Read the passage given below and answer the questions/complete the statements that follow:
English
The cross-cultural spread of English is unprecedented in other ways. It is more widely used than any of the other colonial languages like French, Portuguese or Spanish. It even has a wider use than some of the languages associated with international non-western religious traditions like Arabic or Sanskrit. In countries like India and Nigeria, English is used at all levels of society: in local English, language newspapers and broadcasting, in public administration, in university education, in major industries, in the courts and the civil services.
Its global stature is backed up by massive English-language training programmes, an international business that in textbooks, language courses, video programmes and computerized instruction is worth hundreds of millions of pounds or dollars to the economies of the US and the UK. The English language is now one of Britain’s most reliable exports. It is an ideal British product, needing no workers and no work, no assembly lines and no assembly, no spare parts and very little servicing; it is used for the most intimate and the most public services everywhere
Indeed with nearly 200 languages, India needs English to unify the country. Professor Lal, a champion of Indian English who runs a well-known writers’ workshop and claims that in simple numerical terms, in a country of 840 million, more Indians speak English and write English than in England itself. Even Malcolm Muggeridge said – ‘The last Englishman left will be an Indian’. Malcolm Muggeridge’s insightful observation underlines the importance of the English language for India. The people of India have begun to understand the potential of English in terms of better job opportunities in the corporate world. There is, therefore, a strong desire among parents to admit their children in public school where the standard of English is very high. Our educationists are working towards improving the standard of English in state-owned schools. Government schools need to improve their standard of teaching English to compete with public English medium schools.
(a) Why is English more important than other colonial languages?
(b) Why is English so important in India?
(c) What is the importance of the English language for the economies of the US and the UK?
(d) Why does the author consider English as an ideal British export product?
(e) What is meant by the word ‘traditions’? (Para 1)
(i) ways (ii) habits
(iii) customs (iv) ideas
(f) What is meant by the word ‘reliable’? (Para 2)
(i) truthful (ii) honest
(iii) decent (iv) dependable
(g) What is meant by the word ‘opportunities’? (Para 3)
(i) offers (ii) rights
(iii) possibilities (iv) payments
(h) What is meant by the word ‘improve’? (Para 3)
(i) progress (ii) upgrade
(iii) beautify (iv) solidify
Download the above passage in printable worksheet PDF
More Comprehension Pasages:-
Passage -31 Jambheshwarji (360 Words Subjective Solved)
Passage -32 Living Stone (400 Words Subjective Solved)
Passage -33 Dolphins (350 Words Subjective Solved)
This passage is all about dolphins facts and dolphins animal. It describes how dolphins are mammals and dolphins are intelligent. Additionally, it describes dolphins food, dolphins features, dolphins for kids, dolphins habitat, dolphins in India, dolphins types
Passage -34 Neem (300 Words Subjective Solved)
Passage -35 Elephants Nature’s Nomads (400 Words Subjective Solved)
Passage -36 Camps To Tap Creativity (300 Words Subjective Solved)
Passage -37 Asteroids (350 Words Subjective Solved)
Passage -38 Flying Low And High (400 Words Subjective Unsolved)
Passage -39 A Fighting Chance Against TB (350 Words Subjective Unsolved)
Passage -40 Sir Harry Hamilton (400 Words Subjective Solved)
