Two Languages, Twice the World
An opinion article by a student who argues that learning a second language still matters in the age of translation apps.
Tap any word to hear it · dotted words have a definition in the glossary
🎧 Listen
1In Israel, most students study English from an early age, and many also learn Arabic, French or another language. Some of my classmates complain that this is a waste of time. 'Everyone has a translation app on their phone,' they say. 'Why should we work so hard?' I understand their point, but I strongly believe that learning a second language is one of the most things a young person can do.
2First, a second language opens doors. It allows you to travel, study and work in other countries, and to communicate with people around the world. Many jobs today require knowledge of at least one language. A person who can speak with or in their own language has a clear .
3Second, learning a language is not just learning words. It is a way to understand another culture. Every language has that cannot be translated exactly, and these tell us how its speakers see the world. When I started learning Spanish, I discovered that there are two different words for 'you': one for friends and family, and a more one for strangers and older people. That small detail taught me how much respect matters in their conversations.
4Third, learning a language trains the mind. You have to remember new words, notice and switch between different ways of thinking. This is hard at first, but the skills you develop can help you in other subjects too.
5What about translation apps? They are useful, and I use them myself. However, an app cannot help you make a real friend, understand a joke or feel at home in a new place. Communication is about people, not only about words.
6So the next time you are with a new list of vocabulary, remember: you are not just preparing for a test. You are building a bridge to millions of people.
📘 Glossary
- valuable - very useful or important
- foreign - from another country
- customers - people who buy things or services
- colleagues - people you work with
- advantage - something that puts you in a better position
- expressions - words or phrases with a special meaning
- formal - polite and serious, not casual
- patterns - things that repeat in a regular way
- struggling - finding something very hard
Questions
Finding details
1. Why do some of the writer's classmates think that learning languages is a waste of time?Fact, opinion and stance
2. What is the writer's position in the text?Finding details
3. Give TWO things that a second language allows you to do, according to paragraph 2.Reference words
4. What does the word 'its' in the phrase 'how its speakers see the world' (paragraph 3) refer to?Finding details
5. What did the writer discover when she started learning Spanish?Purpose and structure
6. What is the purpose of paragraph 5?Finding details
7. Give ONE thing that, according to the writer, a translation app cannot do.Word meaning
8. The word 'struggling' in paragraph 6 means ____.Making inferences
9. What does the writer mean when she says 'You are building a bridge to millions of people' (paragraph 6)?
✍️ Writing task
Your school is thinking about making a second foreign language (besides English) optional instead of required. Write a short opinion paragraph for the school newspaper. Do you agree or disagree? Give TWO reasons.
80–100 words
0 words
Answer every question to get a score (0/9)