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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapter 11 Old World New World.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What brings some sort of uniformity to spelling and language?
(a) The printing press
(b) McGuffy's Reader
(c) The Constitution
(d) Newspapers

2. According to the author, some words are formed out of __________________.
(a) guttural noises
(b) mistakes
(c) misunderstandings
(d) other words

3. Words that enter American and British vocabularies generally come from what country?
(a) France
(b) England
(c) America
(d) Italy

4. Why could the Neanderthals not keep up with the Cro-Magnons?
(a) They did not have fire
(b) They could not run as fast
(c) Their brains were not as big
(d) They couldn't communicate with the same complexity

5. What is common to most English speakers?
(a) Talking too fast
(b) Dropping end letters
(c) Slurring
(d) Stuttering

Short Answer Questions

1. From what do most languages derive?

2. Language differences within a country are often ________________.

3. According to the author, what is easy or difficult depending on the point of view?

4. In what American city do people speak with slurred words that make them almost impossible to understand?

5. What does the English language's large vocabulary mean to users?

(see the answer key)

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