Reading B1 11 form/ 2 term

Read the text and for questions 1-5, choose the correct answer A, B, or C.

The Future of Language Learning?

Imagine a future where we can instantly understand any language in the world without having a single lesson. In his novel The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the author Douglas Adams describes a small fish that goes in your ear and translates for you. Of course this is science-fiction, but with new technology the future is closer than you think! For example, if you see a sign or poster in a foreign language, you don’t have to look it up in your phrasebook or even type it into the Internet. All you need to do is take a photo on your smartphone and Google’s translation app will identify the text and translate it for you! Fantastic technology like this is ideal for people travelling in a country for a short amount of time as they don’t have time to learn the language. However it isn’t ideal for students or teachers, since it won’t help you actually learn the language.

If you’re looking for a way to learn a language or improve your vocabulary there are also hundreds of apps and tools that make language learning quicker and easier than ever before. In the same way that teachers use games to make learning more interesting for their students, these new apps use clever techniques to teach you a foreign language. Scientists believe that this is much more useful than just repeating words over and over again. For instance, apps use pictures and animations as well as games to help you remember words or phrases. With one of these apps on your smartphone or tablet, you can practise your vocabulary at any time, wherever you are, not just at home or in the classroom. These apps also motivate you by awarding points when you learn new words.

So while these translation apps sound like a great idea, we are still a long way away from the point where we can stop learning languages. Besides, there are many advantages to learning another language apart from just communicating. Learning a language helps you understand other cultures as well as expanding your brain’s capabilities. So, although automatic translation apps are very useful, it will always be better to learn the language yourself, with or without the help of technology!

1. How can you translate a foreign sign using a translation app?

In the text, the author argues that

What is the author’s purpose in the text?

Translation apps are perfect for the classroom.

Apps often use images to help students remember words.

Answer the following questions based on the text.

What does the fish do in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy?

Why are translation apps ideal for travellers?

How do language learning apps help you memorise new words?

How do language learning apps keep you motivated?

Why does the author think we should learn another language?