ENGLISH IS CHANGING

English is changing ...iNNiT?


Millions of people around the world are learning English but how many of them realise that the English they are learning is constantly changing? New words are entering the language, existing words are developing new meanings and other words are falling out of use. Even the grammar of English is changing slowly.  So what drives these changes and should we try to stop them?

New technology needs new words
Not surprisingly, technology is responsible for a lot of new words. Twenty years ago, no one knew what a ‘blog’ was but when people began writing Web logs online, the phrase was quickly shortened to ‘blog’ and the writer was called a ‘blogger’. And nowadays, internet users are constantly warned about the dangers of ‘phishing’, where criminals try to get your credit card and bank details by sending fraudulent emails. The word is a variation on ‘fishing’. Criminals use emails to catch victims just like fishermen use worms to catch fish.
                                                    
New ways of communicating create new language
The arrival of texting on mobile phones created a quick and easy way to stay in touch with friends. It also created the need for a very short form of English - a text message is only 160 characters long. Instead of writing ‘see you later’, teenagers started to write ‘c u l8r’ and when they found something funny, they wrote ‘lol’ instead of ‘laugh out loud’. At the moment it is still wrong to use this language in essays, job applications and so on. But how long will it be before text speak is standard English? It will all change soon, I think, lol!

The influence of teenagers
Teenagers use their own slang because it indicates that they belong to a group, that they are different from other people. Modern teens use ‘sick’ to mean ‘great’ and ‘Wassup?’ (What's up?) to mean ‘Hello’ but ask a typical middle-aged person what these phrases mean and they would probably have no idea. Some people are taking a stand against teen text speak and slang. A school in Manchester recently banned slang in the classroom and exam grades increased dramatically!
                                               
Human beings are lazy
We all prefer things to be simple rather than complicated. A common phrase like ‘I don't know’ is often shortened to ‘dunno’. In a similar way some young people now use ‘innit?’ (short for ‘isn't it?’) to replace all question tags, for example ‘He’s gone home, innit?’ It’s quicker and easier than using the right question tag. Most adults see this as bad English and some complain loudly. But language has always evolved and although we all need to know the right language for each situation, surely it’s better to enjoy the way English changes rather than complain about it?

Global culture is changing English
Globalisation has been an effective way of spreading English around the world. But now many people believe that non-native speakers of English are creating their own form of the language, which has been named Globish. With its limited vocabulary and simple sentences, this form of English enables a Spanish businessman to communicate easily with a Chinese student, for example. Some people believe Globish will be the most commonly spoken language in the world one day. Perhaps it already is! So if we could travel into the future, would we find people all over the world speaking a common language? Probably not but at least communication might be simpler one day … innit?

Read the article and click on the correct answers.

1.The writer believes that English grammar _______. 

a) has also stop changing

b) is also changing gradually

c) is also changing rapidly

2.  __________ involves sending fake emails to trick someone into revealing their personal details. 

a) purchasing items online

b) using a blog

c) phishing

3. Text speak __________.

a) is standard English.

b) is used in blogs

c) uses letters and numbers

4. Marks in a Manchester school improved when __________.

a) teachers allowed students to use slangs in class.

b) teachers asked students not to use slangs during lessons

c) students were allowed to use slangs in their written homeworks.

5. The writer believes that __________.

a) we should try to slow down the rapid changes in the English language

b) shortened phrases are examples of bad English

c) we shouldn't worry too much about the recent changes in the English language.

6. Globish' __________.

a) has helped to make the English language more widely spoken

b) has a broad and complex vocabulary

c) was created by people whose native language is English.

taken from: real life upper intermediate (pearson longman)

TINTIN and the secret of the unicorn

Remember the situations of the movie “Tintin and the secret of the unicorn”, then choose the correct answer (true, false or no information):

1) Tintin must discover what’s the secret of the unicorn ship.

2) Mr. Abadejo doesn’t have to remember the story his grandfather told him because he mustn’t find the secret of the unicorn.

3) Thomson detectives had to find who was the thief of wallets, but they weren´t allowed to investigate his trace.

4) Tintin make Mr. Abadejo leave his ship because it was untidy and dangerous.

5) Tintin let Mr. Zakharine take the unicorn little model from the sheikh’s palace

6) Mr. Abadejo didn’t let the sailor Allan to take the piece of the poem from his pocket.
7) Tintin has have snowy for five years
8) Mr Zhakarine had been looking for Mr Abadejo for 5 years, when his ship was taken.
9) Mr Zhakarine had planned stealing the little unicorn model from the sheikh´s palace, by the time Tintin bought his at the shopping boulevard.
10) The secret of the unicorn is hidden under the water of Atlantic Ocean.

