Lesson Plan: Chinese vs. English for Global Preeminence? Not Likely.
II. While Reading Tasks
Word Inference
- sparked /spark spärk| verb-provide the stimulus for (a dramatic event or process): the severity of the plan sparked off street protests.
- Fluency |ˈflo͞oənsē| noun-the ability to speak or write a foreign language easily and accurately: fluency in Spanish is essential.
- poses |pōz| verb-[ with obj. ] present or constitute (a problem, danger, or difficulty): the sheer number of visitors is posing a threat to the area.
- strategically/ strategic |strəˈtējik| adjective-carefully designed or planned to serve a particular purpose or advantage: alarms are positioned at strategic points around the prison.
- functional |ˈfəNGkSHənl|adjective-designed to be practical and useful; she had assumed the apartment would be functional and simple.
- inherently/ inherent |inˈhi(ə)rənt, adjective-existing in something as a permanent, essential, or characteristic attribute: any form of mountaineering has its inherent dangers | the symbolism inherent in all folk tales.
- egalitarian iˌgaləˈterēən| adjective-of, relating to, or believing in the principle that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities: a fairer, more egalitarian society.
- viable |ˈvīəbəl|adjective-capable of working successfully; feasible: the proposed investment was economically viable.
- default |diˈfôlt| noun-a preselected option adopted when no alternative is specified ;the default is fifty lines | [ as modifier ] : default settings.
- dialect |ˈdīəˌlekt| noun-a particular form of a language that is peculiar to a specific region or social group: this novel is written in the dialect of Trinidad.
Source: New Oxford American Dictionary
Reading Comprehension
True /False/NA-Statements
- F- Mark Zuckerberg made some remarks in Mandarin recently.
- NA-Zuckerberg’s children speak Mandarin.
- F- Fluency in Mandarin will always be helpful for foreigners doing business in China.
- T- English is the world’s bridge language.
- T- English is also the native language of shared popular culture – music, movies, even sports.
- T- By 2020 it’s estimated that 2 billion people will speak functional English.
- F- There is no gender in the English language.
- NA-English is a difficult language to master.
- T-Mandarin as an international language will never happen, for linguistic, economic, cultural, and political reasons.
- T-The French language was the last viable alternative.
Grammar Focus
Structure and Usage
I-3-an
English is an inherently neutral language.
II-1-will
Two billion people will speak functional English by 2020.
III-3-are
People in nations like the Philippines, Korea, and Japan are far more comfortable with America.
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