READ UNIT 9

Over the past 600 years, English has grown from a language of few speakers to become the dominant language of international
communication. English as we know it today emerged around 1350, after having incorporated many elements of French that was
introduced following the Norman invasion of 1066. Until the 1600s, English was, for the most part, spoken only in England and
had not extended even as far as Wales, Scotland or Ireland. However, during the course of the next two centuries, English began
to spread around the globe as a result of exploration, trade (including slave trade), colonization, and missionary work. Thus, small
enclaves of English speakers became established and grew in various parts of the world. As these communities proliferated,
English gradually became the primary language of international business, banking and diplomacy.
Currently, about 80% of the information stored on computer systems worldwide is in English. Two-thirds of the world’s science
writing is in English, and English is the main language of technology, advertising, media, international airports, and air traffic
controllers. Today there are more than 700 million English users in the world, and over half of these are non-native speakers,
constituting the largest number of non-native users than any language in the world.
Question 2: What is the main topic of this passage?
A. The use of English for science and technology
B. The number of non-native users of English
C. The French influence on the English language
D. The expansion of English as an international language
Question 3: The word “emerged” in paragraph 1 means _____.
A. engaged B. appeared C. frequented D. hailed
Question 4: Approximately, when did English begin to be used beyond England?
A. in 1066 B. after 1600 C. before 1600 D. around 1350
Question 5: Which of the following is CLOSEST in meaning to the word “stored” in paragraph 2?
A. bought B. spent C. saved D. valued
Question 6: According to the passage, approximately how many non-native users of English are there in the world today?
A. a quarter million B. half a million C. 350 million D. 700 million

Read the following passage and mark letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct word that best completes each blank.
I started learning English when I was 14 years old after five years of studying Russian. In the (14) _____ I encountered some difficulties
learning the language, but I tried my best to overcome them. Firstly, my English pronunciation was (15) _____ by the way I spoke Russian. To
solve this problem, I practiced by listening to tapes in English every day. I played the tape, stopped after each sentence, and repeated the
sentence several times. At school, I joined an English speaking club which was organised by a teacher from Britain. She understood my
difficulty and helped me very much in improving my pronunciation. Secondly, I found it really hard to learn English vocabulary. In Russian, the
way you write the word is the way you pronounce it. (16) _____, English spelling is often different from its pronunciation. To get over this
difficulty I started using the dictionary. Whenever I learnt a new word, I looked it up carefully in the dictionary. Then I tried to remember the way
to read and write the word. After that, I wrote the word down several times in a notebook. Gradually, I got used to the spelling system of the
language. Now I’m confident that my English has become much better.

1. A. start B. beginning C. end D. begin

2. A. effect B. given C. affected D. reflected
3. A. Although B. Therefore C. Because D. However

English is a very useful language. If we know English, we can go to any countries we like. We will not find it hard to make people
understand what we want to say. English also help us to learn all kinds of(1) _____. Hundreds of books are written in English
everyday in many countries. English has also helped to spread ideas and knowledge (2) _____ all corners of the world. (3)
_____ , the English language has helped to spread better understanding and friendship among the countries of the world.
14. A. things B. ideas C. plans D. subjects
15.A. to B. with C. at D. in
16.A. Since B. Therefore C. However D. But
English is a very useful language. If we know English, we can go to any countries we like. We will not find it hard to
make people understand (14) _________ we want to say. English also help us to learn all kinds of subjects. Hundreds of books are
written in English everyday in (15) __________ countries. English has also helped to spread ideas and knowledge to all corners of
the world. Therefore, the English language has helped to spread better understanding and (16) _________ among the countries of
the world.
14. A. where B. what C. when D. how
15. A. many B. lot of C. much D. few
16. A. friendliness B. friendly C. friendship D. friend
Many books, newspapers, airports and air-traffic control, technology, sports, pop music and advertising have the English as the dominant
language. In general, the universal language on the Internet is the English. The majority of the electronically stored (14) _________ around the
world is in English. You can travel to any English speaking country without the need of having a translator. Usually, if you don’t know the
language your hip would be hard and maybe you wouldn’t enjoy it. Nowadays in the competitive job market, it is necessary to speak English. So
if you learn English you will have a better chance of getting a job that pays more. English is also helpful if you are going to move to a different
country (15)_________it is global language. A lot of educational information is in English; therefore, to have access to this material or maybe
communicate with other students it is necessary to have knowledge of English. It is necessary to learn English if you are planning to study at a

