Module Reading 1

You are going to read an article about Esperanto. For questions 31-36.
choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think ts best according

to the text.
Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet.
Breaking down the language barrier?

A look at Esperanto
We are supposed to live ina 'globalised' world, or so we are increasingly

taught in school. Many of us share elements of a globalised culture, at
least, perhaps watching Japanese movies, listening to K-pop, or eating
Indian food. Why is it, then, that so many of us tussle with the basics of
global communication in this age of instant messaging, email and video
conferencing? English may certainly be the (self-appointed) lingua franca
of the globalised world, with millions of students struggling daily to learn
its phrasal verbs and idioms. But English is the mother tongue of only
a relatively small percentage of the global population, so wouldn't it be
easier if we all spoke a simpler language? Perhaps what is needed is an
international language.
What is interesting is that, over a hundred years ago, a Dr Ludwig

Zamenhof published a book about a new language that he had
developed, with the intention of providing an appropriate international
means of communication. He called this language 'Esperanto', and it
is said that hundreds of thousands of people have learned to speak it,
with about one thousand today even using it as their rst language. It
is claimed to be easy to master and, more signi cantly, as an arti cial
language, it is appreciated as being devoid of any of the ideological
or political connotations that accompany languages of former colonial
26 | Test 1 Exam practice

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powers, such as English. It is said to be learnt much faster than English, with a one-
symbol-one-sound writing system (making spelling easier) and a grammar with a
limited number of rules. Vocabulary even borrows a number of words that are already
shared internationally, such as telefono (telephone) and matematiko (mathematics). In
short, Esperanto may well be the answer that second-language learners have been
seeking.
The problem is that it is likely that, before reading this article, you might never have
heard of Esperanto, and you would almost certainly not be alone on that point. The
main criticism of Esperanto is that, despite its lofty ideals, the language never really
caught on among the global population in the way its creator intended. Whether there
was a vested interest in preventing the language from spreading is hard to say. The
key factor is that the language does, in fact, look rather similar to Romance languages
such as French, Spanish or Italian, at the expense of other popular languages such as
Arabic or Mandarin. As such, the 'international' language is perhaps not international
enough, and may even be considered as maintaining a primarily Western point of
view, something the creator of Esperanto initially set out to mitigate.
As mentioned, Esperanto is what is known as an 'arti cial language'. Those involved

with the development of its vocabulary and structures were well aware that the
language they were creating had few ties with languages of the past, and so one
of the basic features of any other language - that of a cultural heritage - can be
considered missing for speakers of Esperanto. However, advocates of Esperanto
would counter this criticism by claiming that all languages can be considered as
arti cial, in the sense that the creators of any language were human. What Esperanto
lacks in culture, it makes up for in ef ciency, and as language learners in the busy
modern world are constantly under pressure of time, it is possible that, for some, it
is worth developing communicative ef ciency at the expense of a certain prestige.
In addition, as Esperanto itself is now a over a century old, one might argue that this
language, too, has built up a history of its own, one shared by the thousands who
speak it and use it as an international means of communication.
Whether we consider the Esperanto experiment a success or failure, one thing is for
certain: an international language should re ect all aspects of global society, while at
the same time be easy to learn, free from ambiguity, and neutral in terms of ideology.
Critics of Esperanto claim its failure in each of these aspects, while proponents of the
language assert that it has succeeded in areas where English might have failed. While
there may not be enough global uptake of Esperanto to eventually topple English
from its perch, there is no doubt that it has provoked increased interest in the debate line 56
on language in the shadow of globalisation, and this debate is far from over.
Reading and Use of English Part 5 Test 1 Exam practice I

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31 What is the main point the writer is making in the rst paragraph?
A English has dif cult features, but can still be an effective global language.
B Schools tend to exaggerate the extent of globalisation in the world today.
C Global communication is less straightforward than it should be.
D World culture continues to become increasingly globalised.
32 What does the witer suggest is the main reason why Esperanto appeals to learners?
A Its spelling accurately re ects its pronunciation.

B Its grammar and vocabulary are relatively simple.
C It is becoming increasingly widely spoken.
D It lacks associations with a speci c culture.
33 How does the writer explain the fact that Esperanto has been less successful than
initially hoped?
A Esperanto is too closely associated with European languages.

B Many learners nd English more interesting than Esperanto.
C Speakers of Arabic and Chinese nd Esperanto dif cult.
D Esperanto has not been promoted widely enough.
34 How does the writer suggest that Esperanto is now changing?
A It can no longer be considered arti cial.

B It is developing its own culture.
C Its vocabulary is rapidly expanding.
D Its prestige is beginning to increase.
35 The writer concludes that
A Esperanto is in some ways superior to English.

B Esperanto meets all the criteria for an international language.
C it is hard to predict what the future fate of Esperanto will be.
D Esperanto has prompted useful discussions about language.
36 What does 'it' in line 56 refer to?
A Esperanto
B uptake
C perch
D English
Follow-up
Did you follow all the steps in the Action plan?
28 Test 1 Exam practice Reading and Use of English Part 5

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You are going to read an article about Esperanto. For questions 31-36.

choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think ts best according

Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet.

Breaking down the language barrier?

We are supposed to live ina 'globalised' world, or so we are increasingly

What is interesting is that, over a hundred years ago, a Dr Ludwig

26 | Test 1 Exam practice

As mentioned, Esperanto is what is known as an 'arti cial language'. Those involved

Reading and Use of English Part 5 Test 1 Exam practice I

A Its spelling accurately re ects its pronunciation.

A Esperanto is too closely associated with European languages.

34 How does the writer suggest that Esperanto is now changing?

A It can no longer be considered arti cial.

35 The writer concludes that

A Esperanto is in some ways superior to English.

36 What does 'it' in line 56 refer to?

28 Test 1 Exam practice Reading and Use of English Part 5

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