3 . Language is in a constant state of change. British English shows this clearly. Take the word “Cheerio!” for example. It has been a British way to say goodbye for more than a century, but it’s dying out as the English language evolves. These days, many young people simply say “laters”. Or take the word “marvelous”. At one time it was a common British word meaning “wonderful”, but over the last ten years it’s been overtaken by the American word “awesome”.

So how and why do words come into and fall out of fashion? The influence of US culture is only one explanation for why popular words in British English may change or even stop being used over time. “Awesome” is a good example, but also “fortnight”, a term not used in the US, is now falling out of fashion in British English, and in some cases has been replaced by “two weeks”.

New inventions also bring in new words. As old inventions are replaced by new ones, the words which described them also disappear and are replaced. So it’s out with the “Walkman” (a cassette player from the 80s) and in with MP4 players!

Then there’s the influence of social media. Text messages and emails have reduced words for convenience, with something like ICYMI (“in case you missed it”) becoming words in their own right. Where “friend” was once a noun, we now “friend someone on Facebook” and where we used to “love” something, now we’re “loving it”!

How is everything going?

Yours,

LiHua

The first foreign language I studied was French, and I learnt it at a secondary school between the ages of 11 and 18. It was     1     compulsory (必修的) subject for the first three years and I     2     (choose) to continue studying it afterwards because I enjoyed it, found     3     interesting and was quite good at it. Outside class I practiced listening to the French language radio and     4     (read) French books.

Before going to university, I spent three months working on a farm in southern France,     5     helped me become pretty fluent in French and acquire a rich farming-related vocabulary.

My French has also been     6     (help) on holiday in Morocco and Portugal. French     7     (use) as a second language in Morocco and in other countries quite a few people speak French in places that a lot of tourists visit.

In September 2009 I joined a couple of French conversation     8     (group) in Bangor and I have been going to them ever since. It has resulted     9     my improvement in my spoken French. Now I can still speak French fluently and can also read it well, but my     10     (write) French is not so good.

8 . As I look up at the hundreds of fireworks in the sky, I hear the bells ringing in a small temple welcoming the coming of the Chinese New Year. Though I may not believe in or understand many of the New Year traditions here, the similarities between the coming of this New Year and the beginning of my new life in China are not lost on a big boy like me.

My first few days in China were a cultural shock to say the least. Having arrived late in the semester, I immediately had to begin my beginners’ Chinese classes, along with the newest class of overseas students. Being surrounded by a language that isn’t your own is unbelievably annoying. Due to the picture-based fashion of Chinese writing, it’s not like you can have a guess, or work it out through whatever knowledge you have from other Latin-originated languages. If you don’t know what it says, then that’s it. However, with time passing, I have found myself progressing, though painfully slowly. The first time I called a taxi by myself, the driver actually understood where I wanted to go, which is hugely rewarding. Still it is never long before my lack of language skill is exposed (暴露的) and I come crashing back to earth, usually immediately upon leaving the taxi.

Gaining a language is a huge valuable skill. However, it is not the only thing I will gain in China. After this year of learning Chinese, I aim to gain my master’s degree here at University of Jinan. Opportunities do come around rather often: from being offered jobs teaching English, to being asked to appear on game-shows for Shandong TV. So, for now, I am just looking forward to expanding my cultural horizons (眼界) and enjoying my time here. I take some time to get used to everything, but that’s part of the adventure and, most of all, employment. So, much like the Chinese New Year that I am lucky enough to be part of, I am just looking forward to a fresh start and a new journey in China.

10 . Born in America, I spoke English, not Chinese, the language of my ancestors. When I was three, my parents flashed cards with Chinese ______ at my face, but I pushed them ______. My mom believed I would learn ______ I was ready. But the ______ never came.

On a Chinese New Year’s Eve, my uncle spoke to me in Chinese, but all I could do was ______ at him, confused, shaking my head. “Still can’t speak Chinese?” He ______ me, “You can’t even buy a fish in Chinatown.”

“Hey, this is America, not China. I’ll get some ______ with or without Chinese.” I replied and turned to my mom for ______ .

“Remember to ask for fresh fish, Xin Xian Yu,” she said, handing over a $20 bill. I ______ the words, running downstairs into the streets of Chinatown.

I found the fish ______ surrounded in a sea of customers. “I’d like to buy some fresh fish,” I shouted to the fisherman. But he ______ my English words and turned to serve the next customer. The laugh of the people behind increased ______ their impatience. With every ______, the breath of the dragons on my back grew stronger — my blood boiling — ______ me to cry out, “Xian Sheng Yu, please.” “Very Xian Sheng,” I repeated. The crowd burst into laughter. My face turned ______ and I ran back home empty-handed, except for the $20 bill I held tightly in my hand.

Should I laugh or cry? They’re Chinese. I’m Chinese. I should feel right at home. Instead, I was the joke, a disgrace (丢脸) to the language.

Sometimes, I laugh at my fish experience, but, in the end, the joke is on me. Every laugh is a culture lost; every laugh is my heritage (传统) fading away.