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foreign university or school. Usually many educational institutions will provide you a preparatory courses to (16) _________ your English
language skills but you have to at least a medium level of knowledge.
14. A. informative B. inform C. information D. informatively
15. A. because B. however C. but D. though
16. A. widen B. improve C. enforce D. estimate
English is the first language of many people in countries outside the United Kingdom. When you (1) _____ speakers of English from
around the world, you immediately notice that they do not all speak in the same way. There are also some (2) _____ in the words they use,
including the names of common objects that are part of everyone’s daily life. Although pronunciation and vocabulary are not the same
everywhere, it is interesting that English speakers from opposite sides of the world can understand each other quite easily. It does not seem to
matter where they learnt the language. And, of course, this is one reason why speakers of other languages are keen on learning English too. If
you know English, you are more likely to be able to study (3)_____ work in all sorts of exciting places, such as the United States or Australia.

1. A. find B. recognize C. meet D. attend

2. A. differences B. changes C. mistakes D. corrections
3. A. so B. and C. but D. or

English is a Germanic language that originated from England. It is also a (1) ______ language in the other home countries of the
United Kingdom, in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, South Africa, and numerous other
countries. 380 million people speak English as their first language.
English has “lingua franca” status in many parts of the world because of the military, economic, scientific, political and cultural
influence of the “British Empire” in the 18th and 19th centuries and that of the “United States” from the mid 20th century to the
present. The global influence of English comes from cinema, music, airlines, broadcasting, science, and the Internet in recent
decades. English is now the most widely learned (2) ______ language in the world.
Many students worldwide need to learn some English and business English is required in many fields and occupations. (3) ______
people speak and learn English everywhere, the language is considered a “global language.” It is also, by international treaty, the
official language for aircraft/airport communication. Its acceptance as a first or second language is the main indication of its
global status.
1. A. essential B. native C. fundamental D. natural
2. A. second B. official C. first D. primary
3. A. So B. Although C. Therefore D. Because

Over the past 600 years, English has grown from a language of few speakers to become the dominant language of international
communication. English as we know it today emerged around 1350, after having incorporated many elements of French that were introduced
following the Norman invasion of 1066. Until the 1600s, English was, for the most part, spoken only in England and had not extended even as
far as Wales, Scotland, or Ireland. However, during the course of the next two centuries, English began to spread around the globe as a result
of exploration, trade (including slave trade), colonisation, and missionary work. Thus, small enclaves of English speakers became established
and grew in various parts of the world. As these communities proliferated. English gradually became the primary language of international
business, banking and diplomacy.
Currently, about 80 percent of the information stored on computer systems worldwide is English. Two-thirds of the world's science writing
is in English, and English is the main language of technology, advertising, media, international airports, and air traffic controllers. Today there
are more than 700 million English users in the world, and over half of these are normative speakers, constituting the largest number of
normative users than any other language in the world.

1. What is the main topic of this passage?

A. The use of English for science and technology.
B. The history of the English language.
C. The French influence on the English Language.
D. The expansion of English as an international language.
2. Approximately when did English begin to be used beyond England?
A. After 1600 B. Around 1350 C. Before 1600 D. In 1066
3. According to the passage, all of the following contributed to the spread of English around the world EXCEPT _____.
A. colonisation B. the slave trade C. missionaries D. the Norman invasion
4. The underlined word "proliferated" in the passage is closest in meaning to _____.
A. organized B. expanded C. disbanded D. prospered
5. It can be inferred from the passage that _____.
A. English is taught in primary schools all over the world.
B. England colonised different parts of the world in early 2 nd millennium.
C. 67% of the world's science writing is in English.
D. English is not the language with the largest native speakers in the world.
Learning a new language is always an excellent idea. It provides you incredible benefits that come with the backing of
science! One of the most useful languages to learn is English.
Learning a second language is one of the best ways to keep your brain active and challenged. Studies have shown that the
brain undergoes changes in electrical activity and even structure and size while learning a foreign language that do not occur when
learning any other type of task or skill. Learning another language offers important cognitive benefits at any age, helping to keep
the mind active and even reducing the risk of mental disease and slowing mental decline later in life.

