问答题Language exists to communicate whatever it can communicate. Some things it communicates so badly that we never attempt to communicate them by words if any other medium is available. Those who think they are testing a boy’s “elementary” command of English by asking him to describe in words how one ties one’s tie or what a pair of scissors is like, are far astray. For precisely what language can hardly do at all, and never does well, is to inform us about complex physical shapes and movements. Hence descriptions of such things in the ancient writers are nearly always unintelligible. Hence we never in real life voluntarily use language for this purpose; we draw a diagram or go through pantomimic gestures. The exercises which such examiners set are no more a test of “elementary” linguistic competence than the most difficult bit of trick—riding from the circus ring is a test of elementary horsemanship. Another grave limitation of language is that it cannot, like music or gesture, do more than one thing at once. However the words in a great poet’s phrase interanimate one other and strike the mind as quasi-instantaneous chord, yet, strictly speaking, each word must be read or heard before the next. That way, language is as unilinear as time. Hence, in narrative, the great difficulty of presenting a very complicated change which happens suddenly. If we do justice to the complexity, the time the reader must take over the passage will destroy the feeling of suddenness. If we get in the suddenness we shall not be able to get in the complexity. One of the most important and effective uses of language is the emotional. It is also, of course, wholly legitimate. We do not talk only in order to reason or to inform. We have to make love and quarrel, to propitiate and pardon, to rebuke, to console, intercede, and a rouse. “He that complains,” said Johnson, “acts like a man, like a social being.” The real objection lies not against the language of emotion as such, but against language which, being in reality emotional, masquerades—whether by plain hypocrisy or subtle self-deceit—as being something else.
问答题
Language exists to communicate whatever it can communicate. Some things it communicates so badly that we never attempt to communicate them by words if any other medium is available. Those who think they are testing a boy’s “elementary” command of English by asking him to describe in words how one ties one’s tie or what a pair of scissors is like, are far astray. For precisely what language can hardly do at all, and never does well, is to inform us about complex physical shapes and movements. Hence descriptions of such things in the ancient writers are nearly always unintelligible. Hence we never in real life voluntarily use language for this purpose; we draw a diagram or go through pantomimic gestures. The exercises which such examiners set are no more a test of “elementary” linguistic competence than the most difficult bit of trick—riding from the circus ring is a test of elementary horsemanship. Another grave limitation of language is that it cannot, like music or gesture, do more than one thing at once. However the words in a great poet’s phrase interanimate one other and strike the mind as quasi-instantaneous chord, yet, strictly speaking, each word must be read or heard before the next. That way, language is as unilinear as time. Hence, in narrative, the great difficulty of presenting a very complicated change which happens suddenly. If we do justice to the complexity, the time the reader must take over the passage will destroy the feeling of suddenness. If we get in the suddenness we shall not be able to get in the complexity. One of the most important and effective uses of language is the emotional. It is also, of course, wholly legitimate. We do not talk only in order to reason or to inform. We have to make love and quarrel, to propitiate and pardon, to rebuke, to console, intercede, and a rouse. “He that complains,” said Johnson, “acts like a man, like a social being.” The real objection lies not against the language of emotion as such, but against language which, being in reality emotional, masquerades—whether by plain hypocrisy or subtle self-deceit—as being something else.
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For any Englishman, there can never be any discussion as to who is the world’s greatest dramatist (剧作家).Only one name can possibly suggest itself to him: that of William Shakespeare.Every Englishman has some knowledge, however slight, of the work of our greatest writer.All of us use words, phrases and quotations from Shakespeare’s writings that have become part of the common property of the English-speaking people.Most of the time we are probably unaware of the source of the words we used, rather like the old lady who was taken to see a performance of Hamlet and complained that it was full of well-known proverbs and quotations.Shakespeare, more perhaps than any other writer, makes full use of the great resources of the English language.Most of us use about five thousand words in our normal use of English; Shakespeare in his works used about twenty-five thousand.There is probably no better way for a foreigner to appreciate the richness and variety of the English language than by studying the various ways in which Shakespeare used it.Such a study is well worth the effort (it is not, of course, recommended to beginners) even though some aspects of English usage, and the meaning of many words, have changed since Shakespeare’s day.1).English people _______.A.have never discussed who is the world’s greatest dramatistB.never discuss any issue concerning the world’s greatest dramatistC.are sure who is the world’s greatest dramatistD.do not care who is the world’s greatest poet and dramatist2).Every Englishman knows _______.A.more or less about ShakespeareB.Shakespeare, but only slightlyC.all Shakespeare’s writingsD.only the name of the greatest English writer3).Which of the following is true?A.We use all the words, phrases and quotations from Shakespeare’s writings.B.Shakespeare’s writings have become the property of those who are learning to speak English.C.It is likely to be true that people often do not know the origins of the words they useD.All the words people use are taken from the writings of Shakespeare.4).What does the word “proverb” mean?A.Familiar sayings.B.Shakespeare’s plays.C.Complaints.D.Actors and actresses.5).Why is it worthwhile to study the various ways in which Shakespeare used English?A.English words have changed a lot since Shakespeare’s time.B.By doing so one can be fully aware of the richness of the English language.C.English words are now being used in the same way as in Shakespeare’s time.D.Beginners may have difficulty learning some aspects of English usage.
