VI. Read the passage and decide if the following statements are True (T) or False (F).
How Did English Spread Throughout the World?
The arrival of the Anglo-Saxons in Britain is usually considered the beginning of the English language’s spread. The language changed when Norse invaders brought several new words, which were added into daily speech. English began to borrow some words from French and Latin.
During the Medieval period, English started to become more standardized. As London grew, other dialects of English began to fade or merge into what we think of as English today. The British Empire is typically considered the next major phase of English’s spread. As England invaded regions around the world and established colonies, it brought English with it.
Today, English is the third most common primary language in the world, right behind Mandarin Chinese and Spanish. Over one billion people across the world speak English, though only around 380 million speak it as their first language. It is one of the most commonly studied languages and is sometimes called a global language because it is used for international organizations. Pilots are required to communicate in English for international flights, and organizations such as the United Nations and the European Union list English as an official working language. This is partly because so many countries speak English or recognize it as an official language.
