Learning foreign languages and culture

 The best age to start learning a foreign language.

I am sure everybody agrees that the sooner, the better. Based upon the
studies (which have been) carried out, children who take up learning English
before they turn eleven perform much better at second language proficiency
tests, and have a far more suitable pronunciation. This might be because they
have a thirst for knowledge, and they are not as busy as we are with different
responsibilities and preoccupations, so once they take in something new, it is
written in stone.
Additionally, I hold the view that the optimal age for learning a second
language hinges on our knowledge of vocabulary and grammar. I mean, the
more words and grammars we know, the easier it is to learn another language.
in other words, grammar learning and phonological acquisition are related to a
sensitive period which ends around puberty.

 The relation between language and culture.

Opener => Well, that is a tough question to answer off-the-cuff, since I have
never thought about it before. However, if you ask me, I would have to say that:
While people are learning a new language, it doesn’t take long for
cultural differences to pop up. Sometimes they give a pleasant jolt to our
learning experiences and sometimes they baffle us. This is because some of the
differences could be interesting and others would be shocking.
Anyhow, I reckon that culture and language are inseparable, and they go
hand in hand. In fact, learning about a foreign culture is by far the most
enjoyable aspect of language acquisition. This is because it opens our mind to
new ways of experiencing life. Thus, I opine that learning the culture along
with the language is almost unavoidable.

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  The best ways for improving learning English language.
Well, I take the view that there are probably a number of methods that can be
taken so as to improve our language acquisition.
We need to practice English with a We had better watch English films to
native speaker. brush up on our English
We have to be motivated enough, Learning languages requires a lot of
because if we are not, we’ll soon get fed hard work and practice. I believe
up and give up. practice makes perfect.
We must dedicate enough attention to the It is vital that everyone (should) get
grammar of English, since grammatical maximum benefits from English
rules are the nuts and bolts of English classes.
We ought to immerse ourselves in the It is of importance to set achievable
language. goals.

***** Extra Sentences *****

International communication and The more one speaks, the sooner he is
global village going to master the language.

There is a positive correlation Those who are more conversational

between culture and language learn faster

We listen and imitate accordingly Learning languages broadens our

horizons

He constantly surrounds himself in After choosing a topic, he tries to get

English and he gets the chance to into a conversation and he carries on
communicate under natural conditions. the conversation.

The word-combination process is Literate adults ≠ Illiterate adults

quite challenging

First language Foreign language Literacy ≠ illiteracy

Language acquisition Language development Receive / Provide

education

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 Communicating with children
 Communication with children and adults
The main differences between interacting with a child and an adult are our
tone of voice, body language, facial expressions, gestures and the vocabularies
which we use. We are needed to adapt these elements depending on the age,
and the ability of the person whom we are speaking to.

What I said happens automatically. I mean, if we are in a meeting with other

professionals, we will act and speak in a formal and professional manner, whilst
when we are speaking to an infant, we will be more animated and speak in a
higher voice which we know will keep the babies’ attention.

I believe that talking to children can be tricky. This is because although

children do not have the range of vocabulary or understanding of complex
language, they do not like to be spoken down to or to be patronized, even if
this is inadvertent.

***** Extra Information *****

Children are good at learning languages
Children’s minds are fresh and they are not preoccupied with everyday stress
and pressure that an adult suffers from.
Trial and error and making mistakes are the best ways to practice and learn
Learning languages is a gradual process which is not achieved overnight.
Critical period for learning
Children have quality time to brush up on their language skills.
He has an excellent command of English.
They achieve a high level of proficiency / accuracy / fluency in English.

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 Enjoyable English class
Describe an English class that you really enjoyed.

Well, I have enrolled in an English writing course recently so as to

prepare myself way better for my upcoming IELTS exam. While many
sessions of that class have given me great enjoyment, I remember one of them
the most which was delivered by our substitute teacher who was incredibly
inspiring and humorous.

Since our main teacher was on holiday leave, his colleague attended our
class for only one day, but it was enough for him to leave a profound
impression on all of us. It was by far the most informative class that I have
ever had in my life, and although as he said it himself, he hadn’t been teaching
for many years, his confidence and wide breadth of knowledge blew our
mind. I vividly recall that he grouped us according to our command of
English, assigned a writing task to each group and recommended that everyone
get on with it collaboratively. You know, being partly outgoing, I found the
group work really fascinating. Besides, I derived great satisfaction from this
experience as it encouraged us to become active learners, not passive.

Never in my life had I learned such useful information. In fact, it has

taught me that if we just learn to deal with the exam in a forceful way, our
efforts are less likely to pay off. You know, I think to be a fine writer, the first
necessary quality is reading extensively about diverse domains to acquire
vocabularies and imitate the natural style of native speakers. I figured out I
should have hit the reading books more. If I did, I could have written much
better essays back then. Anyhow, thanks to our competent teacher, we had an
opportunity to experience a very unconventional teaching method. In a
nutshell, not only was it pretty enticing, but also it enlightened me a lot.

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Describe a language other than English that you would like to learn.

Learning a second language not only adds up your skills but also offers
enormous benefits for your brain and personal growth. Additionally, being
bilingual or multilingual expands your knowledge across the country’s border
and provides you easy access to the understanding of other cultures. Therefore,
beside English, Spanish sits high in my must-learn list due to its wide
application and beautiful culture.

