# Bislama-the pidgin English language of Vanuatu

- 科目：雅思听力真题（Part 4）
- 考频：中频
- 最近考试：2026.4.28杭州IDP雅思
- 题目数：10
- 来源页：https://www.yaquan.site/paper/f623376f-d20e-4eaf-b17e-f90bbe250b1b（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

00:00:02,120 
 You will hear part of a linguistics lecture about a language called Bislama that is spoken in the Pacific Islands. 
 00:00:11,480 
 First, you have some time to look at questions thirty-one to forty on page seven. 
 00:01:07,460 
 Now listen carefully and answer questions thirty-one to forty. 
 00:01:15,020 
 Good morning and welcome back to this series of linguistics lectures. Today, I will be talking about the language Bislama, which is a form of Pidgin English. Linguists use the term Pidgin to describe new languages that are created by combining two or more existing languages, often in a simplified form. The study of Pidgin languages is important because it provides us with information about language change and modification. 
 00:01:41,530 
 The Pidgin English known as Bislama is used in the South Pacific nation of Vanuatu, a group of islands where eighty-one first languages are still regularly used by the local people. There are a further seventeen local languages that are in danger of dying out and eight that have been identified as extinct. This gives a total of a hundred and six first languages in all, a very high number for a small country with a population of just two hundred thousand people. 
 00:02:09,580 
 Then thinking about foreign languages, English is the most important and has official status, largely because it is the medium for all education purposes. 
 00:02:19,680 
 However, it is Bislama that is the most widely spoken language in the country, used regularly by more than ninety percent of the population. We should note here that in earlier times, some people had negative feelings towards the language. In fact, for many years it was commonly referred to as a broken language and its use was discouraged. But attitudes have changed dramatically, and today the people of Vanuatu are very proud of this unique language. 
 00:02:48,420 
 It is only when we understand the historical context that we can comprehend just why Bislama developed in Vanuatu. 
 00:02:55,690 
 The first form of Pidgin English in this region can be traced to around eighteen hundred when foreign traders arrived and local people were recruited to work as sailors. 
 00:03:05,060 
 On board multilingual ships, there was an obvious need for a common tongue and Pidgin English was born. This early form of Bislama continued to spread as trade in the Pacific developed in sandalwood and other local commodities. Then from about eighteen sixty, a lot of people from Vanuatu traveled to Australia to work on the new plantation as laborers. Again, because of the multilingual nature of these workplaces, it was very important to have a common language. 
 00:03:34,760 
 Finally, in modern times, there have been other pressures that have maintained the need for a common language. Like many other parts of the world from about the nineteen fifties, Vanuatu experienced a significant migration of its people from small villages into the city, and it has been here that Bislama has really established itself as the country's first language. 
 00:03:59,940 
 So then, how can we describe the language itself? In general terms, Pidgin languages can be defined as extremely simple versions of the original language. However, this is not a satisfactory definition in this case, and linguists prefer to describe Bislama as a developed Pidgin because it has more rules and ideas than most simple Pidgin languages found in other parts of the world. 
 00:04:26,200 
 Let's think first about the vocabulary. Because Britain was the colonial power, the majority of Bislama's vocabulary is derived from English. However, some care needs to be taken here. For example, the word from in Bislama can also mean because of. So we need to be aware that words can have a wider range of meanings in Bislama. Indeed, there are numerous other potentially misleading terms, and English is not the only contributor to the vocabulary. 
 00:04:59,300 
 Again, because of the region's history, there are some words, around five to ten percent, that are derived from French. 
 00:05:06,900 
 Then a relatively small number of words have been taken from local Pacific languages. Usually, this is the case where there is no English equivalent for naturally occurring phenomena or to describe some aspect of the culture that is unique to the country. 
 00:05:23,000 
 Finally, a word about grammar. Although the vocabulary is based largely on English, it's important to note that the grammatical structure of Bislama is derived from patterns common in the local languages of Vanuatu. So for example, there are two distinct pronouns meaning we. One means I and you, and another means I and some others, but not you. Sounds confusing in English, but in the local languages, such distinctions are common. A different example concerns the word long. It is almost the only preposition in Bislama and may be used in place of a whole range of English words such as at, to, with, on, in, and so on. 
 00:06:09,680 
 Well, that is the end of the formal part of the lecture. If you have any questions now, I'll be most happy to...

## 题目与答案

### 31. Language in Vanuatu Local languages: Actively spoken languages: 81 Declining languages: 17 31_____ languages: 8

Language in Vanuatu Local languages: Actively spoken languages: 81 Declining languages: 17 31_____ languages: 8

**答案**：extinct

原文定位：There are a further seventeen local languages that are in danger of dying out and eight that have been identified as extinct

同义替换：「declining」↔「dying out」

### 32. Total: 106 Foreign languages: English is used in the 32_____ system

Total: 106 Foreign languages: English is used in the 32_____ system

**答案**：education

原文定位：English is the most important and has official status, largely because it is the medium for all education purposes

### 33. Bislama It is spoken by 90% of the population today. In the past this language was described as 33_____ .

Bislama It is spoken by 90% of the population today. In the past this language was described as 33_____ .

**答案**：broken

原文定位：In fact, for many years it was commonly referred to as a broken language and its use was discouraged

同义替换：「In the past」↔「in earlier times」；「described」↔「referred to」

### 34. History of Bislama Around 1800 it was used as a common language on many ships. After 1860 Vanuatu people worked in Australian 34_____ .

History of Bislama Around 1800 it was used as a common language on many ships. After 1860 Vanuatu people worked in Australian 34_____ .

**答案**：plantation

原文定位：Then from about eighteen sixty, a lot of people from Vanuatu traveled to Australia to work on the new plantation as laborers

### 35. After 1950 people moved to the 35_____ .

After 1950 people moved to the 35_____ .

**答案**：city

原文定位：from about the nineteen fifties, Vanuatu experienced a significant migration of its people from small villages into the city

同义替换：「people moved to」↔「migration」

### 36. Description of Bislama General Bislama should be called a 36_____ pidgin.

Description of Bislama General Bislama should be called a 36_____ pidgin.

**答案**：developed

原文定位：linguists prefer to describe Bislama as a developed pidgin

同义替换：「called」↔「describe」

### 37. Vocabulary Most words come from English. Words such as “from” may have more 37_____ in Bislama.

Vocabulary Most words come from English. Words such as “from” may have more 37_____ in Bislama.

**答案**：meanings

原文定位：we need to be aware that words can have a wider range of meanings in Bislama

同义替换：「may have more」↔「wider range of」

### 38. Less than 10% of words are of 38_____ origin.

Less than 10% of words are of 38_____ origin.

**答案**：French

原文定位：there are some words, around five to ten percent, that are derived from French

同义替换：「origin」↔「derived from」

### 39. Pacific words describe the natural world and also local 39_____ .

Pacific words describe the natural world and also local 39_____ .

**答案**：culture

原文定位：Usually, this is the case where there is no English equivalent for naturally occurring phenomena or to describe some aspect of the culture that is unique to the country

同义替换：「world」↔「phenomena」

### 40. Grammar It is based on Vanuatu languages. The word “long” acts as an important 40_____ in Bislama.

Grammar It is based on Vanuatu languages. The word “long” acts as an important 40_____ in Bislama.

**答案**：preposition

原文定位：A different example concerns the word long. It is almost the only preposition in Bislama

同义替换：「acts as an important」↔「almost the only」

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