Language Diversity

文章内容（节选）

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题目与答案

1. 27 The search for brand-new, universal language norms is essentially over.
   • TRUE
   • FALSE
   • NOT GIVEN

   答案：NOT GIVEN

2. 28 The human race may be affected if one or more languages disappear.
   • TRUE
   • FALSE
   • NOT GIVEN

   答案：TRUE

   原文定位：And this leads to a disturbing conclusion: when a language dies, humanity loses an important piece of its diversity

   同义替换：「disappear」↔「dies」，「The human race may be affected」↔「humanity loses an important piece of its diversity」

3. 29 If Evans and Levinson are correct, then language does not affect how a person develops.
   • TRUE
   • FALSE
   • NOT GIVEN

   答案：FALSE

   原文定位：Evans and Levinson argue that language shapes our brains;differences in our brains depending on the language environment in which we grew up

   同义替换：「affect」↔「shapes」，「how a person develops」↔「the language environment in which we grew up」

4. 30 In the latter half of the 20th century, a single theory of language acquisition predominated.
   • TRUE
   • FALSE
   • NOT GIVEN

   答案：TRUE

   原文定位：This notion persisted for five decades, influencing work in linguistics, psychology, and cognitive science

   同义替换：「in the latter half of the 20th century」↔「five decades」，「theory」↔「notion」，「predominated」↔「persisted」

5. 31 Linguists disagree on a particular point of Straits Salish grammar.
   • TRUE
   • FALSE
   • NOT GIVEN

   答案：TRUE

   原文定位：More controversially, some linguists argue that a few languages, such as Straits Salish;lack distinct nouns and verbs

   同义替换：「disagree」↔「controversially」，「a particular point」↔「lack distinct nouns and verbs」

6. 32 Most of the UG guidelines put forth by linguists do hold true for all human languages.
   • TRUE
   • FALSE
   • NOT GIVEN

   答案：FALSE

   原文定位：Linguists have discovered numerous universal language rules since the UG theory was proposed. There are, however, almost always exceptions;Even seemingly indisputable universals have been discovered to be deficient;They claim that there are no absolutely universal language traits, only tendencies

   同义替换：「guidelines」↔「rules」，「put forth」↔「proposed」，「do hold true for all human languages」↔「almost always exceptions」

7. 33 What is the author's opinion of Evans and Levinson's theory of language acquisition?
   • Other linguists have largely rejected it.
   • It is not backed up by facts.
   • It had not been thought of before.
   • It is presented in an effective manner.

   答案：It is presented in an effective manner.

   原文定位：Levinson and Evans are not the first to question the theory of universal grammar, but no one has summarized and spread these ideas as effectively

   同义替换：「theory」↔「ideas」，「presented in an effective manner」↔「summarized and spread these ideas as effectively」

8. 34 What purpose does the mention of a middle ear infection serve in the eighth paragraph?
   • the potential origin of something.
   • the most likely outcome of something.
   • an explanation of something.
   • an opposition to something.

   答案：the potential origin of something.

   原文定位：It is unknown whether this condition shaped the sound systems of these languages, but it is important to consider the idea

   同义替换：「middle-ear infection」↔「condition」，「serve」↔「explain」，「the potential origin of something」↔「shaped the sound systems」

9. 35 Evans and Levinson suggest that apparent similarities between languages could be caused by
   • similar ways of perceiving
   • narrow systems of description
   • close interpersonal ties
   • error in analysis

   答案：similar ways of perceiving

   原文定位：Widely shared linguistic elements may also be based on a uniquely human type of reasoning. For example, most languages use these grammatical categories because we perceive the world before we learn to speak

   同义替换：「could be caused by」↔「because」，「apparent similarities between languages」↔「widely shared linguistic elements」

10. 36 Which of the following language-related beliefs do Evans and Levinson share?
    • There are only a few universal aspects of language.
    • The traits of other languages have an impact on each language.
    • The development of every language occurs independently.
    • Languages differ from one another more often than they are similar.

    答案：The development of every language occurs independently.

    原文定位：He and Levinson contend that this is due to the fact that any given language is a complex system shaped by a variety of factors such as culture, genetics, and history;They claim that there are no absolutely universal language traits, only tendencies

    同义替换：「occurs independently」↔「shaped by a variety of factors such as culture, genetics, and history」，「every」↔「any given」

11. 37 Which of the following best sums up the author's motivation?
    • to determine the shared features of specific languages.
    • to describe different points of view on language's nature.
    • to outline the development of cognitive science.
    • to support a long-held theory about language acquisition.

    答案：to describe different points of view on language's nature.

    原文定位：The concept of universal grammar is one of the most influential in the study of languages;Levinson and Evans are not the first to question the theory of universal grammar

    同义替换：「different points of view」↔「the theory of universal grammar」

12. Recently it has been asserted that Amazonia Piraha lacks
    • the most fundamental feature is language.
    • sentences that go beyond the limit.
    • words that can be used in multiple contexts.
    • words that fit a specific grammar pattern.
    • a series of noises that UG predicted.

    答案：the most fundamental feature is language.

    原文定位：However, Dan Everett of Illinois State University recently published controversial research demonstrating that Amazonian Piraha lacks this quality

    同义替换：「asserted」↔「published」

13. There are deficiencies in the Lao language
    • the most fundamental feature is language.
    • sentences that go beyond the limit.
    • words that can be used in multiple contexts.
    • words that fit a specific grammar pattern.
    • a series of noises that UG predicted.

    答案：words that fit a specific grammar pattern.

    原文定位：Others, like Lao, which is spoken in Laos, have no adjectives at all

    同义替换：「deficiencies」↔「have no adjectives at all」

14. The Arrernte language deviates from a "rule" regarding
    • the most fundamental feature is language.
    • sentences that go beyond the limit.
    • words that can be used in multiple contexts.
    • words that fit a specific grammar pattern.
    • a series of noises that UG predicted.

    答案：a series of noises that UG predicted.

    原文定位：This universal lasted until 1999 when linguists discovered that Arrernte, a language spoken by Indigenous Australians in the Northern Territory around Alice Springs, has VC syllables but no CV syllables

    同义替换：「a series of noises」↔「syllables」