# The origin of language - 科目：雅思阅读真题（Part 3） - 考频：中频 - 最近考试：2026.2.12西南财经大学 - 题目数：12 - 来源页：https://www.yaquan.site/paper/14bd1517-5f14-4200-ae89-5e9c282522ae（在线机考练习与音频请访问该页面） - 数据更新：2026-10-29 ## 题目原文 The archaeologist Stephen Mithen talks about the ideas behind his new book on the origin of language. A Theories on the origin and evolution of language have been a major area of my research for many years. By 1859, when British scientist Charles Darwin published The Origin of Species, there was already a great deal of interest in this subject. However, the debate became plagued by strange theories, so much so that in 1866 the influential Société de Linguistique de Paris banned all discussions about the origin of language. The ban lasted for more than a century, before a surge of research began during the 1990s. Linguists, psychologists, anthropologists and archaeologists now frequently debate the origin of language and have published many articles and books on this topic. And yet, despite almost frenzied activity, limited progress has been made. B I believe there are four reasons for this. The first is an insufficient concern with the archaeological and fossil proof of the brains and behaviour of our human ancestors. Many theories to date rely on an assumed association between brain size and language abilities, without acknowledging the problem this creates: fossil evidence indicates that the Neanderthals had larger brains than modern humans, Homo sapiens, but archaeological evidence indicates that the Neanderthals lacked a capacity for language. So something is seriously amiss with those theories. C That 'something' might relate to the second reason for limited progress: insufficient concern with the other major aural and vocal communication system of modern humans: music. 39 Even though the Société de Linguistique de Paris had nothing to say about studying the origin of music, academics appear to have had a self-imposed ban, with limited discussion of this issue during the 19th and 20th centuries. However, there are notable exceptions that should be acknowledged. One is the aforementioned Charles Darwin, who, in his 1871 book on human evolution, The Descent of Man, devoted several pages to the development of music. Another is the renowned ethnomusicologist John Blacking whose 1973 book, How Musical is Man?, broached the idea that music is an inherent and universal human quality. D The origin of music deserves as much attention as that of language, as we cannot treat one without the other. Those writers who had evidently annoyed the Société de Linguistique de Paris were quite aware of this. For them music and language were intimately linked; the French writer and philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau's On the Origin of Language (1781) was a reflection on both music and language. In contrast, Morten Christiansen and Simon Kirby's book, Language Evolution (2000), which they conceived as 'a definitive book on the subject', failed to mention music in any of its 17 chapters. Those authors have an important lesson to learn from Rousseau and other writers of his time who addressed the origin of language. E Music is a universal feature of human society and plays a significant role in the lives of all individuals. Indeed, music is perhaps in even greater need of study than language: the latter has a self-evident function-the transmission of information-and can be readily accepted as a product of evolution, even if its specific evolutionary history remains unclear. But what is the point of music? F That question leads directly to a third reason for our lack of progress in understanding how language evolved, and indeed the human mind in general: an insufficient concern with emotion If music is about anything, it is about expressing emotion. But while archaeologists have put significant effort into examining the intellectual capacities of our ancestors, their emotional lives have been sorely neglected. This has contributed to the neglect of music, which, in turn, has constrained our understanding of language. G There is one further reason why progress has been limited, those who have been most influential regarding the evolution of language have simply got it wrong, and misled everyone else. Linguist Derek Bickerton has made an important contribution towards our understanding of the origin of language by bringing his profound knowledge of linguistios to the discussions that have occurred. But Bickerton's idea that the precursor of modern language consisted of words strung together with limited, if any, grammar is, I believe, fundamentally mistaken Bickerton refers to this precursor as 'proto-language' and suggests that it was similar to the type of language spoken by young children today, and mastered by apes through the use of computer keyboards. This idea