2. What does the English language's large vocabulary mean to users?
(a) More letters of the alphabet
(b) More precise expression
(c) More vowels
(d) More spelling words

3. 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

4. What language and culture does the answer to #44 bring to England?
(a) Danish
(b) French
(c) Spanish
(d) Irish

5. On what does a child's vocabulary rely?
(a) IQ
(b) Nationality
(c) Geographic area
(d) Exposure to the speech of the primary caregiver

Short Answer Questions

1. What system allows English speakers to communicate efficiently in writing?

2. Who is Noam Chomsky?

3. What else impacts the pronunciation of some words?

4. What is phonology?

5. In addition to linguistic differences in languages, there are also ________________________.

Short Essay Questions

1. What is another method of explaining where words come from?

2. How did the English language evolve in the British Isles or what is now known as the United Kingdom?

3. Explain the theories that languages are based in sound.

4. What drawbacks are there in using the English language?

5. How does the English language compare with the development and growth of other global languages?

6. How does the author account for the changing pronunciation of English over time?

7. What was the Great Vowel Shift?

8. What is the proof of the power of the English language in the modern world?

9. What two religious scholars are responsible for documenting language in England?

10. What measures can people take when exact pronunciations are critical?

(see the answer keys)

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