practise English language skills. The materials are graded for two levels: Advanced and Lower Intermediate.
for teachers and learners from the Guardian Weekly’s Learning English section on the site.
Work in pairs and discuss the questions below.
spoken by a small number of people?
dying out in today’s world?
d Can anything be done to help minority languages?
c But the problem is that ….
is “more stoic”, rarely likes to leave his home.
to revitalise the language before it is too late.
1950s and the core group of speakers disappeared.
the land now known as Mexico for centuries.
fluently – but they refuse to talk to each other.
have never really enjoyed each other’s company.
group of speakers concentrated in the village.
pupils would stop coming,” Segovia said.
e What factors led to the decline of the language?
f What two plans are there to revitalise Ayapaneco?
c What exactly are the two men like?
d How often do the men use Ayapaneco?
g What has happened to plans in the past?
next to the paragraph titles. One title is not needed.
d Do you think it’s a problem if Ayapaneco dies out?
speakers of a language like Ayapenaco?
decide which language has the strongest future.
c Segovia still uses it with his son and wife … (para 5).
b two speakers of the language.
c they won’t converse/talk to each other.
1 a For centuries. It has survived wars, revolutions etc.
c Segovia is a little prickly and Velazquez is stoic.
d Segovia speaks Ayapaneco every day to his family. Velazquez never speaks it.
e The forced use of Spanish. Also, urbanisation and migration.
g The classes have failed because of a lack of enthusiasm and funding.