How men first learnt to invent words is unknown; in other words, the origin of language is a mystery. All we really know is that men, unlike animals, somehow invented certain sounds to express thought and feelings, actions and things, so that they could communicate with each other; and that later they agreed upon certain signs, called letters, which could be combined to present those sounds, and which could be written down. Those sounds, whether spoken or written in letters, we call words. The power of words, then, lies in their associations - the things they bring up before our minds. Words become filled with meaning for us by experience; and the longer we live, the more certain words recall to us the glad and sad events of our past; and the more we read and learn, the more the number of words that mean something increases. Great writers are those who not only have great thoughts but also express these thoughts in words which appeal powerfully to our minds and emotions. This charming and telling use of words is what we call literary style. Above all, the real poet is a master of words. He can convey his meaning in words which sing like music and which by their position and association can move men to tears. We should therefore learn to choose our words carefully and use them accurately, or they will make our speech silly and vulgar. What is true about words?：A、They are used to express feelings onlyB、They can not be written downC、They are simply soundsD、They are mysterious.
Passage FiveIn every language there are two great classes of words which, taken together, consist of the whole vocabulary. First, there are those words with which we become acquainted in daily conversation, which we learn, that is to say, from the members of our own family and from our familiar associates, and which we should know and use even if we could not read or write. They concern the common things of life, and are the goods in trade of all those who speak the language. Such words may be called "popular", since they belong to the whole people; and are not the exclusive possession of a limited class.On the other hand, our language includes a large number of words which are comparatively seldom used in ordinary conversation. Their meanings are known to every educated person, but there is little occasion to use them at home or in the market-place. Our first acquaintance with them comes not from our mother's lips or from the talk of our school-mates, but from books that we read, lectures that we bear, or the more formal conversation of highly educated speakers who are discussing some particular topic in a style. raised above the habitual level of everyday life. Such words are called "learned". And the distinction between them and "popular" words is of great importance to a right understanding of the language.51. One class of words can be learned ______.A. through everyday lifeB. without too much practiceC. from popular songsD. with a dictionary in one's hand
CYou speak, write a letter, make a telephone. Your words carry a message. People communicate with words. Do you think you can communicate without words? A smile on your face shows you are happy or friendly. Tears in your eyes tell others that you are sad.When you put up your hands in class, the teacher knows you want to say something or ask questions. You shake your head, and people know you are saying "No". You nod and people know you are saying "Yes". Other things can also carry messages. For example, a sign at the bus helps you to know which bus to take. A sign on the door helps you where to go in or out. Have you ever thought that there are a lot of signs around you and that you receive messages from them all the time? People can communicate in many other ways. An artist can use his drawing to tell beautiful mountains, about the blue sea and many other things. Books are written to tell about all the wonderful things in the world and also about people and their ideas. Books, magazines, TV, radio and films all help us communicate with others. They can help us to know what is going on in the world and what other people are thinking about.61. People communicate ________.A.with words only B.in many different waysC.in letters and drawings D.with smiles, tears and hands
共用题干Successful Language Learners1.Some people seem to have a knack for learning languages.They can pick up new vocabulary,master rules or grammar,and learn to write in the new language more quickly than others.They do not seem to be any more intelligent than others,so what makes language learning so much easier for them?Perhaps if we take a close look at these successful language learners,we may discover a few of the techniques which make language learning easier for them.2.First of all,successful language learners are independent learners.They do not depend on the book or the teacher;they discover their own way to learn the language.Instead of waiting for the teacher to explain,they try to find the patterns and the rules for themselves.They are good guessers who look for clues and form their own conclusions.When they guess wrong,they guess again.They try to learn from mistakes.3.Successful language learning is active learning. Therefore,successful learners do not wait for a chance to use the language;they look for such a chance.They find people who speak the language and they ask these people to correct them when they make a mistake.They will try anything to com-municate.They are not afraid to repeat what they hear or to say strange things;they are willing to make mistakes and try again.When communication is difficult,they can accept information that is inexact or incomplete.It is more important for them to learn to think in the language than to know the meaning of every word.4.Finally,successful language learners are learners with a purpose.They want to learn the language because they are interested in the language and the people who speak it.It is necessary for them to learn the language in order to communicate with these people and to learn from them.They find it easy to practice using the language regularly because they want to learn with it.5.What kind of language learner are you?If you are a successful language learner,you have probably been learning independently,actively,and purposefully.On the other hand,if your language learning has been less than successful,you might as well try some of the techniques outlined above. Paragraph 3_________.A:Ways to learn a language successfully.B:Learning a language purposefully.C:Learning a language actively.D:Learning a language independently.E:Learning from mistakes.F:Learning to think in the target language.
