1. Do you think English will be the mainstream language of the world in the future? Why?

It’s hard to tell, but I think that that’s a real possibility471. English is already one of the top languages in the world. Almost everywhere you go, people speak it. So I don’t think it’s such a leap to say that472 it could be the mainstream language in the future. But then again473, Mandarin and Spanish are catching up474 as really popular languages as well. So I can’t say for sure475.

2. What benefits can a foreign language bring to one’s career?

Well, knowing a foreign language can definitely help your career. For one, a foreign language can help you work in different places. If you wanted to travel in your career, knowing another language would definitely come in handy476. Besides, knowing a foreign language can also help you speak with clients from different countries, which is helpful if you work in business.

3. When learning a foreign language, which part is more difficult? Speaking or writing?

I suppose that speaking is probably more difficult. Writing can be hard in its own right477, but you usually have more resources to help you learn, like dictionaries. But speaking a language is harder because in addition to knowing grammar rules, you have to learn how to pronounce new sounds. Plus, if you’re having a conversation with a native speaker, you might get easily confused since they usually speak very quickly.

4. Do you think non-native speakers can master a foreign language perfectly?

Well, I think they can definitely master it really well. A lot of people just have the knack for learning new languages. And with enough time and practice, it’s possible to speak another language fluently. Sometimes, you can’t even tell that they aren’t native speakers. But I don’t know if they can ever be perfect with a foreign language. For example, there are some idioms in English that a non-native speaker might have trouble with learning.

5. Do children learn a foreign language easier?

Yes, children can definitely learn a foreign language faster and easier. Since they’re still developing， children’s brains can take in478 new information much quicker than adults can. They can adapt to new ways of speaking much better as well. Lots of people have learned one or even two new languages in their childhood，and it’s stuck with them for the long run479 It’s amazing how quickly children can pick up new things480.

6. What are the relations between language and culture? / Do you think learning a foreign language is helpful to understand the local culture?

I think that language helps define a culture. For example，there are some sayings481 that relate to a culture，and can’t really be translated to another language. More generally speaking，learning a language is equivalent to learning a culture. Besides the language skill，you can also learn the values of the culture. For example，you can learn a lot about how a culture views money by focusing on how the language describes money. So yes，learning a foreign language can help you understand the local culture better.

471 that’s areal possibility:这是绝对有可能的，可能性很大的
472 I don’t think it’s such a leap to say that:我不认为这样说有什么不合适的地方（建议作为常用Part3回答句型多做练习和积累）
473 But then again:但是话说回来
474 catching up：(正在）赶上来，（汉语和西班牙语）正在变得很流行
475 I can’t say for sure:我不能很肯定
476 come in handy:早晚会派的上用场
477 in its own right:从其自身来说
478 take in:吸收
479 it’s stuck with them for the long run:在很久后依然记得
480 pick up new things:学习新事物
481 sayings:谚语