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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. How do some linguists think that children learn their languages?

2. Which group surprisingly makes grammar and word mistakes?

3. What happens when a particular phonology is applied to adopted words?

4. Who invades England in 1066?

5. What is often cited as an equalizing force in English?

Short Essay Questions

1. Finally, what is the fourth method of explaining where words come from?

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

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

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

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

6. How was the Cro-Magnon man able to supersede the Neanderthal man in human development?

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

8. Why is learning the English language considered a large industry in the world?

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

10. What event prompted the usage of standardized spelling in England?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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

Essay Topic 2

Who was Samuel Johnson? What was his role in the development of the English language? What impact did his work have? Is his work still relevant today?

Essay Topic 3

Explain the differences between pictographic languages and phonetic languages and give examples of each.

(see the answer keys)

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