共用题干Successful Language Learners1. Some people seem to have a knack for learning languages.They can pick up new vocabulary, master rules or grammar,and learn to write in the new language more quickly than others.They do not seem to be any more intelligent than others,so what makes language learning so much eas- ier for them?Perhaps if we take a close look at these successful language learners,we may dis- cover a few of the techniques which make language learning easier for them.2. First of all,successful language learners are independent learners.They do not depend on the book or the teacher;they discover their own way to learn the language.Instead of waiting for the teacher to explain,they try to find the patterns and the rules for themselves.They are good guess-ers who look for clues and form their own conclusions.When they guess wrong,they guess again. They try to learn from mistakes.3. Successful language learning is active learning. Therefore,successful learners do not wait for a chance to use the language;they look for such a chance.They find people who speak the lan-guage and they ask these people to correct them when they make a mistake.They will try anything to communicate .They are not afraid to repeat what they hear or to say strange things;they are willing to make mistakes and try again .When communication is difficult,they can accept information that is inexact or incomplete.It is more important for them to learn to think in the language than to know the meaning of every word.4. Finally,successful language learners are learners with a purpose.They want to learn the language because they are interested in the language and the people who speak it.It is necessary for them to learn the language in order to communicate with these people and to learn from them. They find it easy to practice using the language regularly because they want to learn with it.5. What kind of language learner are you?If you are a successful language learner,you have probably been learning independently,actively,and purposefully. On the other hand,if your language learning has been less than successful,you might as well try some of the techniques outlined above. Paragraph 3______A: Ways to Learn a Language Successfully.B: Learning a language Purposefully.C: Learning a Language Actively.D: Learning a Language Independently.E: Learning from Mistakes.F: Learning to Think in the Target Language.
共用题干Successful Language Learners1. Some people seem to have a knack for learning languages.They can pick up new vocabulary, master rules or grammar,and learn to write in the new language more quickly than others.They do not seem to be any more intelligent than others,so what makes language learning so much eas- ier for them?Perhaps if we take a close look at these successful language learners,we may dis- cover a few of the techniques which make language learning easier for them.2. First of all,successful language learners are independent learners.They do not depend on the book or the teacher;they discover their own way to learn the language.Instead of waiting for the teacher to explain,they try to find the patterns and the rules for themselves.They are good guess-ers who look for clues and form their own conclusions.When they guess wrong,they guess again. They try to learn from mistakes.3. Successful language learning is active learning. Therefore,successful learners do not wait for a chance to use the language;they look for such a chance.They find people who speak the lan-guage and they ask these people to correct them when they make a mistake.They will try anything to communicate .They are not afraid to repeat what they hear or to say strange things;they are willing to make mistakes and try again .When communication is difficult,they can accept information that is inexact or incomplete.It is more important for them to learn to think in the language than to know the meaning of every word.4. Finally,successful language learners are learners with a purpose.They want to learn the language because they are interested in the language and the people who speak it.It is necessary for them to learn the language in order to communicate with these people and to learn from them. They find it easy to practice using the language regularly because they want to learn with it.5. What kind of language learner are you?If you are a successful language learner,you have probably been learning independently,actively,and purposefully. On the other hand,if your language learning has been less than successful,you might as well try some of the techniques outlined above. Active language learners seize every opportunity______.A: to discover sentence patterns and grammatical rulesB: to expand vocabularyC: to use the target languageD: to encourage unsuccessful language learners to learn independently,actively and purposefullyE: from cluesF: to say strange things
共用题干Successful Language Learners1.Some people seem to have a knack for learning languages.They can pick up new vocabulary,master rules or grammar,and learn to write in the new language more quickly than others.They do not seem to be any more intelligent than others,so what makes language learning so much easier for them?Perhaps if we take a close look at these successful language learners,we may discover a few of the techniques which make language learning easier for them.2.First of all,successful language learners are independent learners.They do not depend on the book or the teacher;they discover their own way to learn the language.Instead of waiting for the teacher to explain,they try to find the patterns and the rules for themselves.They are good guessers who look for clues and form their own conclusions.When they guess wrong,they guess again.They try to learn from mistakes.3.Successful language learning is active