CHARACTERS
Russeell Brundon, a sociologist (Pupil 1), Head of the group
Arthur Clarke, a writer (Pupil 2)
Wendy Black, a journalist (Pupil 3)
Nora North, a teacher (Pupil 4)
Dmitry Popov, a representative of the organizing Committee (Pupil 5)
Oksana Vasina, a guide (Pupil 6)
Olga Ivanova, a management (Pupil 7)
Irina Petrova, a guide (Pupil 8)
Anna Simonova, a teacher of Moscow University (Pupil 9)
Teacher: The modern world is becoming smaller all the time. Every day distances between different countries seem less. For this reason it is becoming more and more important to know different languages, especially English.
Leader 1: Have you ever wondered how many people there are who speak English?
It is known that geographically, English is the most widespread language on Earth, and it is the second only to Chinese in the number of people who speak it. It’s spoken in the British Isles, the USA, Australia, New Zealand, part of Canada and South Africa. That’s about 400 million people.
Leader 2: English is also a second language of another 300 million people living in more than 60 countries. If you add to this the enormous number of people who learn to understand to speak English you’ll realize that English is indeed “ a world language “. Today, English is represented in every continent and in the three main oceans – the Atlantic, the Indian and the Pacific.
SCENE 1.
Leader 1:- Britain. Oxford University.
Pupil 1: - Good morning, Russell!
Pupil 2: - Good morning, Bob!
Pupil 1: - It’s a long time since I saw you last. Where have you been all this time?
Pupil 2: - I’ve just returned from Canada.
Pupil 1: - Was it a business trip?
Pupil 2: - Exactly.
Pupil 1: - Was it successful?
Pupil 2: - Sure.
Pupil 1: - Glad to hear it.
Pupil 3: - Morning! Excuse my being late. Heavy traffic jam. What’s the news?
Pupil 1: - Morning! Look! We’ve just received e-mail from Moscow University, Russia.
Pupil 1 and 2: - Really?
Pupil 1: - Here it is. Listen. Lomonosov Moscow State University and Moscow Association of Applied Linguistics request the pleasure of your company at the International Congress in Moscow on March 25(th), 11.00 p.m. Moscow University Conference Hall.
Pupil 2: - The International Congress? What shall we do there?
Pupil 3: -What’s the theme of the Congress?
Pupil 1: - Let’s surf the Net. O.K. Look! They say that the theme of the Congress is “English in the second Millennium’.
Pupil 4: - I suggest we accept the invitation. Besides it’s an opportunity to visit Moscow. It’s my dream.
Pupils 1, 2, 3: - It’s our dream , too. So, let’s go!
( Video. Фрагмент фильма, демонстрирующий пребывание на вокзале и в аэропорту. Полёт самолёта.) Учащиеся выходят из класса.
SCENE 2 .
Leader: - Moscow. At the airport.
Voice: - Attention, please. Members of the International Congress are requested to go to Exit 3.Thank you. (Вывеска Exit 3. Members of the International Congress).
Pupil 5: -Excuse me, are you Mr. Russell Brundon, the sociologist from London?
Pupil 1: - Yes, I’m.
Pupil 5: - Let me introduce myself. I’m a representative of the organizing Committee. My name’s …. .
Pupil 1: - How do you do, Mr. …. ?
Pupil 5: - How do you do, Mr. Brundon?
Pupil 1: - Well, let me introduce the members of my group.
(представляет своих коллег ).
Pupil 5: - Pleased to meet you all. This is my visiting card. Here’s my phone number just in a case.
All: - That’s very kind of you.
Pupil 5: - Ah, here’s your luggage! Come along and off we go!
SCENE 3.
Leader: - In the bus.
Pupil 6: - Ladies and Gentlemen. Let me introduce myself. My name’s …. . We wish you a pleasant stay in Moscow. What would you like to see in Moscow?
Pupil 1: - I’d like to see art galleries, visit some famous museums and theatres.
Pupil 2: - As for me, I’d like to see cathedrals and churches.
Pupil 3: - In addition, I prefer to visit plants, clinics, schools and different business.
SCENE 4.
Leader: - At the hotel.
Pupil 7: - Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
All: - Good morning.
Pupil 7: - Glad to meet you here, in our hotel. Your rooms are on the first floor.
Pupil 1: - What time’s breakfast, by the way?
Pupil 7: - Any time between 7 and 10 downstairs in the restaurant.
Pupil 2: - Can I have breakfast in my room?
Pupil 7: - No problem. You can order it by phone. Lunch is from 11 till 1.30, tea about 5, and dinner at 6 to 7.
Pupil 2: - That’s fine, thanks.
Pupil 5: - Ladies and gentlemen. Now a few words about the timetable of the Congress. The program is very busy: sessions, sittings, conferences, round-table talks and discussions. All right. In 2 hours I’ll be waiting for you downstairs. The bus leaves at 12 sharp. Don’t be late. See you in the hall of the hotel.
Pupil 4: - By the way, what’s time?
Pupil 3: - It’s a quarter to ten.
Pupil 4: - Oh, my watch is 3 hours slow then.
Pupil 3: - No wonder. London is 2 hours behind Moscow.
Leader: - 2 hours passed. The members of the group are leaving the hotel and getting into the bus.
