When it comes to choosing what foreign language to study, the most obvious question that comes to mind is: What language is the most popularly used? The answer to this question is Mandarin Chinese, which has more than 1 Billion speakers and is by far the most popularly spoken language in the world. However, popularity of use is not the most significant factor that should be considered when choosing a foreign language. In fact, it is clear that for a number of important reasons, English is the wisest choice for the foreign language learner of today.
First and foremost, an excellent command of English is mandatory for any student who wishes to obtain an advanced university degree. For example, English is the language spoken and used at the most prestigious universities of the world, such as Harvard, MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), and Cambridge. Therefore, if a student wishes to climb to highest pinnacle of educational achievement by attending one of these fine schools, then English is a definite requirement. Furthermore, since most of the world’s best academic journals and university textbooks are written in English, many universities in non-English-speaking countries have begun to teach graduate-level courses solely in English. As a result, universities throughout the world have begun to implement English language proficiency requirements, which prospective students must fulfill before being considered a worthy applicant.
Another reason why foreign language learners should choose English is because it can provide new opportunities for employment. Many businesses, especially those that provide services to the public in airports, malls, and tourist attractions, need to have employees who speak English in order to communicate with travelers from other countries. Since English is necessary in order for these businesses to succeed, they often require that their employees possess a working knowledge of the language. Consider the fact that English is the most widely studied second language in the world and it is clear to see why more and more businesses are looking for employees who speak English. For these reasons, adding the skill of English proficiency to a job seeker’s resume will certainly increase his or her chance of obtaining employment.
In summary, while English is not the most popularly spoken language in the world, it is perhaps the most widely spoken and useful second language in the world. As described above, knowledge of English will not only increase one’s educational opportunities and enable one to gain admittance to graduate schools and some of the most prestigious universities in the world, but it can also increase one’s chances of obtaining a job. Therefore it is quite obvious that when considering what language to study, one should view English as the best possible choice.
1. What would be a good title for this essay?
A. Why English is the Best Foreign Language to Study
B. Education and Business in the Modern World
C. English: The Easiest Language to Learn
D. Why English and Chinese are so Important
2. According to the essay, why are many graduate schools teaching courses solely in English?
A. Many schools require their students to speak English.
B. Students of today prefer taking classes taught in English.
C. The world’s best academic texts are written in English.
D. Most university professors come from English-speaking countries.
3. According to the essay, if a student who does not speak English tries to apply to a graduate school with an English language proficiency requirement, then:
A. The student will be required to study English after being admitted to the university.
B. The student will not be admitted to the university.
C. The student might be admitted, but he or she will not be a “worthy applicant.”
D. The student will be charged double tuition for all of his or her classes.
4. According to the essay, which organizations are looking for employees who can speak English?
A. Those that include Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Cambridge.
B. Those that are found overseas.
C. Those that are the most successful.
D. Those that do business in airports, malls, and tourist attractions.
Your essay is really interesting, but you forgot to add that Mandarin Chinese is extremely hard, it requires to draw every letter carefully, I would need to enroll in an art class first hahaha....I definitely prefer english; however,
ReplyDeleteWhat other languages do you think could be a good choice to study?? (besides mandarin chinese of course XD)
I think the answers are:
1. A
2. C
3. C
4. D
(I am not sure about the third one)
Please let me know if i make any mistake while writing or answering the questions.
Ceci :)
You're right. Learning to write Chinese does add another challenge to learning Chinese. I think that studying Esperanto is a very good choice. Unfortunately, it's not very useful at this point because there aren't a lot of speakers, but the more people who learn it, the better. It's a better choice for a global second language than English because it's very easy to become fluent in it.
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