# Inventing a universal language - 科目：雅思听力真题（Part 4） - 考频：中频 - 最近考试：2023.3.25/2022.10.10/2022.2.12 - 题目数：10 - 来源页：https://www.yaquan.site/paper/55df66dc-78ec-4ad5-9c00-5618cf83124b（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 00:00:00,900 Now turn to section four on page seven. 00:00:06,520 Section four. 00:00:08,740 You will hear part of a linguistics lecture about attempts to invent a universal language. 00:00:15,640 First, you have some time to look at questions thirty-one to forty on page seven. 00:01:10,260 Now listen carefully and answer questions thirty-one to forty. 00:01:18,420 Good morning. Welcome back to this series of linguistics lectures. Today, I'll be talking about the idea of inventing a universal language. 00:01:27,760 What does that mean? Well, most human languages were never invented. Instead, they evolved over time, and the result is, you know, they're irregular and difficult to learn. So for centuries, people have dreamed of inventing a perfect universal language. The early invented languages that did exist were either created by priests to be used for religious purposes or developed to help establish trade between different nations. 00:01:56,860 Scholars have found evidence that around nine hundred languages have been invented over the centuries in various parts of the world. But the linguist Arika Okrent believes that the exact figure is unclear because she suspects many of these languages are now lost. No record of them survives. 00:02:15,520 The first really serious attempt to invent a language was made by William Spencer in the seventeenth century. Like so many others, he was frustrated by the irregularities in all existing languages. Accuracy was particularly important for Spencer because he wrote books. His subject was science. 00:02:34,020 As a result, he wanted to create a language where words had only one meaning, so everyone would understand precisely what they meant. 00:02:42,700 At first, he thought the only way to do this was, instead of using the usual letters of the alphabet, A, B, C, and so on, he tried to substitute numbers for them. However, this attempt failed, mostly because he couldn't describe complex ideas in this way. So Spencer went back to using the alphabet, but he grouped words together in a different way. When his dictionary was published in sixteen sixty-eight, the words weren't classified in alphabetical order. What he'd done was he'd used the same system with which plants were divided up into groups based on their type. 00:03:25,520 Another important attempt to invent a universal language was made by Ludwig Zamenhof, who was born in eighteen fifty-nine. 00:03:33,480 Zamenhof's language reflects his own background. He grew up speaking Polish, English, French, German, and Russian. So rather than create a completely new language, he mixed together five or six existing European languages. Then Zamenhof used an interesting technique to help him develop his new language. He used it to write quite a few different songs, and this made his work more enjoyable. 00:04:00,000 He also thought that most European languages were too complicated, which meant that it was very difficult for people to learn them. Zamenhof wanted to create a more simple language. So for example, he had a single prefix that was used before adjectives or verbs to make them negative, which is obviously much easier than English. 00:04:20,220 Then finally, he published a book introducing his language to the world in eighteen eighty-seven. Unfortunately, like other invented languages, no one was very interested at first. So again, Zamenhof used an interesting approach. In order to publicize the completed language, he made a list of everyone he knew and posted a letter to all of them using the new language. 00:04:43,860 Many people were surprised how easily they could understand it, and the language began to attract attention. 00:04:50,040 Zamenhof's language was never used all around the world as he had hoped. But still, it's probably the most successful of all the invented languages. 00:05:00,000 In the twentieth century, an Australian named Bruce Goldie tried something completely different. 00:05:05,860 Goldie thought that a universal language would be easier to use if the starting point for each word was a picture. Goldie spent more than twenty years designing his new language and eventually published a book giving all the details in nineteen forty-nine. 00:05:20,600 He also went on a lecture tour to promote it. But although the general public were often quite interested, much to Goldie's disappointment, his language was ignored by all of the major universities, despite frequent attempts to make them interested. 