Լևոն Ենգիբարյան

Languages
How many languages can you speak? British people are generally not very good language learners. In a recent survey, 62 per cent of the population only speak English!
Do the preparation task first. Match the vocabulary with the correct definition and write a–f next to the numbers 1–6.

1 — d
2 — a
3 — f
4 — b
5 — c
6 — e

Read the article and do the exercises to check your understanding.
What are the British like when it comes to learning languages?

Statistics
Brits are famous for not speaking foreign languages. According to a survey published by the European Commission, this bad reputation is totally justified. The results of the survey state that the British are officially the worst language learners in Europe! Let’s look at some statistics:

62 per cent of people surveyed can’t speak any other language apart from English.
38 per cent of Britons speak at least one foreign language, 18 per cent speak two and only 6 per cent of the population speak three or more.
The European Union average showed that 56 per cent speak at least one foreign language, 28 per cent speak at least two and 11 per cent speak three or more. The survey confirmed that English was the most widely-spoken foreign language. 51 per cent of EU citizens can have a conversation in English.

School
Learning a foreign language is not a popular option at school in Britain. In UK schools it is common for children to start studying a foreign language at the age of 11 and many students give up languages completely at 14. So why don’t young people continue with languages at school? Research suggests that students think that it is more difficult to get good grades in languages than in other subjects such as science or history. The British government is now looking at different ways to improve language learning at school. One idea is to start much younger; there are plans to introduce foreign languages from the age of five.

Which languages?
Another plan is to give school children more choice. The languages traditionally studied in British schools have been French, Spanish and German. Now the government is encouraging teachers to expand the range of languages taught to include Arabic, Mandarin Chinese and Urdu.

Mandarin is predicted to become the second most popular foreign language learned in UK schools. It is already studied by more children than German or Russian. Only French and Spanish are more popular. Gareth from Wales says ‘I am learning Chinese, and find it fun’. Another student, Thomas from London, says ‘Just telling people that I learn Mandarin impresses people. Even having a very basic level gives you an advantage’. Brighton College has become the first independent school to make Mandarin a compulsory foreign language. Its headmaster Richard Cairns said, ‘One of my key tasks is to make sure pupils are equipped for the realities of the 21st century. One of those realities is that China has the fastest-growing economy in the world’.

It may be an ambitious task to change attitudes towards learning languages but the government is determined to try!

1. Check your understanding: true or false
1. The British are good at learning languages.            True, False
2. A lot of British schoolchildren stop learning languages when they are 14.  True, False
3. The British government wants children to start learning a foreign language at
the age of five.  True, False                                                                                    
4. British children only study French at school.     True, False
5. There are plans to offer more languages at school.  True, False
6. Many people are interested in learning Mandarin Chinese.   True, False

2. Check your grammar: matching – comparatives and superlatives
Match the two sentence halves and write a–h next to the numbers 1–8.

1 — h
2 — a
3 — b
4 — f
5 — g
6 — c
7 — d
8 — e

3. Check your grammar: multiple choice – comparatives and superlatives
Circle the best option to complete these sentences.

1. We need to start teaching languages much younger.
2. More people learn French than Japanese.
3. Are Brits really the worst language learners in the world?
4. What’s the most difficult thing about learning a language?
5. Is Chinese more popular than German at your school?
6. My teacher says that Spanish is easier than English.
7. Arabic is not as difficult as Chinese.
8. German is as useful as French, isn’t it?

4. In 200-250 words, prepare your personal statement on the topic below:

I believe that languages may be the most important and useful thing taught in schools. Learning history or science can be fun and all, but a lot of people won’t use it professionally. Languages however are always good to know, no matter what profession you pick in your life. I personally speak 2 foreign languages (those being Russian and English), and am currently working on German. Languages are easier to learn at a younger age, so starting at age five for example, is in my opinion, a good idea. I barely remember learning either Russian or English, and am pretty much fluent in both.

I highly doubt many foreigners speak Armenian, I’ve personally never met one who does. Armenian is incredibly hard to learn, and also a lot less useful than other languages, as Armenia is quite small, and not many people speak Armenian to make learning Armenian as a foreigner worthwhile. Even my Armenian grammar is quite terrible.

I personally never see myself learning entire new alphabets like Mandarin Chinese or Arabic, as it seems too hard, however, I would love to learn more European/Slavic languages, as I am planning to live somewhere in Europe.

I. How can we express our feelings verbally in these situations? 

a)   When we are too much surprised. 

I think it highly depends on the «type» of surprised. Some surprises are positive, and some are negative. With negative surprises I often curse, though, I do have trouble expressing positive surprise, so I usually go with «Neat» or something along those lines.

b)  When we want to appreciate something or when we think highly of something?

I’m quite simple in this regard, if I like it I say I like it. Or I say the person who made it did a good job.

c)   When we want to draw the attention of others.

If I want to casually get a friends or family members attention usually saying their name or giving a quick shoulder tap works.

d)   When we want the speaker to repeat the last sentence we have misheard.

