There are more than 3000 languages in the world today, but only about ten are major languages of the world. Among them English is the most popular.
More than 350 million people speak English as their first language. Major English-speaking countries are Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA. Another 400 million speak it as a second language. No one knows how many people speak English as a foreign language. They usually learn English as a school subject instead of learning it from their parents. Chinese is the only language with more speakers than English. This is because of the large population of China.
English is the language for a better understanding between peoples of the world. It is also the language for business and science. Nearly half of the business deals in Europe are done in English, and more than half of the science magazines are in English. English is widely used in the world’s computer network. And children should begin with English when they learn how to use computers. Through the English language peoples of different countries are able to work together and make things even better.
【小题1】English is the most popular language in the world because __________.

Friends play an important part in our lives, and although we can’t be more familiar with the fact of friendship, we often don’t clearly understand how we make friends, especially with Americans. Here are some pieces of advice on making friends with Americans:
* Visiting places Americans enjoy: parties, churches, restaurants, parks and sports clubs.
* Be willing to take the first step. Don’t wait for them to get close to you. Americans in China may not know you speak English. They may be uncomfortable if they can’t speak your language.
* Use small talks to open the conversation. Ask them where they’re from, why they come to China, etc. Remember: Be careful not to ask personal questions about age, salary and so on.
* Show an interest in their culture, their country or their job. Americans like to talk about themselves.
* Invite them to join you for dinner or just for coffee or tea. Try to set a specific （明确的）time. Americans sometimes make general invitations like “Let’s go out for a dinner sometime.” Often this is just a way to be friendly. It’s not always a real invitation.
* Don’t expect too much at first. Maybe they’re being friendly. But maybe they want to be your good friends. It will take time to tell.
【小题1】According to the passage, Americans like to visit the following places except ______.