Lesson 2

Before you start

Discuss the question in pairs.

How many different dialects do you know that are spoken in Egypt?

There are around five (Massry, Saidi, Bedawi, Nubian, Berber).

Writing

5. Discuss the following in groups.

2. Read these ideas and divide them into two groups: a) For and b) Against.

For: It helps preserve the culture; Languages help you value your heritage; It protects the language from disappearing; Studying languages improves thinking and memory skills; When a language dies, so does the link to the cultural or historical past.

Against: Learning too many languages is sometimes confusing; Learning another language takes time away from other important subjects like maths; Learning a minority language might slow down your progress in other main languages.

Listening

7. Discuss the questions in pairs.

1. What does multiculturalism mean? Multiculturalism is when there are people from many cultures with many different customs and beliefs.

8. Listen to this Australian teenager talking about the National Multicultural Festival held in Canberra. Answer the questions.

1. When does it take place? It takes place in February.
2. What is the purpose of the Festival? The purpose is to celebrate the city’s cultural mix.
3. Why do people like it? It’s an opportunity for them to get together and share their cultures.
4. What does the speaker like in particular about it? The speaker likes that you can experience lots of different cultures in one place, it is educational and fun.