learning. Therefore,successful learners do not wait for a chance to use the language;they look for such a chance.They find people who speak the language and they ask these people to correct them when they make a mistake.They will try anything to com-municate.They are not afraid to repeat what they hear or to say strange things;they are willing to make mistakes and try again.When communication is difficult,they can accept information that is inexact or incomplete.It is more important for them to learn to think in the language than to know the meaning of every word.4.Finally,successful language learners are learners with a purpose.They want to learn the language because they are interested in the language and the people who speak it.It is necessary for them to learn the language in order to communicate with these people and to learn from them.They find it easy to practice using the language regularly because they want to learn with it.5.What kind of language learner are you?If you are a successful language learner,you have probably been learning independently,actively,and purposefully.On the other hand,if your language learning has been less than successful,you might as well try some of the techniques outlined above.Active language learners seize every opportunity_________.A:to discover sentence patterns and grammatical rulesB:to expand vocabularyC:to use the target languageD:to encourage unsuccessful language learners to learn independently,actively and purposefullyE:from cluesF:to say strange things
共用题干Successful Language Learners1. Some people seem to have a knack for learning languages.They can pick up new vocabulary, master rules or grammar,and learn to write in the new language more quickly than others.They do not seem to be any more intelligent than others,so what makes language learning so much eas- ier for them?Perhaps if we take a close look at these successful language learners,we may dis- cover a few of the techniques which make language learning easier for them.2. First of all,successful language learners are independent learners.They do not depend on the book or the teacher;they discover their own way to learn the language.Instead of waiting for the teacher to explain,they try to find the patterns and the rules for themselves.They are good guess-ers who look for clues and form their own conclusions.When they guess wrong,they guess again. They try to learn from mistakes.3. Successful language learning is active learning. Therefore,successful learners do not wait for a chance to use the language;they look for such a chance.They find people who speak the lan-guage and they ask these people to correct them when they make a mistake.They will try anything to communicate .They are not afraid to repeat what they hear or to say strange things;they are willing to make mistakes and try again .When communication is difficult,they can accept information that is inexact or incomplete.It is more important for them to learn to think in the language than to know the meaning of every word.4. Finally,successful language learners are learners with a purpose.They want to learn the language because they are interested in the language and the people who speak it.It is necessary for them to learn the language in order to communicate with these people and to learn from them. They find it easy to practice using the language regularly because they want to learn with it.5. What kind of language learner are you?If you are a successful language learner,you have probably been learning independently,actively,and purposefully. On the other hand,if your language learning has been less than successful,you might as well try some of the techniques outlined above. The author wrote this text______.A: to discover sentence patterns and grammatical rulesB: to expand vocabularyC: to use the target languageD: to encourage unsuccessful language learners to learn independently,actively and purposefullyE: from cluesF: to say strange things
共用题干Successful Language Learners1.Some people seem to have a knack for learning languages.They can pick up new vocabulary,master rules or grammar,and learn to write in the new language more quickly than others.They do not seem to be any more intelligent than others,so what makes language learning so much easier for them?Perhaps if we take a close look at these successful language learners,we may discover a few of the techniques which make language learning easier for them.2.First of all,successful language learners are independent learners.They do not depend on the book or the teacher;they discover their own way to learn the language.Instead of waiting for the teacher to explain,they try to find the patterns and the rules for themselves.They are good guessers who look for clues and form their own conclusions.When they guess wrong,they guess again.They try to learn from mistakes.3.Successful language learning is active learning. Therefore,successful learners do not wait for a chance to use the language;they look for such a chance.They find people who speak the language and they ask these people to correct them when they make a mistake.They will try anything to com-municate.They are not afraid to repeat what they hear or to say strange things;they are willing to make mistakes and try again.When communication is difficult,they can accept information that is inexact or incomplete.It is more important for them to learn to think in the language than to know the meaning of every word.4.Finally,successful language learners are learners with a purpose.They want to learn the language because they are interested in the language and the people who speak it.It is necessary for them to learn the language in order to communicate with these people and to learn from them.They find it easy to practice using the language regularly because they want to learn with it.5.What kind of language learner are you?If you are a successful language learner,you have probably been learning independently,actively,and purposefully.On the other hand,if your language learning has been less than successful,you might as well try some of the techniques outlined above.The author wrote this text_________.A:to discover sentence patterns and grammatical rulesB:to expand vocabularyC:to use the target languageD:to encourage unsuccessful language learners to learn independently,actively and purposefullyE:from cluesF:to say strange things
