Passage 9
How men first learnt to invent words is unknown; in other words, the origin of language is a mystery. All we really known is that men, unlike animals, somehow invented certain sounds to express thoughts 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 represent those sounds, and which could be written down, these 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 to us 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(文体). 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 (粗俗的).
Which is true about origin of language?[ANSWER]
A)Men,as well as animals,invented certain sounds to express thoughts.
B)The origin of language is a complicated question.
C)Words did not have written form,at first.
D)Words were invented to represent meanings.
The power of words lies in _____.[ANSWER]
A)the fact that it can associate the things in the world with the ideas in our mind
B)the fact that one word is connected with another
C)the fact that it can associate one person with another
D)the fact that it can recall to us the events of our past
In order not to make our speech silly and vulgar,we should _____.[ANSWER]
A)use words that can move men to tears
B)choose words with care and accuracy
C)become a master of words
D)use words which sing like music
Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE?[ANSWER]
A)The more we read and learn,the larger our vocabulary will be.
B)The longer we live,the number of words that mean something to us increases.
C)Words can be used to represent various meanings.
D)Literary style a usually very charming.
The best title for this passage would be _____.[ANSWER]
A)The meaning of words
B)The characteristics of words
C)The origin of words
D)The power of words