has dominated the field of language origins for the last two decades, and is one that I once found persuasive. But I now understand that it is not only flawed but has severely limited the progress that should have been made. H My book therefore provides an alternative view, one that draws on the ideas of a linguist who has, I believe, identified the true nature of proto-language. Her name is Alison Wray. She argues that proto-language was holistic rather than compositional in character. By this she means that the precursor to language was a communication system composed of 'messages' rather than words; each message was uniquely associated with an arbitrary meaning, as are the utterances of language today. But in Wray's proto-language, they were not composed out of smaller units of meaning (i.e. words) which could be combined together using a rule system (i.e. grammar) to make more complex messages with emergent meanings For Wray, proto-language was semantically complex and agrammatical. I believe this insight enables us to understand the origin of music as well as language, and to relate both to the emotional lives of our human ancestors. ## 题目与答案 ### 27. 27 In the first paragraph, what does the writer suggest about the origin of language? 27 In the first paragraph, what does the writer suggest about the origin of language? - Too many branches of science have been involved in its study. - The Société de Linguistique de Paris instigated research in this area. - The lack of progress is surprising given the amount of work being done. - Most progress in the study of language was made between 1859 and 1866. **答案**：The lack of progress is surprising given the amount of work being done. 原文定位：And yet, despite almost frenzied activity, limited progress has been made 同义替换：「lack」↔「limited」；「surprising」↔「yet, despite」；「amount of work being done」↔「almost frenzied activity」 ### 28. 28 What is the 'problem referred to in the second paragraph? 28 What is the 'problem referred to in the second paragraph? - Some current theories are based on conflicting evidence. - There is insufficient fossil evidence to reach a conclusion. - Fossil evidence suggests that Homo sapiens had larger brains than Neanderthals. - Archaeological evidence shows that Neanderthals were able to talk. **答案**：Some current theories are based on conflicting evidence. 原文定位：Many theories to date rely on an assumed association between brain size and language abilities, without acknowledging the problem this creates: fossil evidence indicates that the Neanderthals had larger brains than modern humans, Homo sapiens, but archaeological evidence indicates that the Neanderthals lacked a capacity for language 同义替换：「current」↔「to date」 ### 29. 29 What does the writer suggest about Jean-Jacques Rousseau's work in 1781? 29 What does the writer suggest about Jean-Jacques Rousseau's work in 1781? - Modern theorists should pay more attention to his approach. - His ideas supported those of the Société de Linguistique de Paris. - His ideas were mirrored in a later book called Language Evolution. - His ideas are too outdated to be of any relevance today. **答案**：Modern theorists should pay more attention to his approach. 原文定位：Those authors have an important lesson to learn from Rousseau and other writers of his time who addressed the origin of language 同义替换：「pay more attention to」↔「have an important lesson to learn from」 ### 30. 30 What is the writer's current view of Derek Bickerton's ideas? 30 What is the writer's current view of Derek Bickerton's ideas? - They have had little impact on the study of language. - They have helped the study of linguistics to progress. - They are not accepted by the majority of linguists. - The assumption behind them is wrong. **答案**：The assumption behind them is wrong. 原文定位：But I now understand that it is not only flawed but has severely limited the progress that should have been made 同义替换：「current view」↔「now understand」 ### 31. 31 In the final paragraph, the writer concludes that Alison Wray's ideas will help establish a dink between 31 In the final paragraph, the writer concludes that Alison Wray's ideas will help establish a dink between - grammar and meaning - messages and proto-language - language music and emotions - proto-language and modern semantics **答案**：language music and emotions 原文定位：I believe this insight enables us to understand the origin of music as well as language, and to relate both to the emotional lives of our human ancestors 同义替换：「link between」↔「relate both to」；「help establish」↔「enables us to understand」 ### 32. The Société de Linguistique de Paris The Société de Linguistique de Paris - suggested music was an essential part of every individual. - made no link between music and language in a comprehensive study. - believes that early language was very musical. - felt that the origin of language should not be debated. - states that early language was made up of basic words used in an unsystematic way. - devoted 17 chapters of a book to music. **答案**：felt that the origin of language should not be debated. 