About a quarter of the world's population speaks or uses English today. It's spoken at home and at school, in offices and meeting rooms, on ships and in airports. How did this come about? How did the English language begin, and what will its future hold? The history of the English language is a journey through space and time, from thousands of years ago to the present day and beyond, and to all corners of the globe. Join us on this journey and meet the monks and soldiers, the kings and scholars, the printers, poets, and travelers who have contributed to the English of today. Nonfiction makes up the majority of what we read today. Oxford Bookworms Factfiles offers students practice in acquiring information on engaging topics. Students can choose from four levels to find books that are perfectly suited to their reading level and goal.