The problem of learning languages is very important today. Foreign languages are socially demanded especially at the present time when the progress in science and technology has led to an explosion of knowledge and has contributed to an overflow of information. The total knowledge of mankind is known to double every seven years. Foreign languages are needed as the main and the most efficient means of information exchange of the people of our planet.
        Today English is the language of the world. Over 300 million people speak it as a mother tongue. The native speakers of English live in Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America. English is one of the official languages in the Irish Republic, Canada and the South African Republic. As a second language it is used in the former British and US colonies.
        English is not only the national or official language of some thirty states, which represent different cultures, but it is also the major international language for communication in such areas as science, technology, business and mass entertainment. English is one of the official languages of the United Nations Organisation and other political organisations. It is the language of literature, education, modern music and international tourism.
        Russia is integrating into the world community and the problem of learning English for the purpose of communication is especially urgent today.
        So far there is no universal or ideal method of learning languages. Everybody has his own way. Sometimes it is boring to study grammar or to learn new words. But it is well known that reading books in the original, listening to the BBC news, communicating with the English-speaking people will help a lot. When learning a foreign language you learn the culture and history of native speakers. One must work hard to learn any foreign language.

NO GETTING AROUND IT : ENGLISH IS GLOBAL TONGUE
Most of us feel that our own language is an essential part of our national identity, yet at the same time we realize that we need a world language, a sort of lingua franca.
            Over the centuries, Greek. Latin, Spanish, French, Malay, Swahili and other languages have been used as international instruments for trade, diplomacy or religion. Many of them are still used in that capacity.  But three new elements have complicated the situation. The first is the rise of English to the position of world language.  This makes life easier for  many  people,  but  it irritates others. Many speakers of less widespread languages feeI threatened by English.  It is like sleeping   next   to   an   elephant: regardless of its intentions, the size of the animal makes it dangerous.
            Speakers of minority languages quite rightly fear of  the disappearance of their cultural identity. According to Michael Kniuss of" the Alaska Native Language Centre", nine out of ten of the 6,000 languages in ihe world will die out within the century.This is the second new element in the situation. The third, more dangerous novelty, is the modern reluctance to accept multilingualism. Why shouldn't a Corsican use Corsican  in some cases and French in others? Indeed, why   should   a  Frenchman   feel dishonored using English to sell Camera  to a Japanese?
             Nowadays, linguistic rivalry is the third   most   common   cause   of conflict, after race and religion, and is often mixed with the other two. It need not be so. Everyone is right in trying to preserve his or her vernacular tongue. Bin this should not exclude other languages. Speakers of minor languages will also have to learn a major language to profit from the expanding world economy.