Learn English, Spread Your Wings!
What is your reason for learning English? Do you want to be able to communicate with people from other countries? Are you hoping to improve your grades or get a better job? Maybe you have plans to move to an English-speaking country, or perhaps you just find English interesting. People all around the world learn English in order to achieve their dreams or goals. Here are several good reasons to learn English.(P21)
Get Access to Information
Kamil Kaloush(Czech Republic, 25): I'm learning English because I need to gain access to a lot of information. As a student, I had little interest in English; it was science that appealed to me most. once I decided to become a scientist, however, I quickly realized that I would need to improve my English. About 95 percent of the textbooks and papers I need to read for my job are written in English. It's safe to say that English is the most important language in the world, especially if you want to be a successful scientist.
English is the most widespread language in the world. Despite the fact that less than 10 percent of people in the world speak English as their first language, it has become the global language of the information age. The majority of news and information is available in English, especially when it comes to the Internet. Air traffic controllers communicate with pilots in English, even in countries where it isn't a native language. For many professions, English is a practical necessity.(P22)
Communicate with People
Park Yujin(Korea, 18): The reason I'm learning English is pretty simple. I want to be able to make friends with people from various countries. It would be great if I could talk to them in Korean or their native languages, but it's not possible for me to learn every language in the world. So when I email my foreign friends, or when they come to visit me in Korea, we communicate in English --- the most widely used international language. Since English helps me make friends, I really enjoy learning it. My goal is to have a friend from every country on earth.
Most people in the world have decided to make English "the language of communication," using it to communicate with anyone who doesn't speak their language. It allows them to talk to people from other countries about all kinds of things. Even if you don't travel, you can use English to post on Internet discussion sites and send emails. It's a great way to make interesting friends, learn about new cultures, and generally broaden your knowledge of the world. Diplomats from different countries use English to communicate with each other, as do people at most international conferences and competitions. Even the United Nations uses English as its main language!(contiued.)(P23)
Get Opportunities to Work Globally
Daniella de Souza(Brazil, 25): one of the main reasons many people are learning English these days is to increase their chances of finding a better job. I know that's my motivation. Globalization isn't showing any signs of slowing down, which means there will soon be even more chances to work with people from various countries. I'm working in the trade business and many of the buyers I work with are from other countries. If I can master English, it'll really help me achieve my goal of becoming an international. businesswoman. If I want my dream to come true, I have to study English harder.
In the past, only people like diplomats and interpreters were required to learn English for their jobs. Because of globalization, however, people from all different kinds of professions now find themselves working with people from other countries. And when they do, English is the language they use to communicate. It doesn't matter if you're sending a simple email or putting together a legal contract --- chances are, it'll be done in English. It's still possible to succeed in business without learning English, but doing so vastly expands your employment opportunities.(P24)
Introduce Your Culture to the World
Kim Hanbin(Korea, 18): If I could choose any job in the world, I would be a translator. When I was younger, it occurred to me that no Korean has ever received the Nobel Prize in Literature. I think that's because so little Korean literature has been properly translated into English. Of course, winning a Nobel Prize myself would be great. But my more realistic aim is to help my country's writers have their literary works properly translated. That way, they can be read by people from other cultures, the same way we enjoy so many works of English and American literature.
English is a great way for us to express our thoughts and opinions to people around the world. Some see English as a means of acquiring information about other cultures, but we can also see it as an efficient way of sharing important information about our own customs and culture. That can be another motivation for learning English.
So, what's your reason for learning English? Is it the same as one of these people's, or is it something different? No matter what your motivation may be, English is a useful tool for achieving your goals, and you may find it can serve as "the wind beneath your wings."(P25)