IV. Choose the word (A, B, C or D) that best fits the blanks space in the following passage.

Approximately 350 million people speak English as their first language. About the same number use it as a ___(1)___ language. It is the English language that is used as the language of aviation, international sport and pop music. 75% of the world mail is in English, 60% of the radio station ___(2)___ in English and more than half of the world’s periodicals are printed ___(3)___ English. It is the English language that is used as an ___(4)___ language in 44 countries, and as the language of business commerce a technology in many others. English is now an effective medium of international communication. ___(5)___ , it is the written English, which is not systematically phonetic, that causes difficulties ___(6)___ foreigners.