Spanish at the United Nations and Around the World
Imagine a meeting where people from many countries need to discuss the same problem, but they do not all speak the same language. At the United Nations (UN), interpreters help people understand one another by conveying spoken messages from one language into another. Spanish is one of the UN’s six official languages, along with Arabic, Chinese, English, French, and Russian.
The UN is an organization where countries work together on issues that cross borders, such as health, peace, and the environment. Having several official languages helps more people take part in its work. UN documents are also made available in official languages so that readers can access the same information in different languages.
One language, many communities
Spanish is spoken in Spain, in many countries across the Americas, and in communities elsewhere. People who speak Spanish do not all have the same nationality. A person from Mexico, Colombia, or the United States, for example, may speak Spanish without being a citizen of Spain. A language can cross borders, while nationality is connected to a particular country.
- official:
- Formally accepted or recognized by an organization.
- communities:
- Groups of people who share a place or connections.
- generation:
- A group of people born and living around the same time.
- associated:
- Connected with something else.
- traditions:
- Customs or beliefs passed from one generation to another.
- contributions:
- Valued things people have done or given.
One passage, many ways to practice
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Main Idea
Identify the central idea and explain how important details develop it.
Context Clues
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Summarize
Select, organize, and restate the most important information without adding opinion.
Purpose
Analyze what the author aims to do and how choices serve audience and purpose.
Structure
Analyze how sections and organizational choices build the text's ideas or effects.
Vocabulary
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Writing Prompts
Use the passage as a springboard for short written responses, from personal reflection to evidence-based arguments.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1How do interpreters and official-language documents help people participate in the UN?
- 2What is the main idea of the section “One language, many communities”?
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About this explanatory article passage for Upper Elementary
“Spanish at the United Nations and Around the World” is a explanatory article reading passage about Spanish language and linguistic diversity, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 3 minutes to read (500 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.