Reading Task (SF)

Reading an unknown text and having a conversation about its content can be a good way to test your language competence. The text will be quite short, and it will have content that is relevant to topics you have worked on in class.

Many people believe that English is a global language because it is especially easy to learn. They argue that German, French, Russian, Spanish, or Chinese could just as easily have become world languages, had they not been so difficult. The truth is that English is not a simple language. To understand why English is the world’s lingua franca, we must study history.

English spread to all corners of the world when the British built an empire. This began in the early 1600s when England established colonies in America. Over the following centuries, British colonies and settlements were created worldwide.

After World War II, the British Empire began to decline. Two new superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, dominated the world stage. USA ensured that English remained important as a global language.

In the late 1980s, computers became common household items, and by 1993, the World Wide Web was introduced. By that time, English was already a global language and it became the primary medium for this new technology. As a result, English grew increasingly important, emerging as the dominant language on the internet and encouraging more people to learn it.

As we can see, there is no reason to feel discouraged if you find learning English difficult. It is not an especially easy language to master. The reason it is the world’s lingua franca lies in the importance and power that English-speaking countries held in the past.

Anita raised her hands in the air. Her team had won, and with such a narrow margin. If she had not grabbed the ball at the last second and scored a perfect goal, the match would have ended in a tie, and they would have been out of the tournament. Joyously, she hugged everyone around her.

In the locker room, she noticed that her best friend, Sarah, looked sad. Anita went over to her, smiling. "Why so gloomy, roomie?", she said. "I’m rubbish", Sarah replied, "it’s my fault we barely made it. If not for me, we would be leading the tournament, not almost losing." Sarah struggled not to cry. Anita sat down next to her. "You’re talking nonsense", she said, "we are a team. No one player gets credit when we win, and no one player is to blame when we lose."

Sarah shook her head. "You can't pretend I am not the worst player on the team", she protested. Anita did not reply. Instead, she threw her arms around Sarah and whispered "we won". Then she pulled her up and danced around the room with her shouting "we won, we won, we won!" Sarah laughed and pushed her away. "Idiot", she said, but she was not really mad.

Later, Anita thought about what had happened. She loved Sarah, but she was worried that it was wrong not to tell her the truth. Sarah was an amazing athlete; she was faster than anyone, and she could jump and roll like a gymnast. The problem was that she couldn’t read the game at all. She never had any idea where the ball was headed, or what the other players were going to do. When they were younger, it didn’t matter much, because everyone was learning the game. But now, Sarah was the worst player on the team by a mile. Anita did not know how to help her get better.

Should she say something? Encourage Sarah to try track and field, for example? She’d beat anyone in a sprint. But all of Sarah’s friends were on the team. Leaving would be like losing her family, and Anita loved having her around. However, the others had begun to talk behind Sarah’s back. If she knew the others thought the same way she did – that she was the worst on the team – she would be crushed. Anita just didn’t know what to do.

Astrid Cartwright (16) is a blogger with big plans for the future. An avid hiker, she is steadily growing a following by sharing content about her foot expeditions. We catch up with her on one of the trails near her home to learn about her future plans.

"I live in Ullensvang in Norway", Astrid says, "but I was born in Canada." "My parents took me along on forest walks or up mountain peaks almost from the moment I was born. Just ten days old, they took me for a hike in the woods, and about an hour from anywhere, we encountered a bear! Luckily, my parents were experienced with the Canadian outdoors and were able to keep their cool."

Astrid's parents came to Norway to work as wilderness guides. "I also hope to make my living in nature", says Astrid. "For now, I blog about my adventures, and hope that people will enjoy them. I'm learning Norwegian, but I write in English, and I think I will continue to do so: it allows me to reach a larger audience."

Many people worry about the influence bloggers may have on a young audience, so we ask Astrid: "What responsibility do you feel you have for your readers?" Astrid looks serious for a moment. "I agree that some blogs can be a bad influence. I am just a teenager, and I have felt bad about myself because everyone else seems so perfect online. However, I am lucky to have a close relationship with my parents, and we talk things through. As for my own blog, it focuses on enjoying nature and staying fit. I never write about food, except to say people should bring some when they hike, and I never discuss my weight."

As we are talking, Astrid leads us halfway up a steep mountain side. Pausing to catch our breath, we're awestruck by the spectacular view of the Folgefonna glacier, and the fjord below.

"Isn't it stunning", Astrid exclaims. "I thought I would miss Canada when I came here, but I now know that everywhere has its own beauty. Norway may not have the deep wildernesses we do in Canada, but there is plenty to see and explore."

During every US presidential election, the world watches closely. Enormous amounts of money and time go into campaigning, as people globally follow the race to find out who the next president will be.

To be eligible for the presidency, candidates must be at least 35 years old, born in the US, and have lived there continuously for at least 14 years. While candidates don’t need to belong to one of the two main parties—the Republicans or the Democrats—it is challenging to succeed without their support due to the high costs, influence, and extensive campaigning required.

An interesting aspect of US elections is that parties don’t choose their candidates directly. Instead, a series of primary elections allow voters to decide who will represent each party, reflecting Americans' belief in the importance of public input in the process.

A president may serve only two terms, or eight years in total, to prevent them from holding power indefinitely. The US president is often considered the most powerful person in the world due to the economic, military, and cultural influence of the United States. It’s no surprise, then, that people are eager to learn who the next president will be.

"I care deeply about the environment", says Elida. She is 16 years old and has just become leader of the Green League, an organisation that works to highlight environmental issues. "We focus on what we can do at the local level", she says. "Most people find climate change too difficult to even comprehend, but anyone can understand that it is nicer when there is no garbage on the local beach or sewage in the drinking water. Ordinary people can make a big difference. Simple actions like not mowing your lawn during the first months of spring can make a huge difference when it comes to preserving insect life. Leaving garden waste in a corner of your garden can also give hibernating animals, like hedgehogs, a greater chance of surviving through the winter."

We ask Elida if everyone in her organisation is her age. "We try to engage people from all walks of life — from rich to poor, from young to old. Everyone is welcome. Everyone can contribute in some way". Elida is beaming with pride. "We try to have fun, practical activities, like cleaning up litter or cutting down garden plants that spread into the wild, but we also participate in debates and protests, or lobby local politicians."

We ask Elida if she has had any negative experiences as a young woman in the public eye. "Well, I am young, so many people think I should shut up and sit down. Also, there are some people who cannot see a young woman speaking her mind without resorting to sending dirty pictures or making nasty comments. That’s sometimes hard, but I lean on my family and friends, and I won’t back down. The work we do in the Green League is too important."