共用题干Some Things We Know About LanguageMany things about language are a mystery,and many will always remain so.But some things we do know.First , we know that all human beings have a language of some sort.There is no race（种族）of men anywhere on earth so backward that it has no language,no set of speech sounds by which the people communicate with one another.Furthermore,in historical times,there has never been a race of men without a language. Second,there is no such thing as a primitive（原始的）language.There are many people whose cultures are undeveloped,who are,as we say,uncivilized,but the languages they speak are not primitive.In all known languages we can see complexities that must have been tens of thousands of years in developing. This has not always been well understood;indeed,the direct contrary has often been stated.Popular ideas of the language of the American Indians will illustrate.Many people have supposed that the Indians communicated in a very primitive system of noises.Study has proved this to be nonsense.There are,or were, hundreds of American Indian languages,and all of them turn out to be very complicated and very old.They are certainly different from the languages that most of us are familiar with,but they are no more primitive than English and Greek.A third thing we know about language is that all languages are perfectly adequate.That is,each one is a perfect means of expressing the culture of the people who speak the language. Finally,we know that language changes.It is natural and normal for language to change;the only languages which do not change are the dead ones.This is easy to understand if we look backward in time. Change goes on in all aspects of language.Grammatical features change as do speech sounds,and changes in vocabulary are sometimes very extensive and may occur very rapidly.Vocabulary is the least stable part of any language.According to the third paragraph,the author thinks that______.A:there exist some primitive languages in the worldB:there are many people who don't have a languageC:no languages in the world haven't been well developedD:there are some languages we know having little complexities
共用题干Some Things We Know About LanguageMany things about language are a mystery,and many will always remain so.But some things we do know.First , we know that all human beings have a language of some sort.There is no race（种族）of men anywhere on earth so backward that it has no language,no set of speech sounds by which the people communicate with one another.Furthermore,in historical times,there has never been a race of men without a language. Second,there is no such thing as a primitive（原始的）language.There are many people whose cultures are undeveloped,who are,as we say,uncivilized,but the languages they speak are not primitive.In all known languages we can see complexities that must have been tens of thousands of years in developing. This has not always been well understood;indeed,the direct contrary has often been stated.Popular ideas of the language of the American Indians will illustrate.Many people have supposed that the Indians communicated in a very primitive system of noises.Study has proved this to be nonsense.There are,or were, hundreds of American Indian languages,and all of them turn out to be very complicated and very old.They are certainly different from the languages that most of us are familiar with,but they are no more primitive than English and Greek.A third thing we know about language is that all languages are perfectly adequate.That is,each one is a perfect means of expressing the culture of the people who speak the language. Finally,we know that language changes.It is natural and normal for language to change;the only languages which do not change are the dead ones.This is easy to understand if we look backward in time. Change goes on in all aspects of language.Grammatical features change as do speech sounds,and changes in vocabulary are sometimes very extensive and may occur very rapidly.Vocabulary is the least stable part of any language.The author argues that we do know some things about language in______aspects.A:three B:fourC:five D:six
共用题干Some Things We Know About LanguageMany things about language are a mystery,and many will always remain so.But some things we do know.First , we know that all human beings have a language of some sort.There is no race（种族）of men anywhere on earth so backward that it has no language,no set of speech sounds by which the people communicate with one another.Furthermore,in historical times,there has never been a race of men without a language. Second,there is no such thing as a primitive（原始的）language.There are many people whose cultures are undeveloped,who are,as we say,uncivilized,but the languages they speak are not primitive.In all known languages we can see complexities that must have been tens of thousands of years in developing. This has not always been well understood;indeed,the direct contrary has often been stated.Popular ideas of the language of the American Indians will illustrate.Many people have supposed that the Indians communicated in a very primitive system of noises.Study has proved this to be nonsense.There are,or were, hundreds of American Indian languages,and all of them turn out