Needless to say, Spanish is one of the most spoken languages in the world
and one of the six official languages used in United Nations conferences and
statements. Spanish is spoken in most countries in South and Central America,
and in the US, over 50 million people are using Spanish either as their mother
tongue or second language.

Many have said that Spanish is one of the easiest languages to learn thanks
to its phonetic pronunciation and its similarity with English, in terms of
vocabulary. However, it’s easier said than done. No matter how simple and
intriguing that may sound, without full commitment and self-discipline, being
able to speak Spanish would be a far-fetched idea. Therefore, in order to meet
my goal and not to get demotivated along the way, I would have to find a
learning partner.

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 Communication through a foreign language
Describe a time you had to use the foreign language.
Well, I would like to talk about an occasion on which I needed to speak in
another language with a stranger. You know, I have been learning English for a long
time, but I haven’t had many chances to practice speaking it with native speakers.
To the best of my recollection, the first time I used it was on Christmas Eve
three years ago. At that time, I was hanging out with my friends in the street. Out of
the blue, a foreigner turned up and asked for the direction to a supermarket.
Honestly, he spoke too quickly for me to catch everything, but after he repeated his
words, I finally understood and showed him the way to the nearest supermarket.
Since I didn’t speak English well back then, I used a lot of body language to explain
the directions to him. After that, he thanked me and headed for the supermarket, and
I realized that English plays an important role in our life.
In fact, never in my entire life had I felt so excited about interacting with a
tourist, and it is by far the best memory that I have about using my language when I
was still a beginner, but frankly speaking, it was very challenging for me, and I felt
that I should have studied more when I had the chance. Or at least I could have
practiced it with my classmates or friends so that I could master the language way
sooner. I mean the sooner I began, the better I could communicate. Thus, I
recommend everybody improve their speaking skill.
Anyhow, despite the fact that we don’t live in an English-speaking country, it
is spoken globally, and it’s becoming the dominant language. Therefore, I have
been trying to practice speaking English on a daily basis so that I can have a good
command of this language, and I can talk confidently with foreigners, regardless of
whatever the topic of our conversation is.
All in all, not only is it indispensable to be adept at speaking international
languages, but also it broadens your horizon and you can branch out and make
new connections which I believe is very fulfilling.

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 (((Writing for unit THREE)))

Disagreeing
 I strongly disagree with this view.
 I feel that I must take issue with this idea.
 People differ sharply / noticeably / markedly on X
 People are deeply divided / split on X
 I have to dissent from this idea.
 There is fundamental / basic / sharp disagreement among people about X
 I am in disagreement / dispute with this view.
 There is some fierce / major / bitter controversy among people on X
 This topic is a highly contentious / controversial / divisive issue.

Useful examples:

I strongly disagree with his views on immigration.

Scientists disagree among themselves on what causes the disease.

I feel that I must take issue with the article’s conclusion.

No one disputes that the problem exists.

Critics differed sharply on the merits of his work.

America’s doctors remain deeply divided on that moral issue.

He is mistaken if he believes that the United States won’t respond to this threat.

A few historians dissent from this view.

There is considerable disagreement among experts about the usefulness of

these tests.
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She found herself in disagreement with her colleagues on the issue.

There has been a lot of controversy over abortion in the US.

Recently, there has been some controversy among biologists.

The use of genetic tests is a highly controversial issue.

The war was extremely divisive.

The strike was a divisive issue in the community.

Water has been a contentious issue between Turkey and its neighbors.

DISAGREEING
• Disagree about sth • Take issue with sth
• Strongly disagree with sb/sth
• Do not agree with sb • They are mistaken.
• Disagree among themselves on sth
• There is a disagreement about sth • They dissent from sth.
• There is a disagreement among
experts about sth
• They dispute his ideas. • They are divided on sth.
• Dispute that + full sentence • They are split on sth.
• A contentious issue • There is dispute over sth.
• A controversial issue • There is dispute with sb.
• A divisive issue • There is dispute between the two
countries.
• There is controversy over sth. • People differ about sth.
• There is controversy surrounding sth. • Opinions differ about sth.
• There is controversy among experts
about sth.

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(((Phrasal verbs)))
Barge in
Meaning: to enter somewhere rudely, or to rudely interrupt someone:
George barged into my office without knocking.
‘Sorry to barge in on your evening,’ James said.

Butter somebody up
Meaning: to say nice things to someone so that they will do what you want:
Don’t think you can butter me up that easily.

Dream on
Meaning: used to tell someone that they are hoping for something that will not happen:
You think I’m going to help you move house? Dream on!

Ferret somebody/something out

Meaning: to succeed in finding something like some information, that is difficult to find:
It’s been difficult for reporters to ferret out the facts in this case.
Uncle Vernon ferreted out the laundry box from under the stairs.

Grapple with something

Meaning: to try hard to deal with or understand something difficult:
The Government has to grapple with the problem of unemployment.
Molly’s upstairs grappling with her mathematics homework.

Jot something down

Meaning: to write a short piece of information quickly:
Let me jot down your number, and I’ll call you tomorrow.

Look on
Meaning: to watch something happening, without getting involved in it or trying to stop it
Only one man helped us, the rest of the people just looked on in silence.

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