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 When learning English as a second language, you approach new ways to think and express yourself through written and
spoken words. Learning multiple languages can help you communicate more clearly in any language as you learn more about how
language itself works and how to use it to promote ideas and reach out to others in a variety of social and work situations.
The world may not have a global language, but English is the default option for countless forms of communication across the
globe. That’s why one of the benefits of learning English is that it significantly boosts your hiring potential. In addition, it can
offer you educational opportunities. If you desire access to some of the best schools like Harvard, Stanford, Oxford, Cambridge or
MIT, then knowing English provides you an incredible edge. It’s expected that around 2 billion people around the world will learn
English over the next decade.
17. The passage mainly discusses ________.
A. ways to improve your English level
B. how to keep your mind active
C. the advantages and disadvantages of language learning
D. the benefits of learning English
18. According to the text, learning English as a second language can ________.
A. have a negative effect on the brain
B. slow the mental decline due to aging
C. reduce brain function
D. lower the risk of heart disease
19. Learning multiple languages makes you a better communicator because________.
A. you can improve your writing and speaking skills
B. you know how to get the attention of someone
C. you learn more about how to promote your ideas and make contact with others
D. you can communicate more effectively in your mother tongue
20. What does the word "edge" used in the third paragraph mean?
A. point B. border C. limit D. advantage
21. All the following sentences are the benefits of learning English except:
A. it helps prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s.
B. it provides better employment opportunities.
C. it’s easy to use in communication.
D. it gives you access to the world’s best universities.
Do you often use shampoo or put ketchup on your food? Have you ever visited a sauna? If you think these words are
originally English, you'd better think again. In fact, each of these words comes from a different language! Shampoo, for example,
is actually a word from the Hindi language in India. This word originally meant "massage". In hair shops in India, barbers
massage your head while washing your hair. Over time, British people in India used this word to mean a liquid that cleans hair.
Almost everyone knows what ketchup is. People all over the world like to pour this sauce on French fries or sandwiches.
This word is original Chinese (from ketsiap, a fish sauce). In the 1600s, British and Dutch sailors brought the fish sauce to Europe.
Over time, people change the sauce by adding tomato flavour to it, but the name basically stayed the same.
Sauna, a popular type of public steam room and shower facility, comes from the Finnish language. During one of the
European Olympics, athletes from Britain and Germany saw Finnish athletes use saunas after training. Later, the general public all
over Europe started using this style of bathing, too. Now, we still use this word to describe all kinds of steam rooms.
English is full of many wonderful borrowed words from many languages. Perhaps English should change its name to
Eng-hin-chi-fre-ger-ital-span-ish!

1: What is the main idea of this passage?

A. Usage of words from other languages in English
B. English words in other languages
C. The most popular borrowed words
D. Words from India
2: What did the original word for ketchup mean?
A. A kind of fish sauce
B. A kind of fish
C. A hair shop
D. A red tomato sauce
3: Which of the following words is from Hindi?
A. shampoo
B. ketchup
C. sauna

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D. massage
4: Why does people start to use the word "sauna"?
A. Athletes made it popular at home.
B. The public liked the Olympics
C. The Finnish travelled a lot.
D. It was good after training
5: What does the letters "ital" as used in "Eng-hin-chi-fin-fre-ger-ital-span-ish" probably refer to?
A. The name of a language
B. The name of people who speak English
C. The name of a country
D. The name of a group of people
Learning a new language is always an excellent idea. It provides you incredible benefits that come with the backing of
science! One of the most useful languages to learn is English.
Learning a second language is one of the best ways to keep your brain active and challenged. Learning another language
offers important cognitive benefits at any age, helping to keep the mind active and even reducing the risk of mental disease and
slowing mental decline later in life.
When learning English as a second language, you approach new ways to think and express yourself through written and
spoken words. Learning multiple languages can help you communicate more clearly in any language as you learn more about how
language itself works and how to use it to promote ideas and reach out to others in a variety of social and work situations.
The world may not have a global language, but English is the default option for countless forms of communication across the
globe. That’s why one of the benefits of learning English is that it significantly boosts your hiring potential. In addition, it can
offer you educational opportunities. If you desire access to some of the best schools like Harvard, Stanford, Oxford, Cambridge or
MIT, then knowing English provides you an incredible edge. It’s expected that around 2 billion people around the world will learn
English over the next decade.