00:05:34,780 It wasn't until the nineteen seventies that his language had some success. This was in Canada, in fact, where it was used to teach a group of disabled children in a hospital to read. And as a result, Goldie got some recognition for his work. 00:05:49,860 So what can we say in conclusion? Well, the truth is, all attempts to create a universal language have failed, and there are a number of reasons for this. 00:05:59,680 Firstly, most universal languages have been seen as rather technical and plain. They are not good at conveying emotion, so they've never been very popular. Another reason is the spread of English as a global language in the twentieth century, particularly resulting from the film industry in Hollywood. 00:06:17,760 Then lastly, the type of people who invented the languages began to change. In the past, it had been academics, but more recently, the languages have often been created by writers, usually for entertainment, so they haven't been taken seriously. 00:06:34,080 All right. Well, there's one other issue I'd like to consider, and that's the use of... 00:06:42,060 That is the end of section four. You now have half a minute to check your answers. ## 题目与答案 ### 31. Inventing a Universal Language Introduction ·Most languages were not invented - they evolved. ·Early invented languages were used for religious purposes or for 31_____ ·We know of about 900 invented languages, but many have been lost Inventing a Universal Language Introduction ·Most languages were not invented - they evolved. ·Early invented languages were used for religious purposes or for 31_____ ·We know of about 900 invented languages, but many have been lost **答案**：trade 原文定位：The early invented languages that did exist were either created by priests to be used for religious purposes or developed to help establish trade between different nations 同义替换：「used for」↔「developed to help」 ### 32. William Spencer ·He wrote books about 32_____ so he needed an accurate language. William Spencer ·He wrote books about 32_____ so he needed an accurate language. **答案**：science 原文定位：Accuracy was particularly important for Spencer because he wrote books. His subject was science ### 33. ·At first he tried to base his language on 33_____ • Later he classified words in the same way that was used for plants ·At first he tried to base his language on 33_____ • Later he classified words in the same way that was used for plants **答案**：numbers 原文定位：At first, he thought the only way to do this was, instead of using the usual letters of the alphabet;he tried to substitute numbers for them 同义替换：「base」↔「substitute」 ### 34. Ludwig Zamenhof ·He mixed together existing European languages. ·He wrote 34_____ to help develop his new language. Ludwig Zamenhof ·He mixed together existing European languages. ·He wrote 34_____ to help develop his new language. **答案**：songs 原文定位：Then Zamenhof used an interesting technique to help him develop his new language. He used it to write quite a few different songs, and this made his work more enjoyable ### 35. ·He wanted simplicity, e.g. one prefix to make words 35_____ . ·He wanted simplicity, e.g. one prefix to make words 35_____ . **答案**：negative 原文定位：He had a single prefix that was used before adjectives or verbs to make them negative 同义替换：「simplicity」↔「more simple」 ### 36. ·He sent a 36_____ to his friends to publicise his language. ·He created the most successful invented language. ·He sent a 36_____ to his friends to publicise his language. ·He created the most successful invented language. **答案**：letter 原文定位：he made a list of everyone he knew and posted a letter to all of them using the new language 同义替换：「sent」↔「posted」 ### 37. Bruce Goldie · Each word of his language was based on a 37_____ . Bruce Goldie · Each word of his language was based on a 37_____ . **答案**：picture 原文定位：Goldie thought that a universal language would be easier to use if the starting point for each word was a picture 同义替换：「based on」↔「starting point for」 ### 38. · His language did not get academic recognition at first. · Children in a Canadian 38_____ learned to read using his language. · His language did not get academic recognition at first. · Children in a Canadian 38_____ learned to read using his language. **答案**：hospital 原文定位：This was in Canada, in fact, where it was used to teach a group of disabled children in a hospital to read 同义替换：「learned」↔「used to teach」 ### 39. Conclusion: why have invented languages failed? ·They cannot express 39_____ . Conclusion: why have invented languages failed? ·They cannot express 39_____ . **答案**：emotion 原文定位：They are not good at conveying emotion, so they've never been very popular 同义替换：「express」↔「convey」 ### 40. ·English became the global language. ·They are now invented by 40_____ just for entertainment. ·English became the global language. ·They are now invented by 40_____ just for entertainment. **答案**：writers 原文定位：more recently, the languages have often been created by writers, usually for entertainment 同义替换：「invented」↔「created」 --- 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。