to be very complicated and very old.They are certainly different from the languages that most of us are familiar with,but they are no more primitive than English and Greek.A third thing we know about language is that all languages are perfectly adequate.That is,each one is a perfect means of expressing the culture of the people who speak the language. Finally,we know that language changes.It is natural and normal for language to change;the only languages which do not change are the dead ones.This is easy to understand if we look backward in time. Change goes on in all aspects of language.Grammatical features change as do speech sounds,and changes in vocabulary are sometimes very extensive and may occur very rapidly.Vocabulary is the least stable part of any language.According to the author,language changes are most likely to occur in______.A:grammar B:pronunciationC:vocabulary D:intonation
共用题干Some Things We Know About LanguageMany things about language are a mystery,and many will always remain so.But some things we do know.First , we know that all human beings have a language of some sort.There is no race（种族）of men anywhere on earth so backward that it has no language,no set of speech sounds by which the people communicate with one another.Furthermore,in historical times,there has never been a race of men without a language. Second,there is no such thing as a primitive（原始的）language.There are many people whose cultures are undeveloped,who are,as we say,uncivilized,but the languages they speak are not primitive.In all known languages we can see complexities that must have been tens of thousands of years in developing. This has not always been well understood;indeed,the direct contrary has often been stated.Popular ideas of the language of the American Indians will illustrate.Many people have supposed that the Indians communicated in a very primitive system of noises.Study has proved this to be nonsense.There are,or were, hundreds of American Indian languages,and all of them turn out to be very complicated and very old.They are certainly different from the languages that most of us are familiar with,but they are no more primitive than English and Greek.A third thing we know about language is that all languages are perfectly adequate.That is,each one is a perfect means of expressing the culture of the people who speak the language. Finally,we know that language changes.It is natural and normal for language to change;the only languages which do not change are the dead ones.This is easy to understand if we look backward in time. Change goes on in all aspects of language.Grammatical features change as do speech sounds,and changes in vocabulary are sometimes very extensive and may occur very rapidly.Vocabulary is the least stable part of any language.Which of the following statements is INCORRECT?A:A language is a means of expressing a particular culture.B:All languages can well express their respective cultures.C:American Indian languages are as complex as English.D:Some languages are better than others.
共用题干Some Things We Know About LanguageMany things about language are a mystery,and many will always remain so.But some things we do know.First,we know that all human beings have a language of some sort. There is no race of men anywhere on earth so backward that it has no language,no set of speech sounds by which the people communicate with one another. Furthermore,in historical times,there has never been a race of men without a language.Second,there is no such thing as a primitive language.There are many people whose cultures are undeveloped,who are,as we say,uncivilized,but the languages they speak are not primitive .In all known languages we can see complexities that must have been tens of thousands of years in developing.This has not always been well understood;indeed,the direct contrary has often been stated.Popular ideas of the language of the American Indians will illustrate.Many people have supposed that the Indians communicated in a very primitive system of noises.Study has proved this to be nonsense .There are,or were,hundreds of American Indian languages,and all of them turn out to be very complicated and very old.They are certainly different from the languages that most of us are familiar with,but they are no more primitive than English and Greek.A third thing we know about language is that all languages are perfectly adequate. That is, each one is a perfect means of expressing the culture of the people who speak the language.Finally,we know that language changes.It is natural and normal for language to change;the only languages which do not change are the dead ones.This is easy to understand if we look backward in time.Change goes on in all aspects of language.Grammatical teatures change as do speech sounds,and changes in vocabulary are sometimes very extensive and may occur very rap-idly. Vocabulary is the least stable part of any language. According to the author,language changes are most likely to occur in______.A: grammarB: pronunciationC: vocabularyD: intonation
