A language achieves a genuinely global status when it develops a special role that is recognized in every country. This might seem (1) ... stating the obvious, but it is (2) ..., for the notion of 'special role' has many facets. Such a role will be most evident in countries where large numbers of the people speak the language as a mother tongue - in the (3) ... of English, this would mean the USA, Canada, Britain, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, several Caribbean countries and a sprinkling (4) ... other territories. However, no language has ever been spoken by a mother tongue majority in more than a few countries (Spanish leads, in this (5) ..., in some twenty countries, chiefly in Latin America), so mother-tongue use by (6) ... cannot give a language global status. To achieve such a status, a language has to be (7) ... up by other countries around the world. They must decide to give it a special place within their communities, (8) .... though they may have few (or no) mother-tongue speakers.
ANSWERS
LINKING VERB + PREPOSITION | SEEM LIKE |
Similar to something else, or happening in the same way: It seemed like a good idea at the time. |
ADVERB | NOT |
Used instead of repeating something in the negative: Are you going to the party or not? |
IDIOM | IN THE CASE OF |
An example of a particular situation or of something happening: The amount of fruit in fruit juices must be 10% in the case of apples and 20% in the case of other fruits. |
NOUN + PREPOSITION | SPRINKLING OF |
A small amount of something, especially scattered over an area: The hills were covered with a sprinkling of snow. |
IDIOM | IN THIS RESPECT |
Relating to something you have just mentioned: The form's problems, in this respect, are certainly not unique. |
REFLEXIVE PRONOUN | ITSELF |
Used as the object of a verb or preposition to refer to something that has already been mentioned: History keeps repeating itself. |
PHRASAL VERB | TAKEN UP |
To learn or start to do something, especially for pleasure: Julia has taken up jogging. |
PHRASE | EVEN THOUGH |
Despite the fact or belief that; no matter whether: She likes the job even though it's badly paid. |