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05mindset1 ExtraReadWritePrac5

The document discusses the challenges the UK faces in foreign language skills post-Brexit, highlighting that only one in three Britons speaks a foreign language compared to higher percentages in France and Germany. It emphasizes the economic implications of this skill gap, including potential financial losses and reduced job opportunities for graduates. The text calls for an increase in language graduates to address these issues, while noting a significant decline in language study in the UK.

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69 views2 pages

05mindset1 ExtraReadWritePrac5

The document discusses the challenges the UK faces in foreign language skills post-Brexit, highlighting that only one in three Britons speaks a foreign language compared to higher percentages in France and Germany. It emphasizes the economic implications of this skill gap, including potential financial losses and reduced job opportunities for graduates. The text calls for an increase in language graduates to address these issues, while noting a significant decline in language study in the UK.

Uploaded by

Mari:3
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Name:

EXTRA READING AND WRITING PRACTICE 5


Read the text and answer the questions that follow.

Wanted: Language Graduates in the UK


I On 31st January 2020, Brexit became a reality as the UK left the European Union. Apart from all the other
major economic and social issues facing a post-Brexit UK – for example, trade deals, exports and imports,
border and immigration policies – the UK is facing a major problem in communicating efficiently with the
rest of the non-English-speaking world.
II Around one in three Britons speaks a foreign language, according to EU statistics. Compared to the UK’s
most important trading partners, France (60%) and Germany (78%), one could say the situation is serious.
III A natural reaction would be to say, “Well, everyone speaks English nowadays. It’s the language of global
business and technology.” Undoubtedly so, but it is estimated that the country’s lack of translating and
interpreting skills contributes to a financial loss. Furthermore, a survey of 600 UK employers revealed
serious concerns about Britons’ inability to gain valuable work experience overseas and their lack of
international cultural awareness.
IV Now would appear to be the perfect time to study foreign languages, especially for Britons who are
university graduates. One major job site in Britain has shown that knowledge of German or French would
increase an employee’s annual salary to above £30,000 (€35,600). However, the total number of students
taking language exams in England, Wales and Northern Ireland has dropped by 45% since 2002. At the
university level, between 2008 and 2018, there was a 54% decrease in the number of graduates with
a degree in modern languages.
V The UK needs to start generating more graduates with foreign language skills and greater awareness of the
world around them; more specialists like lawyers and business graduates who are competent to be able to
negotiate in a foreign language and more graduates with a knowledge of more than one foreign language.
VI For the moment, however, the future looks quite bleak. With immigration to the UK about to be drastically
reduced, there may be a severe shortage of qualified modern language teachers. Meanwhile, new visa
applications for people born outside the UK will require the applicant to earn a minimum salary of around
£30,000, annually – a figure within the reach of only the most experienced language teachers.

1 Choose the correct answer.

1 Why does the author compare foreign language skills between the UK and France and Germany?
a The UK is behind France and Germany in foreign language learning.
b English is not widely spoken in France and Germany.
c It shows that other European countries have similar problems.
2 What is an effect of the lack of foreign language communication skills in the UK?
a It is creating higher unemployment.
b It’s making the economy weaker.
c There’s a lack of investment in education.

2 Decide if the following sentences are true (T) or false (F). Find evidence in the text to support your
answers.
1 The author disagrees that English is an important language in business and tech. ......
................................................................................................................................................................
2 Employees with a knowledge of a foreign language can earn a higher salary. ......
................................................................................................................................................................
3 The author believes that the UK needs graduates with at least two languages. ......
................................................................................................................................................................

1
Name:

3 Answer the questions.

1 Why are good foreign language skills important to post-Brexit Britain?


................................................................................................................................................................
2 Why does the writer feel the situation is getting worse?
................................................................................................................................................................

4 Rewrite the sentence without changing the original meaning.

“With migration about to be drastically reduced, there may be a severe shortage of qualified modern language
teachers.”
Unless ........................................................................................................................................................ .

5 Find words or expressions in the text that mean:

1 worries (paragraph III) .............................


2 properly qualified or skilled (paragraph V) .............................
3 offering little or no hope (paragraph VI) .............................
4 able to attain (paragraph VI) .............................

6 Write a composition of about 100-150 words. Choose ONE option.

1 In your opinion, what is the best way to learn a foreign language?


2 Do you think it is important for people in the world to learn English? Explain your opinion.

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