English is the official language in more than 60 countries and of many international organizations. The International Olympic Committee, for example, always holds meetings in English. Air traffic control and communication at sea around the world are always in English.
International English has a rich and growing vocabulary. Many everyday words come from other languages. Umbrella, for example, comes from ombra, the Italian word for shade. English speakers get their breakfast marmalade from the Portuguese word marmelada. There are many Spanish words in English including cargo, flotilla, and macho; German gives the English language the words hamburger, waltz, and quartz; and French provides liaison, elite, and café.
English helps the business world to communicate across national borders. Many international companies provide language training programmes for employees. They know that English is a passport to a successful future. It is the language of millions.
Read the following passage and decide if the statements that follow are TRUE or FALSE.
1. English is spoken as an official language in over 60 countries.
2. English borrows many words from other languages such as Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, German, and French.
3. The word umbrella in English comes from the Portuguese word marmelada.
4. English is not considered a passport to a successful future in the business world.
