UNIVERSIDAD DE LOS ANDES

Departamento de Lenguas y Cultura

KEY English – The Universal Language on the Internet (P.27-28)

1. Noun Pre-Modification groups. Interpret what the following modification groups in the
text mean.
a. The universal language position (P2, L4)
i. the position of a language that is universal
ii. the universal position that has a language

b. the necessary economical and technological infrastructure (P5, L2-3)

i. the technology that is cheap, essential, and related to infrastructure
ii. the infrastructure whose price is low and that is related to technology and
essential

c. a fluent and self-confident manner (P7, L6)

i. A manner that is fluent and self-confident
ii. A confident whose manner is fluent and of himself

2. Noun Pre-Modification groups. Translate the noun pre-modification groups into

Spanish.
a. The universal language position:
___LA POSICIÓN DE LA LENGUA UNIVERSAL__________
b. The necessary economical and technological infrastructure
_LA INFRAESTRUCTURA NECESARIA, ECONÓMICA Y TECNOLÓGICA_
c. A fluent and self-confident manner
__UNA MANERA FLUIDA Y CON SEGURIDAD__

3. References. Write what the following words refer to.

a. Itself (P2, L2): __THE POSITION OF A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE / THE
POSITION_____
b. This (P4, L3): __THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INTERNET GROWS RAPIDLY
IN ALL FIELDS OF HUMAN LIFE, INCLUDING NOT ONLY RESEARCH
AND EDUCATION, BUT ALSO MARKETING AND TRADE AS WELL
ENTERTAINMENT AND HOBBIES. _____
c. They (P6, L4): __OLDER PEOPLE____________________________________
d. It (P6, L4): __THE INTERNET / INTERNET____________________________
e. Their (P7, L8): ___ INTERNET USERS________________________________

4. Logical Connection. In the text, circle the appropriate connector.  These are the
answers of the exercise assigned in the video/explanation about “logical connection.”
a. In general c. Of course e. Thus
b. Because d. In addition f. Generally
 g. And l. Of course p. This means
h. But m. Since that
i. During n. In addition q. And
j. Better o. Although r. Of course
k. But (…also)

5. Reading comprehension.
a. Decide if the following sentences are true (T), false (F), or not included (NI).
 TRUE: The information in the statement/sentence is similar to the
information in the text.
 FALSE: The statement contradicts the information in the text.
 NOT INCLUDED: The information in the statement is not included in the
text.
b. The fact that a person speaks any type of English makes them familiar with all
types of Englishes. T – F – NI
c. The use of quotation marks with the words “known world” and “civilized world”
demonstrates how the concept of these words varies according to the perspective.
T – F – NI
d. The different marketing strategies and hobbies that people have determine if
people decide to learn or not English. T – F – NI
e. There is a wide range of population without access to the Internet, for there is a
lack of economic resources and technological foundation. T – F – NI
 Students’ attitudes towards the Internet determine whether they decide to
learn or not to use it. T – F – NI

f. Answer the following questions.

 Why do native speakers do not know how to spell difficult words?
 They do not know this because they basically know English as a spoken
language.
 Which languages have been lingua francas?
 Latin and Greek
 In which areas has the Internet become important?
 All fields including research, education, marketing, trade, entertainment,
and hobbies.
 What division does polarization cause in developed countries?
 Internet users and Internet illiterates

6. Inferences. Check (√) all the options that are possible.

a. Based on the text, we can infer that

i. __√__ Eventhough people believe the English used on the Internet is “the
standard English”, it is not.
ii. ____ The universality of a language depends entirely on the decision
made by important world entities.
 iii. __√__ The Internet and the English language are linked so that reading and
writing English is a must.
iv. _____ As communication via Internet has grown, it has contributed to join
people in spite of their ideological differences.
v. ____ The fact that learning to use the Internet is fairly easy means that a
great majority embrace it.
vi. __√__ Using English online helps people reduces the linguistic obstacles
to widen a person’s knowledge.

7. Presuppositions. According to the reading, the author presupposes that

a. __________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
b. __________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
c. __________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________