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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the difference between Cro-Magnon man and Neanderthal man?

2. What is DARE?

3. The differences between languages bring up questions about what?

4. The author finds that many languages _________________________.

5. What brings some sort of uniformity to spelling and language?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the frustration of attempting to organize information about English in North America?

2. What does the author say is the reason some English words are created?

3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of pictographic languages?

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

5. What are the merits of using the English language?

6. What seems to be a long-term benefit of a phonetic system as opposed to a pictograph system?

7. What is Noam Chomsky's position on how children learn language?

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

9. In what way does the author think varieties of English are influenced by social reasons?

10. What is so interesting about the way human speech has spread around the world?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain at least three of the ways that new words are created in the English language. Be sure to take into account historic creations as well as modern methods.

Essay Topic 2

What are the benefits that the English language offers its users? Take into account its significantly larger vocabulary and grammar complexities.

Essay Topic 3

What is the archaeological evidence that points to the evolution of human speech?

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This section contains 911 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample