappointed disatisfied
iregularrity reliable undenyable useable refuseing basicaly arguement

Spelling mistakes are among the most frequent errors made by candidates in the exam. Find
and correct the spelling mistakes made by candidates in the sentences below.

1 As you can see in the advertisement, the holiday is quite cheap.

2 People are beginning to get tired of being promised things it's impossible to give them.
3 I'm sure you're going to be as successful as your predecessor was.
4 He was sent to prison for expressing his disagreement with the government.
5 By implementing these proposals we will be doing more to protect the environment.
6 The family I stayed with was really kind and helpful.

For questions 1–8, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of
the lines to form a word that fits in the gap in the same line. There is an example at the
beginning (0).

The naming of products International companies are finding it (0) … 0. INCREASE

increasingly… important to develop brand names that can be used in 1. UNIVERSE
a wide range of countries. A product with a single, (1) 2. SAVE
____________ recognised name can enable companies to make 3. REAL
major (2) ____________ in production and promotion costs - 4. INNOVATE
especially now that world advertising is a (3) ____________ in such 5. АССЕРТ
contexts as major sporting events. It is said that more time is 6. SUCCEED
actually spent deciding the name of a product than on the research 7. COMPETE
and development leading to the (4) ____________ itself. Thousands 8. SUBMIT
of possible names may need to be investigated to find one that is
internationally (5) ____________ An indication of the scope of the
problem can be seen from the experience of Dunlop, who spent over
two years (6) ____________ researching a name for a new tyre.
 They then launched an international (7) ____________ amongst
their employees, receiving over 10,000 entries. Around 30 names
were selected from an enormous number of (8) ____________ but
not one was found to be legally available in more than a small
number of countries. Adapted from The Cambridge Encyclopedia of
Language

Reading and Use of English

Endangered languages
The threat to minority languages in different parts of the world is an area of discussion
amongst linguists.
A) In our connected globalised world, B) While individuals are free to choose
the languages which dominate if they wish to speak a minority
communications and business, language, national governments
Mandarin, Hindi, English, Spanish should be under no obligation to
1
and Russian amongst others, are provide education
placing small languages spoken in in an economically unproductive
remote places under increasing language, especially in times of
pressure. Fewer and fewer people budget constraints. It is generally
speak languages such as Liki, accepted that national languages
Taushiro and Dumi as their children unite and help to create
shift away from the language of their wealth while minority regional
ancestors towards languages which languages divide. Furthermore,
promise education, success and the governments have a duty to ensure
chance of a better life. While to that young people can fulfil their full
potential, meaning that state
many parents 2this may appear a
reasonable choice, giving their education must provide 4them with
offspring the opportunity to achieve the ability to speak and work in their
the sort of prosperity they see on national language and so equip them
television, the children themselves to participate responsibly in national
often lose touch with their roots. affairs. People whose language
However, in many places the more competence does not extend beyond
reasonable option of bilingualism, the use of a regional tongue have
where children learn to speak both a limited prospects. 5This means that
local and a national language, is while many people may feel a
being promoted. 3This gives hope sentimental attachment to their local
that many endangered languages will language, their government’s
survive, allowing people to combine position should be one of benign
their links to local tradition with neglect, allowing people to speak the
access to wider world culture. language, but not acting to prevent
6its eventual disappearance.

C) Many PhD students studying D) A healthy language is 12one which

minority languages lack the children learn to speak, so that
resources to develop their language however many adults use the
skills, with the result that they have language, if young people do not
to rely on interpreters and translators
to communicate with speakers of the acquire 13it, it will not survive.
While the disappearance of a
language 7they are studying. 8This, I
 believe, has a detrimental effect on language may be a tragedy for the
the quality of their research. At the people who speak it, 14it may
same time, 9they have to struggle appear to be an event of
against the frequently expressed little importance to 15others.
opinion that minority languages However, I would argue that
serve no useful purpose and should language diversity is as necessary as
be allowed to die a natural death. biological diversity and that we are
10Such a view fails to take into simply not aware of all the things we
account the fact that a unique body lose when a language disappears.
of knowledge and culture, built up When an animal or plant becomes
over thousands of years, is contained extinct, we seldom realise how its
in a language and that language existence
extinction and species extinction are might have benefited us. 16The
different facets of the same process. same is true for many small
11They are part of an impending languages. Moreover, the resources
global catastrophe which is to prevent their loss are unlikely to
beginning to look unavoidable. ever be available simply because the
economic benefits of keeping them
alive cannot be demonstrated.

For questions 1–4, choose from the extracts A–D. The extracts may be chosen more than
once.

1. shares Extract B’s view of the economic significance of major languages?

2. expresses a different view from the others regarding the need to preserve minority
languages?

3. takes a different view from the others regarding the future of small languages?

4. takes a similar view to Extract C on the effect of language disappearance?

Grammar

1 I thought I should pick the language up while I was there, so

2 It might be better to set up a simulation of the job in question so as to

3 The candidate often lacks the sort of cultural background that would stand them in good
stead in these situations, with the result that

4 They used to give us dictations in class to

5 I always write new vocabulary down in my notebook case

6 Pavla is studying languages at university with the intention of

7 We found the lecturer difficult to hear due to

8 You'll need to use a microphone, otherwise

a) eventually working as an interpreter.

b) I forget it.

c) I immersed myself in the life of the local community.

d) the people at the back won't hear you.

e) the poor acoustics in the hall.

f )their responses take the interviewer by surprise.

g) see whether the candidate has the skills and attitude they're looking for.

h) make sure we knew things like putting a double 'p' in 'approve'.

Exam candidates often make mistakes with words and phrases to express reason, purpose and
result. Circle the correct alternative in italics in each of the following sentences.

1 My Italian is excellent because / due to I lived in Italy for four years.

2 By / For technical reasons, the flight was delayed for several hours.
3 Over the last decade, our lives have changed a lot because of / by computers.
4 Could you please send us a brochure so as / so that we can see exactly what you are
offering?
5 I hope the organisation's efficiency will improve for not to / in order not to waste people's
time and money.

Speaking
1. What are the main difficulties for people wanting to learn your language? What, for
you, are the main difficulties of doing an interview in an exam or for a job in English?
2. How do people in your country choose names for their children?
3. Are fashions in children's names changing?
4. In Britain, people also name their pets and sometimes their houses. What things do
people in your country name, and what sorts of names do they choose?