Pupil 2: - Look! Have you noticed what wonderful weather we’re having.
Pupil 1: - Well, it seems we’ve got a chance of doing the sights of Moscow.
SCENE 5.
Leader: - In the bus.
Pupil 3: - Moscow is an ancient city, isn’t it? Who was the founder of Moscow?
Pupil 6: - The founder of the city was the prince Y. Dolgoruky in 1147. Well. Let’s start our excursion with Red Square which is the Heart of Moscow. The Kremlin is situated here. The first thing that meets the eye is the red-brick walls of the Kremlin, reinforced by 20 towers, 5 of which are gates. The total length of the walls equals 2.25 km with a thickness varying between 3.5 and 6.5 meters. Its 3 magnificent cathedrals, the Bell Tower of Ivan the Great, the Palaces and Spassky Tower with the clock attract our attention. The Czar – bell and Czar-cannon are also in Kremlin.
(рассказ сопровождается иллюстрациями).
Pupil 3:- Majestic sights!
Pupil 4: - Tell us something about galleries and museums, please.
Pupil 8: - I’m your new guide. My name’s … . As you know Moscow is also famous for its museums and galleries. (Рассказ сопровождается иллюстрациями).
The State Tretyakov Gallery is named after great Russian connoisseur Pavel Tretyakov who left his collection as a gift to the nation. At the Gallery paintings by great Russian artists are collected, and at the Museums of Fine Art there are masterpieces by European paintings.
Pupil 3: - The excursion was great! Thank you.
Pupil 5: - So, we are going to Moscow University
Pupil 2:- Can you give us some information about it, please?
Pupil 8:- With great pleasure. Well.( Рассказ сопровождается иллюстрациями).
Moscow University is the oldest one in Russia. It was founded in 1755 by the great Russian scientist M.Lomonosov. Its new building was opened in 1953. Its 32 storeys high. There are 16 Departments, 275 chairs, 360 laboratories, 4 research institutes, a computer centre, 4 observatories, a botanic garden and 3 museums. Here are over 120 academicians and corresponding members of the Academy of Sciences among the 8.000 instructors. There are about 2.000 foreign students and post – graduates from 101 countries in the University.
Leader: - The Conference Hall of the University.
Pupil 9: -Ladies and Gentlemen, on behalf of Moscow University teaching staff and students it’s my honor and duty to declare the International Congress open. We’re happy to meet our British colleagues here, in University. Thanks for your arriving. I’d like to pay your attention to the developing of the relation between people and the countries. Nowadays it’s very important. International scientific and cultural cooperation improves understanding between peoples. It helps exchange knowledge and serves the cause of peace in the world.
O.K. Let’s talk about the English language. Our students would like to ask you some questions.
Student 1: - What’s your opinion about the position of modern English?
Pupil 1: -2000 years ago English did not exist. A thousand years ago it was the language used by less than two million people. Now it’s the most influential in the world, spoken by more than a billion people on the planet, as their first, second or third language. English currently dominates science, business, the mass media and popular culture. For example, 80% of e-mails on the Internet are in English.
Student 2: - But where will English be at the end of the second millennium?
Pupil 2: - One view is that English is going to become even important as a global lingua franca, dominating the world’s trade and media while the most other languages will become localized or just die out. At present, over half the world’s 6.500 languages are in danger of extinction.
Student 3: - Is there another view?
Pupil 3: - Another view is that English is already breaking up, as Latin did, into several separate languages. There are already dictionaries of the “New English”, such as Australian English, full of words that a British English speaker would not recognize.
Pupil 4:- Hopefully, neither of these things will happen. Although different varieties of English will continue to develop around the world, standard English will survive for international communication. In addition, the frightening prospect of a culturally uniform world totally dominated by one language is impossible. Already, other languages are fighting back against the iron grip of English on the Net.
Pupil 1: - Governments around the world are also starting to protect smaller languages and recognize the importance of cultural and linguistic diversity. English will probably stay in control for a long time, at least while the USA remains the top superpower, but it definitely won’t become the only language in the world.
Pupil 9: - Well. Thanks a lot for your answers. Students, let’s just now check up ourselves.
SCENE 6 (Quiz).
1. How many people spoke English in 1000 A. D.?
a) 2 million,
b) 12 million,
c) 20 million
2. How many people speak it now?
a) 200 million,
b) 500 million,
c) a billion
3. What percentage of the world’s e-mails are in English?
a) 50 %,
b) 80 %,
c) 90 %
4. How many languages are there in the world?
a) 4.000,
b) 6.500,
c ) 9.000
Student 1: - Sorry. Can I ask you about Moscow? What impressed you the most?
Guests: (their impressions).
Pupil 5: - Is there anything you regret?
Pupil 3: - There’s something unfortunately our stay in Moscow is coming to the end.
Pupil 4: - It’s a pity we have to leave and to part.
Pupil 5: - I’m sure we’re parting friends.
Pupil 2: - And we appreciate everything we’ve learnt here.
All: - Good-bye. Best wishes.
(Видео. Полёт самолёта).
Заключительное слово учителя применительно к девизу урока.
Motto “Modern man is educated to understand foreign languages and misunderstand foreigners”
(G.K. Chesterton, English writer, 1874 – 1936)