1: The passage mainly discusses ______.

A. the benefits of learning English
B. how to keep your mind active
C. the advantages and disadvantages of language learning
D. ways to improve your English level
2: According to the text, learning English as a second language can ______.
A. slow the mental decline due to aging
B. have a negative effect on the brain
C. reduce brain function
D. lower the risk of heart disease
3: Learning multiple languages makes you a better communicator because______.
A. you learn more about how to promote your ideas and make contact with others
B. you know how to get the attention of someone
C. you can improve your writing and speaking skills
D. you can communicate more effectively in your mother tongue
4: The word “cognitive” in the second paragraph is closest in meaning to ______.
A. intellectual
B. mental
C. emotional
D. subjective
5: All the following sentences are the benefits of learning English except:
A. it’s easy to use in communication
B. it provides better employment opportunities.
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C. it helps prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s.
D. it gives you access to the world’s best universities.

If we look a look at how people in Europe communicated just one hundred years ago, we would be very surprised to find out that
English was hardly used outside the United Kingdom. The language most commonly used between people of different
nationalities was French. However, that is not the case nowadays. English has replaced French as the international language of
communication. Today, there are more people who speak English as a second language than people who speak it as a first
language.
There are many reasons why English has become the language of international communication. Britain's colonization of
many parts of the world had something to do with it, but it is mainly due to America’s rise to the position of major world power.
This helped spread popular American culture throughout the world bringing the language with it.
But is it good that English has spread to all parts of the world so quickly? Linguists have suggested “Esperanto ”, an
artificially put-together language, as a solution to international communication problems but without success. So English will
continue being the world language until some other languages, maybe Chinese, which is the most widely- spoken native language
in the world, takes over as the world’s international language instead of English.

1. What does the world “which” in paragraph 3 refer to?

A. Chinese
B. Esperanto
C. English
D. a language
2. What is the main reason why English has become the language of international communication?
A. America’s becoming powerful
B. Britain’s becoming an international power
C. The development of British culture
D. The French losing many colonies
3. What is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Esperanto is not a natural language
B. Esperanto is difficult to learn.
C. The linguists don’t like Esperanto.
D. Esperanto is becoming more and more popular
4. What would be a good title for this passage?
A. English as an international language
B. English language means English culture
C. English - a difficult language to learn
D. English in the future
5. According to the passage, what was the most commonly used language a century ago?
A. French
B. Chinese
C. English
D. Esperanto

Nowadays, it is rare to find a language class that does not use some form of technology. In recent years, technology has
been used to both assist and enhance language learning. English teachers in Vietnam have incorporated various forms of
technology to support their teaching,
Some technology tools enable teachers to differentiate instruction and adapt classroom activities and homework
assignments, thus enhancing the language learning experience. Distance learning programs can enable language educators to
expand language-learning opportunities to all students, regardless of where they live, the human and material resources available
to them, or their language background and needs. Further, English teachers can engage students in the learning process, provide
authentic examples of the target culture, and even connect their classrooms in Vietnam to classrooms in other countries where
English is spoken. The effectiveness of any technological tool depends on the knowledge and expertise of the qualified language
teachers, so Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam has organized thousands of IT classrooms throughout the country to
enhance technology skills for English teachers.
Technology continues to grow in importance as a tool to assist teachers of foreign languages in facilitating and mediating
language learning for their students and all the teachers are trying to make sure that students will acquire a second language more
effectively with the help of technology.

