The Reading / Listening - Language Barriers - Level 0

Language barriers are holding back science. English is the language of science, but a third of research is not in English. Researchers said scientists miss a lot of important research. Journals should have summaries of a study in many languages. They said universities should translate research into different languages.

International companies are asking staff to use only English to reduce language barriers. Volkswagen said is its official language. Japan's carmaker Honda said its staff must use English by 2020. Scientists need to be serious about this. The WHO missed important research about avian flu because it was in Chinese.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Language Barriers - Level 1,  Language Barriers - Level 2   or  Language Barriers - Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.science20.com/news_articles/lingua_franca_needed_too_much_science_is_not_published_in_english-205757
  • http://qz.com/875491/japanese-white-collar-workers-are-already-being-replaced-by-artificial-intelligence/
  • http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/science-missing-out-on-non-english-studies-says-cambridge-study/story-MUnlMALQIjknh5zVtZeXeL.html


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. Language barriers are
  2. English is the language
  3. a third
  4. not in
  5. scientists miss
  6. Journals should have
  7. universities should
  8. different
  1. translate research
  2. English
  3. summaries
  4. languages
  5. of research
  6. of science
  7. holding back science
  8. a lot

Paragraph 2

  1. International
  2. asking staff to
  3. reduce language
  4. Volkswagen said English is its official
  5. its staff must use English
  6. Scientists need to be serious
  7. The WHO missed important
  8. it was in
  1. language
  2. by 2020
  3. Chinese
  4. use only English
  5. research
  6. companies
  7. about this
  8. barriers

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Language barriers (1) ___________________ back science. English (2) ___________________ of science, but a third of research (3) ___________________ English. Researchers said scientists (4) ___________________ of important research. Journals should have summaries (5) ___________________ many languages. They said universities should translate research into (6) ___________________.

International companies are (7) ___________________ to use only English (8) ___________________ language barriers. Volkswagen said English (9) ___________________ language. Japan's carmaker Honda said its (10) ___________________ English by 2020. Scientists need (11) ___________________ about this. The WHO missed important research about avian flu (12) ___________________ in Chinese.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Languagebarriersareholdingbackscience.Englishisthelanguageofsci
ence,butathirdofresearchisnotinEnglish.Researcherssaidscientists
missalotofimportantresearch.Journalsshouldhavesummariesofastu
dyinmanylanguages.Theysaiduniversitiesshouldtranslateresearchi
ntodifferentlanguages.Internationalcompaniesareaskingstafftouse
onlyEnglishtoreducelanguagebarriers.VolkswagensaidEnglishisitso
fficiallanguage.Japan'scarmakerHondasaiditsstaffmustuseEnglishb
y2020.Scientistsneedtobeseriousaboutthis.TheWHOmissedimporta
ntresearchaboutavianflubecauseitwasinChinese.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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