共用题干Some Things We Know About LanguageMany things about language are a mystery,and many will always remain so.But some things we do know.First,we know that all human beings have a language of some sort. There is no race of men anywhere on earth so backward that it has no language,no set of speech sounds by which the people communicate with one another. Furthermore,in historical times,there has never been a race of men without a language.Second,there is no such thing as a primitive language.There are many people whose cultures are undeveloped,who are,as we say,uncivilized,but the languages they speak are not primitive .In all known languages we can see complexities that must have been tens of thousands of years in developing.This has not always been well understood;indeed,the direct contrary has often been stated.Popular ideas of the language of the American Indians will illustrate.Many people have supposed that the Indians communicated in a very primitive system of noises.Study has proved this to be nonsense .There are,or were,hundreds of American Indian languages,and all of them turn out to be very complicated and very old.They are certainly different from the languages that most of us are familiar with,but they are no more primitive than English and Greek.A third thing we know about language is that all languages are perfectly adequate. That is, each one is a perfect means of expressing the culture of the people who speak the language.Finally,we know that language changes.It is natural and normal for language to change;the only languages which do not change are the dead ones.This is easy to understand if we look backward in time.Change goes on in all aspects of language.Grammatical teatures change as do speech sounds,and changes in vocabulary are sometimes very extensive and may occur very rap-idly. Vocabulary is the least stable part of any language. The author has used American Indian languages as an example to show that they are______.A: just as old as some well-known languagesB: just as sophisticated as some well-known languagesC: more developed than some well-known languagesD: more complex than some well-known languages
共用题干Some Things We Know About LanguageMany things about language are a mystery,and many will always remain so.But some things we do know.First,we know that all human beings have a language of some sort. There is no race of men anywhere on earth so backward that it has no language,no set of speech sounds by which the people communicate with one another. Furthermore,in historical times,there has never been a race of men without a language.Second,there is no such thing as a primitive language.There are many people whose cultures are undeveloped,who are,as we say,uncivilized,but the languages they speak are not primitive .In all known languages we can see complexities that must have been tens of thousands of years in developing.This has not always been well understood;indeed,the direct contrary has often been stated.Popular ideas of the language of the American Indians will illustrate.Many people have supposed that the Indians communicated in a very primitive system of noises.Study has proved this to be nonsense .There are,or were,hundreds of American Indian languages,and all of them turn out to be very complicated and very old.They are certainly different from the languages that most of us are familiar with,but they are no more primitive than English and Greek.A third thing we know about language is that all languages are perfectly adequate. That is, each one is a perfect means of expressing the culture of the people who speak the language.Finally,we know that language changes.It is natural and normal for language to change;the only languages which do not change are the dead ones.This is easy to understand if we look backward in time.Change goes on in all aspects of language.Grammatical teatures change as do speech sounds,and changes in vocabulary are sometimes very extensive and may occur very rap-idly. Vocabulary is the least stable part of any language. In the second paragraph the passage tells us that______.A: some backward race doesn't have a language of its ownB: some race in history didn't possess a language of its ownC: any human race,whether backward or not,has a languageD: some races on earth can communicate without language
共用题干Some Things We Know About LanguageMany things about language are a mystery,and many will always remain so.But some things we do know.First,we know that all human beings have a language of some sort. There is no race of men anywhere on earth so backward that it has no language,no set of speech sounds by which the people communicate with one another. Furthermore,in historical times,there has never been a race of men without a language.Second,there is no such thing as a primitive language.There are many people whose cultures are undeveloped,who are,as we say,uncivilized,but the languages they speak are not primitive .In all known languages we can see complexities that must have been tens of thousands of years in developing.This has not always been well understood;indeed,the direct contrary has often been stated.Popular ideas of the language of the American Indians will illustrate.Many people have supposed that the Indians communicated in a very primitive system of noises.Study has proved this to be nonsense .There are,or were,hundreds of American Indian languages,and all of them turn out to be very complicated and very old.They are certainly different from the languages that most of us are familiar with,but they are no more primitive than English and Greek.A third thing we know about language is that all languages are perfectly adequate. That is, each one is a perfect means of expressing the culture of the people who speak the language.Finally,we know that language changes.It is natural and normal for language to change;the only languages which do not change are the dead ones.This is easy to understand if we look backward in time.Change goes on in all aspects of language.Grammatical teatures change as do speech sounds,and changes in vocabulary are sometimes very extensive and may occur very rap-idly. Vocabulary is the least stable part of any language. According to the author,people of undeveloped cultures can have______languages.A: complicatedB: uncivilizedC: primitiveD: well-known