1. What can be the best title for the passage?

A. Role of technology in language learning

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B. There are no language classes that does not use technology
C. A new form of distance learning programs
D. Natural disasters in Japan.
2. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
A. There is no relation between technological tool and the knowledge of the teachers.
B. Technology is becoming more important as a tool to assist teachers of foreign languages.
C. There are thousands of IT classrooms have been organized for English teachers throughout Vietnam.
D. Students can learn foreign languages from distance with the help of technology.
3. Why has Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam organized IT classrooms throughout the country?
A. Because they want to improve technology skills for English teachers.
B. Because they want to expand language-learning opportunities to all students.
C. Because they want to engage students in the learning process.
D. Because they want to to differentiate instruction and adapt classroom activities.
4. What does the word "they" in paragraph 2 refers to?
A. The students
B. The teachers
C. The educators
D. The technology skills
5. Which of the following can replace the word "enable" in paragraph 2?
A. allow
B. prepare
C. bring
D. enhance
Some people learn a second language easily. Other people have trouble learning a new language. How can you help yourself
learn a new language, such as English? There are several ways to make learning English a little easy and more interesting.
The first step is to feel positive about learning English. If you believe that you can learn, you will learn. Be patient. You don’t
to have to understand everything all at once. It’s natural to make mistakes when you learn something new. We can learn from our
mistakes.
The second step is to practice your English. For example, write in the journal, or diary, everyday. You will get used to writing
in English and you will feel more comfortable expressing your ideas in English. After several weeks, you will see that your
writing is improving. In addition, you must speak English every day. You can practice with your classmates outside class.
The third step is to keep a record of your language learning. You can write this in your journal. After each class, think about
what you did. Did you answer a question correctly? Did you understand something the teacher explained? Perhaps the lesson was
difficult, but you tried to understand it.
It is important to practice every day and make a record of your achievements.
17: What is the main idea of the paragraph?
A. Learning a second language
B. Learning something new
C. Learning from mistakes
D. Learning new words
18: Which is NOT true about learning English?
A. Writing it in other language
B. Feeling positive about learning it
C. Practicing it every day
D. Keeping a record of it
19: How many steps are there to make learning English a little easy and more interesting?
A. Three
B. Four
C. Five
D. Six
20: What does the word positive in line 5 refer to?
A. confident
B. difficult
C. shy
D. important
21: What is the most important to learn a second language?
A. Practicing every day and making a record of your achievements
B. Feeling positive about learning it
C. Practicing it every day
D. Keeping a record of it
Today, millions of people want to learn or improve their English but it is difficult to find the best method. Is it better to study in
Britain or America or to study in your own country?
The advantages of going to Britain seem obvious. Firstly , you will be able to listen to the language all the time . You will be
surrounded completely by the language wherever you go. Another advantage is that you have to speak the language if you are
with other people. At home, it is always possible to speak Vietnamese if you want to and the learning is slower.
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On the other hand , there are also advantages to staying at home to study . You don’t have to make big changes to your life. As
well as this, it is also cheaper than going to Britain but it is never possible to achieve the results of living in the UK. If you have a
good teacher, I think you can learn in a more concentrated way than being in Britain without going to a school.
So , in conclusion, I think that if you have enough time and enough money, the best choice is to spend some time in the UK . This
is simply not possible for most people , so being at home, is the only viable option. The most important thing to do in this
situation is to maximize your opportunities: to speak only English in class and to try to use English whenever possible outside the
class.
17. What is probably the topic of the passage? .
A. The best way to learn English B. Learning English in Viet Nam
C. How many people learn English
D. English schools in England and America
18. The underlined word ”viable” in the passage probably means ________.
A. careful B. possible C. important D. understandable
19. What is one of the advantages of staying at home to learn English?
A. you can concentrate on learning English only B.The teachers aren’t very good in Britain .
C. Your life can continue more or less as it was before
D. You have to work hard to make money in Britain.
20. People who don’t have a lot of time and money should ____
A. try and speak in class more often B. speak English more outside the class
C. go to America to learn English D. learn English in Britain
21. What is one of the advantages of going to The UK to learn English?
A. There are very good teachers of English there
B. The language schools in the UK are always better.
C. There are no Vietnamese people in Britain.
D. You will have to speak English and not your language.

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