I often go with «huh?» or just don’t say anything at all in hopes of it not being important.

e)   When we want to buy a ticket to Vienna, and the clerk asks “Do you want one way ticket or …” 

«Two way, please.»

f)   When our interlocutor has expressed his/her thankfulness to us. 

«Thanks :>»

II. Can you usean appropriate proverb in these situations to make your speech more impressive?

1. He often criticizes people when they are late, but he is sometimes late himself. You tell him that criticizing others on mistakes he himself commits is nothing short of hypocrisy.

2. She is invited to Iran to work as a software engineer, but she is worried about the rules for women in a Muslim country. So I tell her that I believe in Iran non-Muslim women aren’t obliged to these rules. 

3. Nelly is always postponing doing important things. She says she will do it tomorrow. You tell her I ain’t much better Nelly, I ain’t much better.

4. You are organizing a ski trip with some friends, but everyone has different ideas and opinions about what they want to do and where they want to go. In the end it becomes impossible to agree and make plans. You say let’s maybe vote to see which activity is the most popular among the group. And maybe, we can fit a few others in after we’re done with the main event.

III. In 200-250 words, prepare your personal statement on the topic below:

I, truth be told, do not think there’s such a thing as a «Smartphone addiction». Social media however, to an extent, yes. I mainly use my phone to text my friends, listen to music or put videos to listen to while I do stuff, I even have one on as I’m writing this. I got off social media as I thought it ruined my attention span, and, did my attention span get better after a month of no social media? No, not really. But not seeing political stuff all the time is still a great change.

Though, unless you spend an absurd amount of time on your smartphone, I don’t think there’s a problem that needs fixing. Though aside from soulsucking short form content, I don’t even know what you would do on your phone for hours. Watching proper videos on a little screen is inconvenient at best, and mobile games are… less than stellar. And do you really plan to text for 8 hours a day.

Alternatively we can follow Ted Kaczynski’s plan, that also cures smartphone addiction I guess.

I. Do the preparation exercise first.

Match the vocabulary with the correct definition and write a–h next to the numbers 1–8.

1…….. the feel-good factor

2…….. to lounge around

3…….. to lose track of time

4…….. to be true to yourself

5…….. to play to your strengths

6…….. to have a heart-to-heart

7…….. for its own sake

8…….. to fly off the handle

a. because the thing itself is worthwhile (not for any other reason)

b. the quality in something that makes people feel happy and positive

c. to suddenly become angry with someone

d. to have an honest, open chat with someone about feelings

e. to become unaware of the passing of time

f. to spend time sitting or lying somewhere and not doing very much

g. to do things that you know you can do well and to avoid things you are not so good at

h. to behave in accordance with your beliefs

1 — b
2 — f
3 — e
4 — h
5 — g
7 — a
6 — d
8 — c

III. Check your understanding: multiple choice
Choose the psychologist who gives the following pieces of advice. You can choose each psychologist
more than once.

1. Pay more attention to what people are saying to improve social bonding.
   a. psychologist A
   b. psychologist B
   c. psychologist C
   d. psychologist D
2. Don’t attach importance to things you don’t do well.
   a. psychologist A
   b. psychologist B
   c. psychologist C
   d. psychologist D
3. Work on how you bond with other people.
   a. psychologist A
   b. psychologist B
   c. psychologist C
   d. psychologist D
4. Do something absorbing.
   a. psychologist A
   b. psychologist B
   c. psychologist C
   d. psychologist D
5. Adjust simple aspects of your daily routine.
   a. psychologist A
   b. psychologist B
   c. psychologist C
   d. psychologist D
6. Think about how you can help others.
   a. psychologist A
   b. psychologist B
   c. psychologist C
   d. psychologist D
7. Make sure your activities aren’t too easy (or too difficult).
   a. psychologist A
   b. psychologist B
   c. psychologist C
   d. psychologist D
8. Be authentic.
   a. psychologist A
   b. psychologist B
   c. psychologist C
   d. psychologist D
   

IV. Check your understanding: true, false or not given

Read the sentences and write True if the information can be found in the text, False if the information says
the opposite to the text or Not given if the information cannot be found in the text.

1. According to A, it isn’t difficult to make changes to our everyday habits. WRONG
2. B thinks having a large group of friends is a waste of time. WRONG
3. B believes that you should spend large amounts of time with your close friends. true
4. According to C, we should do activities which are enjoyable but require some effort. true
5. C thinks that we should seek to develop new skills. WRONG
6. D believes that we should prioritise improving our weak points. WRONG
   
   In 250-300 words or less, prepare your personal statement on the topic below:

Whenever I’m feeling down, my main way to up my mood is fixating on something I enjoy. Be it a video game, walking, cooking or watching something. Just immersing myself in something, to get my mind off whatever may be bothering me at the time. Which does indeed work most of the time, in my experience at least. Being able to cook a nice meal or beat a challenging video game gives a sense of accomplishment to me.

