Text 1: Johnny Depp the Pirate
Johnny Depp is a wonderfully versatile actor. He can play serious roles, but his comic talent is particularly evident in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. He is Jack Sparrow, a character whose mannerisms and style of speech are based on those of the Rolling Stones guitarist, Keith Richards. Depp is American, but his British accent is perfect!
Such is the success of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise that a fourth film, On Stranger Tides, was released. But Depp admits that initially he had reservations about the idea of doing a fourth Pirates movie.
Speak Up magazine - Issue 288, August 2011.
1. According to the text, Johnny Depp’s character in the film is:
a) a pirate who is finishing his second film.
b) a Rolling Stone guitarist playing a comic role.
c) a pirate with a lot of comic mannerisms.
d) a versatile actor playing a serious role.
e) Keith Richards, an American guitarist.
2. In line 6, the pronoun he refers to:
a) the Pirates of the Caribbean.
b) Stranger Tides.
c) the fourth film.
d) Depp.
e) the success.
3. In the sentence “he can play serious roles” (line 1). The modal verb can expresses the idea of:
a) suggestion.
b) permission.
c) obligation.
d) prohibition.
e) ability.
Text 2: Interview with David Crystal by Jack Scholes
JS: Why has English become a global language?
DC: A language becomes international or global for one reason only – the power of the people who speak it. But of course ‘power’ means different things at different times. In the case of English, the language has spread as a result of a combination of political/military power (the British Empire), scientific/ technological power (the Industrial Revolution), economic power (pounds, and later dollars), and cultural power (broadcasting, travel, films, pop songs, internet…).
JS: What are some of the most important consequences of the fact that English is now a
global language with more non-native speakers than native speakers using it?
DC: Language has no existence apart from the people who speak it. It exists to express their world and their vision of it. Any language which comes to be used globally has to adapt to allow this to happen, in the form of new words, idioms, patterns of discourse, pronunciations and so on. New varieties of English (‘new Englishes’) is the inevitable result.
SCHOLES, Jack. Interview with David Crystal. In: New Routes, São Paulo: Disal
4. According to David Crystal, English has become a global language because of:
a) a combination of political, scientific, economic and cultural power.
b) different things at different times.
c) a combination of international languages.
d) the spread of English courses.
e) the British Empire and the American money.
5. Match the words in column 1 according to their meanings in column 2, then choose the CORRECT alternative:
I. reason (line 2) ( ) permit
II. allow (line 12) ( ) occur
III. spread (line 4) ( ) motive
IV. happen (line 12) ( ) disseminate
a) II, IV, I, III
b) IV, I, III, II
c) I, II, III, IV
d) II, IV, III, I
e) III, IV, II, I
6. By reading the interview we can infer all the following statements, EXCEPT:
a) a language expresses the world and the vision of the people who speak it.
b) a language adapts itself to different speakers.
c) songs, films, internet are some of the reasons English has become globally used.
d) there are more non-native speakers than native speakers using English.
e) people and language are separated in their existence.
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