原文定位：in 1866 the influential Société de Linguistique de Paris banned all discussions about the origin of language 同义替换：「banned all discussions」↔「should not be debated」 ### 33. Charles Darwin Charles Darwin - suggested music was an essential part of every individual. - made no link between music and language in a comprehensive study. - believes that early language was very musical. - felt that the origin of language should not be debated. - states that early language was made up of basic words used in an unsystematic way. - devoted 17 chapters of a book to music. **答案**：referred to music in part of a book about the development of human beings. 原文定位：One is the aforementioned Charles Darwin, who, in his 1871 book on human evolution, The Descent of Man, devoted several pages to the development of music 同义替换：「referred to」↔「devoted several pages to the development of」；「the development of human beings」↔「human evolution」 ### 34. John Blacking John Blacking - suggested music was an essential part of every individual. - made no link between music and language in a comprehensive study. - believes that early language was very musical. - felt that the origin of language should not be debated. - states that early language was made up of basic words used in an unsystematic way. - devoted 17 chapters of a book to music. **答案**：suggested music was an essential part of every individual. 原文定位：Another is the renowned ethnomusicologist John Blacking whose 1973 book, How Musical is Man;broached the idea that music is an inherent and universal human quality 同义替换：「essential part」↔「inherent and universal」；「every individual」↔「human quality」 ### 35. Christiansen and Kirby Christiansen and Kirby - suggested music was an essential part of every individual. - made no link between music and language in a comprehensive study. - believes that early language was very musical. - felt that the origin of language should not be debated. - states that early language was made up of basic words used in an unsystematic way. - devoted 17 chapters of a book to music. **答案**：made no link between music and language in a comprehensive study. 原文定位：Morten Christiansen and Simon Kirby's book, Language Evolution;failed to mention music in any of its 17 chapters 同义替换：「made no link between」↔「failed to」 ### 36. Derek Bickerton Derek Bickerton - suggested music was an essential part of every individual. - made no link between music and language in a comprehensive study. - believes that early language was very musical. - felt that the origin of language should not be debated. - states that early language was made up of basic words used in an unsystematic way. - devoted 17 chapters of a book to music. **答案**：states that early language was made up of basic words used in an unsystematic way. 原文定位：Bickerton's idea that the precursor of modern language consisted of words strung together with limited, if any, grammar is, I believe, fundamentally mistaken 同义替换：「early」↔「precursor」；「made up」↔「consisted of」；「unsystematic way」↔「limited, if any, grammar」 ### 37. Alison Wray Alison Wray - suggested music was an essential part of every individual. - made no link between music and language in a comprehensive study. - believes that early language was very musical. - felt that the origin of language should not be debated. - states that early language was made up of basic words used in an unsystematic way. - devoted 17 chapters of a book to music. **答案**：believes that proto-language had no individual words. 原文定位：She argues that proto-language was holistic rather than compositional in character;they were not composed out of smaller units of meaning 同义替换：「had no individual」↔「not composed out of smaller units of」 ### 38-40. 38-40 According to the writer, which THREE of the following areas have not been studied enough in order to understand the origin of language? 38-40 According to the writer, which THREE of the following areas have not been studied enough in order to understand the origin of language? - evidence from prehistoric times - intelligence - individual sounds - music - emotions - human intellect **答案**：evidence from prehistoric times,music,emotions 原文定位：The first is an insufficient concern with the archaeological and fossil proof of the brains and behaviour of our human ancestors;insufficient concern with the other major aural and vocal communication system of modern humans: music;a third reason;insufficient concern with emotion 同义替换：「prehistoric times evidence」↔「archaeological and fossil proof」；「have not been studied enough」↔「insufficient concern」 --- 以上内容由鸭圈雅思真题库（www.yaquan.site）提供，收录近期雅思考试真题回忆，支持在线机考模式免费练习。