共用题干Some Things We Know About LanguageMany things about language are a mystery,and many will always remain so.But some things we do know.First,we know that all human beings have a language of some sort. There is no race of men anywhere on earth so backward that it has no language,no set of speech sounds by which the people communicate with one another. Furthermore,in historical times,there has never been a race of men without a language.Second,there is no such thing as a primitive language.There are many people whose cultures are undeveloped,who are,as we say,uncivilized,but the languages they speak are not primitive .In all known languages we can see complexities that must have been tens of thousands of years in developing.This has not always been well understood;indeed,the direct contrary has often been stated.Popular ideas of the language of the American Indians will illustrate.Many people have supposed that the Indians communicated in a very primitive system of noises.Study has proved this to be nonsense .There are,or were,hundreds of American Indian languages,and all of them turn out to be very complicated and very old.They are certainly different from the languages that most of us are familiar with,but they are no more primitive than English and Greek.A third thing we know about language is that all languages are perfectly adequate. That is, each one is a perfect means of expressing the culture of the people who speak the language.Finally,we know that language changes.It is natural and normal for language to change;the only languages which do not change are the dead ones.This is easy to understand if we look backward in time.Change goes on in all aspects of language.Grammatical teatures change as do speech sounds,and changes in vocabulary are sometimes very extensive and may occur very rap-idly. Vocabulary is the least stable part of any language. Which of the following statements is CORRECT?A: A language can express many cultures.B: All languages can well express their respective cultures.C: American Indian languages are not as sophisticated as English.D: Some languages are better than other languages.
In every cultivated language, there are two great classes of words which, taken together, comprise the whole vocabulary. First, there are those words（1）which we become acquainted in daily conversation, which we（2）,that is to say, from the（3） of our own family and from our familiar associates, and（4） we should know and use （5 ）we could not read or write. They （6） the common things of life, and are the stock in trade of all who （7） the language. Such words may be called“popular”, since they belong to the people （8） and are not the exclusive （9） of a limited class. On the other hand, our language （10） a multitude of words which are comparatively （11） used in ordinary conversation. Their meanings are known to every educated person, but there is little （12） to use them at home or in the market-place. Our （13） acquaintance with them comes not from our mother's （14） or from the talk of our school-mates, （15） from books that we read, lectures that we （16） ,or the more （17）conversation of highly educated speakers who are discussing some particular （18） n a style appropriately elevated above the habitual（19） f everyday life. Such words are called“learned”, and the （20） between them and the“popular”words is of great importance to a right understanding of linguistic process.请在19处填上正确答案（）A、borderB、linkC、degreeD、extent
问答题Language exists to communicate whatever it can communicate. Some things it communicates so badly that we never attempt to communicate them by words if any other medium is available. Those who think they are testing a boy’ s “elementary” command of English by asking him to describe in words how one ties one’ s tie or what a pair of scissors is like, are far astray. For precisely what language can hardly do at all, and never does well, is to inform us about complex physical shapes and movements
问答题Language exists to communicate whatever it can communicate. Some things it communicates so badly that we never attempt to communicate them by words if any other medium is available. Those who think they are testing a boy’s “elementary” command of English by asking him to describe in words how one ties one’s tie or what a pair of scissors is like, are far astray. For precisely what language can hardly do at all, and never does well, is to inform us about complex physical shapes and movements. Hence descriptions of such things in the ancient writers are nearly always unintelligible. Hence we never in real life voluntarily use language for this purpose; we draw a diagram or go through pantomimic gestures. The exercises which such examiners set are no more a test of “elementary” linguistic competence than the most difficult bit of trick—riding from the circus ring is a test of elementary horsemanship. Another grave limitation of language is that it cannot, like music or gesture, do more than one thing at once. However the words in a great poet’s phrase interanimate one other and strike the mind as quasi-instantaneous chord, yet, strictly speaking, each word must be read or heard before the next. That way, language is as unilinear as time. Hence, in narrative, the great difficulty of presenting a very complicated change which happens suddenly. If we do justice to the complexity, the time the reader must take over the passage will destroy the feeling of suddenness. If we get in the suddenness we shall not be able to get in the complexity. One of the most important and effective uses of language is the emotional. It is also, of course, wholly legitimate. We do not talk only in order to reason or to inform. We have to make love and quarrel, to propitiate and pardon, to rebuke, to console, intercede, and a rouse. “He that complains,” said Johnson, “acts like a man, like a social being.” The real objection lies not against the language of emotion as such, but against language which, being in reality emotional, masquerades—whether by plain hypocrisy or subtle self-deceit—as being something else.