Judging by my words above, it should be clear that primarily I agree with Dr. C, though, everyone is right to an extent. A healthy lifestyle is a big priority, in my opinion, and having people that you can talk to about personal topics is always nice to have. And the advice of D is something I struggle with, being really focused on the negative aspects of it all. A minor defeat stings a lot more than a minor victory pleases, for me at least.

I don’t got the slightest clue on how happy my country is. Well, not statistically. People on the streets most of the time sure don’t look happy. Though maybe I’m misunderstanding their emotions, we’ll never know.

I remember the first time I played a video game, and what initially got me into the entire gaming thing. I was about 3-4 years old, and the game in question is Plants vs Zombies (2009). Most of my generation have at some point played this game, as it took the world by storm. It has consistently remained my favorite game throughout the years, and I still replay it to this day.

The game itself is not complicated at all, being simple to pick up and enjoy, and hence is a great gateway drug into gaming. The game features 49 rather unique plants, which you use to defend your lawn from the zombies, as the title states. You get a new plant after nearly every level which helps with making the gameplay not as repetitive. After you beat the 50 levels featured in this game, you unlock fun puzzles, mini games and a survival mode.

The artstyle used by Rich Werner is quite charming and nice to look at all these years later. And the music concocted by Laura Shigihara still awakens pleasant memories in me after every listen.

In conclusion, while this may not be the best game ever created, objectively speaking, it will still remain as my personal favorite.

Muammar Gaddafi was a Libyan revolutionary, political theorist, and the de facto leader of Libya for decades. Born into a Bedouin family, Gaddafi rose to power after leading a bloodless coup that overthrew King Idris in 1969. He established the Libyan Arab Republic and later implemented his political philosophy, perfectly demonstrated in his Green Book, promoting his idea of direct democracy. His leadership was marked by significant social and economic reforms, pan-Arab and pan-African aspirations, and controversies involving but not excluded to alleged human rights violations and support for silly terrorism. He was ousted and killed during the Libyan Civil War in 2011.

Gaddafi felt like rejecting both capitalism and communism in favor of “Jamahiriya”. Gaddafi envisioned a society where people governed themselves through local committees, bypassing traditional political hierarchies. Despite the utopian ideals of this system, real power remained concentrated in Gaddafi’s hands, making his leadership largely authoritarian.

Gaddafi wanted to unify African nations economically and politically, promoting ideas such as the African Union. These aspirations earned him both admiration and criticism for their feasibility and execution.

The old man was consistent in his opposition to Western influence and in advocating for his vision of direct democracy. However, his actions often contradicted his ideology. For instance, while he talked about empowering the masses, power and wealth remained concentrated within his inner circle. This inconsistency fueled criticism and discontent, both domestically and internationally.

Now, to mention a few pros and cons of his leadership.

Positive Changes:

Nationalization of oil resources led to significant investments in healthcare, education, and infrastructure.

Libya achieved one of the highest standards of living in Africa during his rule.

Negative Changes:

His policies isolated Libya internationally, particularly during sanctions in the 1990s. Creating many enemies and nearly no allies.

Political repression, lack of freedom, and suppression of dissent stifled personal liberties.

The new Lybian flag was so awful.

In conclusion, Muammar Gaddafi was a complex figure who redefined Libya’s trajectory through his revolutionary ideals and authoritarian governance. His vision for self-reliance and pan-African solidarity resonated with some, while his oppressive tactics alienated others. Gaddafi’s legacy continues to evoke polarized assessments, reflecting the profound and lasting impact of his leadership on Libya and beyond.

1. The coach constantly changes our drills to keep us on our toes and make sure we’re always ready.
2. She has set her mind on becoming a famous artist and spends hours painting every day.
3. Could you give me a hand with this science project? I’m stuck on this part.
4. When the principal announced the winners of the competition, everyone was all ears.
5. He often daydreams in class; it’s clear he has his head in the clouds.
6. After finishing all her exams, Mary decided to put her feet up and relax for a while.
7. That unique handbag immediately caught her eye as she walked by the store.
8. She’s so involved in everything at school; it feels like she has a finger in every pie.
9. I wanted to correct my friend’s mistake during the presentation, but I decided to bite my tongue.
10. After hearing the disappointing news on Syria, Tom was down in the mouth.
11. I have an important audition tomorrow, so please have your fingers crossed for me.
12. His constant humming in class really gets on my nerves.
13. While I am away, can you keep an eye on my plants and make sure they’re watered?
14. The teacher explained everything clearly, which really helped put my mind at rest.
15. The movie’s ending was heartbreaking when the main character left her family.
16. They met at the library and quickly fell head over heels in love.

Fill in the gaps with: a finger in every pie, be all ears, be down in the mouth, bite your tongue,  break someone’s heart, catch someone’s eye, fall head over heels in love, get on sb’s nerves, give sb a hand, have one’s head in the clouds, keep an eye on, keep sb on their toes,  keep your fingers crossed, put one’s feet up, put one’s mind at rest, set one’s heart on something