Reaching the top

Have you got what it takes?

What is the secret X factor that you need in order to be as successful as Rafael Nadal, Bill Gates or Madonna? And why don't equally talented people make it?

Many social scientists have studied the phenomenon of success. One American study claims that your social network is the key to success. Apparently, every extra friend that you have at school adds two percent to your salary later in life! Perhaps this boosts your self-confidence or perhaps you have more people to support you. Another study links height and success: every extra centimetre is worth another $300 per year. The trouble is that for every person who conforms to these theories, there is an exception.

So is success just down to luck? Napoleon was once thinking about promoting a general in his army. After he had heard about all the general's talents, he said ‘Yes, yes, I realise he's brilliant but is he lucky?' And when you think about it, what use is talent without luck? In 1979, an unknown Australian actor arrived at a film audition looking bruised and exhausted. He had been partying the night before and three drunks had attacked him. The director was looking for a tough, battle-scarred actor to star in his film and immediately offered the actor the part. That actor was Mel Gibson and he went on to become a Hollywood superstar. Talent has kept him famous but it was luck that gave him his first break.

However, in his book Outliers – The Story of Success, author, Malcolm Gladwell, has come up with a theory that he claims is true in every case. He says that the secret of success is simply many hours of hard work. He has calculated exactly how many hours work you need to do in order to become ‘the best' in your field: 10,000 hours apparently or about four hours a day for ten years. Without this kind of determination and hard work you probably won't reach the top, regardless of your talent.

Researchers looked at violin players in a music school to test this theory. Teachers put the players into three groups: average players in group C, good players in group B and outstanding players in group A. It turned out that all the players in group A had done around 10,000 hours of practice in their lifetime. The good players had done around 6,000 hours and the average players only 4,000 hours. However, all the players had entered the school with similar levels of ability.

But surely there are exceptions to this rule? Mozart, for example, is always considered a ‘born genius'. He performed in public at the age of four and by six, he had composed several pieces. Surely his success was down to natural talent, not hard work? In fact, Gladwell argues, Mozart had a very strict father who made him practise for hours each day from an early age. And the music that Mozart composed when he was six wasn't outstanding. Mozart wrote his first real masterpiece when he was twenty-one. By that time, he'd done at least 10,000 hours of practice and had ‘become' a genius.


Talent, argues Gladwell, is nothing without hard work. So next time you dream of scoring the winning goal in the World Cup or winning an Oscar, ask yourself this question: are you really prepared to put in the hours necessary to achieve your goal?

LEARNING STYLE

Read the text and choose the correct answers.

The Brit School is the only state school for performing arts in Britain. It prepares students aged 14–19 for careers in theatre, music and film. Students study compulsory subjects like Maths and English every week but they also choose special options like acting, dance and singing. Former students include the singers Amy Winehouse and Leona Lewis. Ashley, 17, is in Year 12: ‘My main subject is Theatre. The course lasts two years and this week we’re working on a political drama that we’re writing ourselves. My friends are practising right now. Next week we’re producing a musical.' I’m getting fantastic experience – my skills are really improving. Brit students sometimes get professional work, too. For example, this term I’m acting in a TV medical drama and next summer I’m appearing in a musical in London.’




Sands is a private day school with about forty pupils, girls and boys aged 11–17. It’s a democratic school: there is no head teacher, pupils don’t wear uniform and they always call their teachers by their first names. Lessons are optional, even Maths and English. Every week the school has a meeting and teachers and students vote about the rules together. Laura, 15, is a pupil: ‘Before Sands, I went to the local secondary school but for me there was too much discipline. At Sands, teachers talk to you as an individual and we all work together. For example, we voted to learn Spanish, so two of our teachers are learning Spanish online with us. Next term we’re going on a school trip to Spain. Pupils also have responsibilities: at the moment, some students are cooking lunch and some are sweeping the classrooms. I feel that I’m becoming more confident at Sands.'

CHOOSE TRUE OR FALSE

1 Twelve-year-old pupils can study at the Brit School.      T__                 F___
2 Leona Lewis studied at the Brit School.                          T__                 F___
3 Ashley is appearing in a TV series this term.                  T__                 F___
4 At Sands School, pupils use the teachers’ first names.   T__                 F___
5 At Sands School pupils cook lunches.                           T__                 F___
6 Laura’s teacher already speaks Spanish.                                        T__                 F___