英One模試 The history of English Language part 1(simplified)

Is English the language people speak in the British Isles? Yes, it is now. But a long time ago, there were different languages and cultures. Nowadays, the region mostly speaks the most important language in the world, which is used a lot in business, trade, and money matters. The region also has lots of interesting stories and events from the past to share. We might wonder why we need to learn English, especially if we’re struggling with our own language like Japanese. Why do we have to remember so many words and similar words to learn, especially when we’re already dealing with difficult kanji practice? And why does your teacher always say “Don’t become a victim of Janglish”?

After reading this, you’ll start to understand some reasons.

Before English became the main language, a long time ago in the British Isles, there were groups of people called Celts. They spoke their own languages for a long time before others came. Celtic languages were dominant in the British Isles a long time ago during the Iron Age and when the Romans were there.

In the British Isles, the main groups of Celts were the Britons and the Gaels. The Britons lived where England and Wales are now, and the Gaels lived in what’s now Scotland and Ireland. The languages they spoke are called “Insular Celtic” languages.

The Britons were the original Celtic people of England and Wales. They spoke different Brittonic languages, like Old Welsh, Old Cornish, and Old Breton. They had their own kingdoms and areas all over the islands.

The Gaels were another group of Celtic people who lived in Scotland and Ireland. They spoke Gaelic languages, like Old Irish and Old Scottish Gaelic. They were organized into clans and tribes.

In the northern part of what’s now Scotland, there were also the Picts. They were Celtic people too, but not as much is known about them because they didn’t write much about themselves.

The Celts lived in different ways in different places and times. They were mostly farmers, growing crops like wheat, barley, oats, and vegetables. They also had animals like cattle, sheep, and pigs for food and resources. They had different groups in their societies, like warriors, craftsmen, farmers, priests (called druids), and storytellers (called bards). Chiefs or important people were in charge. The Celts were also good at making things from metal, like jewelry and weapons, with fancy designs. Their art often had patterns and pictures of animals.

Celtic religion was about many gods and nature. Druids were important for their ceremonies. They used special places like stone circles and forts on hills for their rituals. The Celts celebrated different festivals tied to farming and the sky, like Beltane (May 1st) and Samhain (October 31st), which later influenced Halloween.

Celtic languages were spoken, and stories were passed down by talking, not writing. The groups lived fairly peacefully until the Romans came to parts of the British Isles, especially England. The Romans brought their language, Latin, which affected the Celtic languages and left things like roads and buildings.

The Romans made towns and forts everywhere, and many of these places still have names from Latin. Some names end in “-chester” or “-cester,” which means “fort” in Latin. These names are still used today in modern places.

Even though Latin influenced Celtic languages, it didn’t change them as much as the Germanic languages did. Germanic people came and settled in the British Isles, and their languages slowly took over from the Celtic languages.

Question 1: What language do people mainly speak in the British Isles today?
a) Celtic
b) Latin
c) English
d) Germanic

Question 2: Why do some people wonder about learning English?
a) They don’t like learning languages.
b) They struggle with their own language.
c) English is too easy to learn.
d) They already know English very well.

Question 3: What is a reason for learning English mentioned in the text?
a) It’s the only language spoken in the world.
b) It’s useful for business, trade, and finance.
c) English is the easiest language to learn.
d) It’s the oldest language in the British Isles.

Question 4: What was the main group of Celtic people in England and Wales called?
a) Romans
b) Gaels
c) Britons
d) Picts

Question 5: Which group of Celtic people lived in what’s now Scotland and Ireland?
a) Britons
b) Romans
c) Picts
d) Gaels

Question 6: What role did druids play in Celtic society?
a) They were warriors.
b) They were farmers.
c) They were storytellers.
d) They were priests and spiritual leaders.

Question 7: What was the purpose of stone circles and hillforts for the Celts?
a) They were used for farming.
b) They were used as homes.
c) They were used for religious rituals.
d) They were used for trading.

Question 8: What were Beltane and Samhain?
a) Roman festivals
b) Celtic festivals
c) Religious ceremonies
d) Modern holidays

Question 9: How did the Romans impact the British Isles?
a) They introduced Latin and left behind structures.
b) They brought English to the region.
c) They replaced Celtic languages with Latin completely.
d) They introduced new religions to the Celts.

Question 10: What languages gradually replaced Celtic languages in the British Isles?
a) Latin
b) Germanic languages
c) Gaelic
d) Pictish