Some linguists claim that the Polish language is the second most difficult language to master..... and I won' t argue with that. One of the many reasons I find it so difficult is that the Polish lexicon contains a zillion Zs ... and if you think that I' m exaggerating ...check out these facts:
COLLINS S£OWNIK POLSKO-ANGIELSKI, edited by Jacek Fisiak (The World of English consultant), lists 2,289 Polish words beginning with the letter Z. Its companion dictionary ANGIELSKO-POLSKI contains a grand total of 38 English words that begin with the letter Z.
I told my students that we Americans just aren' t used to the Z sound. In their zeal to prove me wrong they came up with the following test..... I do admit it' s a little zany but I' m certain that you will be able to zip through it ..... and I hope you do so with as much zest as I did...enjoy!
From all the correct answers received, we will first draw 5 names for book prizes. The second drawing will be for an additional 5 names and these winners will receive Reader' s Digest Condensed Books. In the event of a very large number of correct answers, 5 additional Reader' s Digest Books will be drawn. Please send in your correct answers promptly, marked 'Contest ZZZZZs' . The solution will be printed in our next issue along with our winners.
Put one letter in each blank:
1. Bumble bee' s sound - - ZZ
2. Soda pop bubbles - - ZZ
3. Type of music - - ZZ
4. Pie topped with tomato sauce and cheese - - ZZ -
5. How you' ll feel if you spin around too fast - - ZZ -
6. Soft, like a teddy bear - - ZZ -
7. Difficult problem to solve - - ZZ - -
8. Part of a gas pump - - ZZ - -
9. Sound made by frying bacon - - ZZ - -
10. Device to keep a dog from biting - - ZZ - -
11. Vulture-like bird - - ZZ - - -
12. Light rain - - - ZZ - -
13. Big American bear - - - ZZ - -
14. Curly hair, sometimes - - - ZZ -
15. Severe snowstorm - - - ZZ - - -
by Stas