The benefits of bilingualism

         Learning a foreign language is more than just a boost to your CV or handy for travelling. It will make you smarter, more decisive and even better at English, says Anne Merritt.

 

      Physiological studies have found that speaking two or more languages is a great asset to the cognitive process. The brains of bilingual people operate differently than single language speakers, and these differences offer several mental benefits.

    It is said that there are seven cognitive advantages to learning a foreign language. Many of these attributes are only apparent in people who speak multiple languages regularly – if you haven’t spoken a foreign tongue since your A levels, your brain might not be reaping these bilingual benefits. However, people who begin language study in their adult lives can still achieve the same levels of fluency as a young learner, and still reap the same mental benefits, too.

     You become smarter. Speaking a foreign language improves the functionality of your brain by challenging it to recognise, negotiate meaning, and communicate in different language systems. This skill boosts your ability to negotiate meaning in other problem-solving tasks as well.

     

     Students who study foreign languages tend to score better on standardised tests than their monolingual peers, particularly in the categories of maths, reading, and vocabulary.

Question 1 (2 points) Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.

a. Speaking one or more foreign languages improves your mind. 

         a) True. “Physiological studies have found that speaking two or more languages is a great asset to the cognitive process”

b. The longer you don't speak a foreign language, the less benefits you get for your brain. 

         b) True “ if you haven’t spoken a foreign tongue since your A levels, your brain might not be reaping these bilingual benefits.”

c. You must learn foreign languages when you are a kid if you want to benefit from that fact. 

         c) False. “People who begin language study in their adult lives can still achieve the same levels of fluency as a young learner, and still reap the same mental benefits, too.”

d. Foreign students do better on standardised tests, particularly in the categories of maths, reading and vocabulary. 

         d) False. „Students who study foreign languages tend to score better on standardised tests than their monolingual peers, particularly in the categories of maths, reading, and vocabulary”

Question 2 (2 points) Answer the following questions in your own words.

a. What are the benefits of learning a foreign language?  

It will be easier for you to find a job, it makes travelling easier, you will become more intelligent, more resolute and your mother tongue will also improve.

b. In what aspects can speaking foreign languages help people?

Speaking foreign languages helps people in tasks involving problem solving; it can also help bilingual students to do better in maths, reading and vocabulary tests.

Question 3 (1.5 points) Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.

a.  useful par. 1      handy

b. benefit par .2      asset

c.  accomplish par. 3   achieve

d. to enhance, to improve par 4   boost

Question 4 (1.5 points) Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a. Anne Merritt said: “Learning a foreign language is more than just a boost to your CV;it will make you smarter, more decisive and even better at English”.

Anne Merritt said that learning a foreign language was more than just a boost to your CV; it would make you smarter, more decisive and even better at English.

b. If you haven’t spoken a foreign tongue since your A levels, your brain might not be reaping these bilingual benefits.

She remarked that If we hadn´t spoken a foreign language since our A levels, our brain might not be reaping those bilingual benefits